Wagner: A life-long love

Was it merely a coincidence that Strauss had a splendid villa built at Garmisch, somewhat on the lines of "Wahnfried", and that he became the co-founder of his “own” festival in Salzburg in 1920? Even though Strauss turned his back on Bayreuth in 1895, Wagner continued to play a central role in his life – witness, among other things, the pictures in Strauss’ composing studio his son Franz was so keenly interested in at the tender age of not even two years and a half: “Bubi (...) watches me writing and time and again explains to me the pictures on the studio wall: Wagner, Beek-hoffen, Liszt, Bilo.“

When Strauss was director of the Vienna State Opera, Verdi's and particularly Wagner's operas held pride of place in the repertoire. Later, in 1927, Strauss wrote to his librettist, Hugo von Hofmannsthal: “I recently heard Wagner’s Meistersinger, a magnificent work, and ever since I’ve wished I could follow in his footsteps – unfortunately only at some distance – but still write a genuinely German work, a good dramatic piece and at the same time one that truly reflects German culture.”

It came as a surprise some six years later, when he was nearly 70, that Strauss resumed his cooperation with Bayreuth in 1933, a decision that was greatly resented by the general public abroad and gave rise to polemics in the foreign press. Toscanini had announced his withdrawal from Bayreuth in order to demonstrate his protest against anti-Semitism and dictatorship - and also because he was hurt by the unfriendly reviews his Parsifal had received on account of his broad tempi. As the spectre of cancellation hung over the festival, Strauss spontaneously volunteered to step in – without a fee –and save the day for the new manager, Winifred Wagner. Strauss had never before conducted Parsifal and knew it only from his Bayreuth days as répétiteur. In his interpretation he tried, in line with Wagner’s intentions, to free the work from insincere pathos and to achieve solemnity by other means than excessively slow tempi. When Ivar Andresen gave an epically broad rendering of the Tale of Gurnemanz (“Titurel, der fromme Held...“), Strauss stopped him and asked(in broad dialect) “Why are you singing this in such a pious manner? You’ve got to tell the story like a Bavarian game keeper who’s just shot a buck”. It is said that his Parsifal was a full 45 minutes shorter than that of his predecessors  - and met with the whole-hearted approval of the Wagner family. In fact, Winifred Wagner and her artistic director, Heinz Tietjen, congratulated Strauss on his 70th birthday on June 4, 1934: “On the day which honours the seventieth recurrence of his birth we should like, in faithful friendship and deep thankfulness, to shake most warmly the hand of the man to whom Bayreuth owes a great debt of gratitude for putting his unique personality and artistic mastery at the disposal of Bayreuth during the critical days it experienced in 1933 and 1934.” They added, “Please accept the expression of our most heartfelt loyalty which we offer you proudly for so faithfully supporting us in our endeavours to continue the work of the other Richard on the Green Hill.”