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Tannhäuser was a German composer of classical music who lived during the 19th century. He was born on May 22, 1813, in Leipzig, Germany. His full name was Wilhelm Richard Wagner, but he is commonly known by his middle name, Richard Wagner. Wagner was the ninth child of Carl Friedrich Wagner, a police clerk, and Johanna Rosine Wagner. His father died when he was only six months old, and his mother remarried soon after. Wagner's stepfather, Ludwig Geyer, was an actor and playwright who had a significant influence on Wagner's artistic development. Wagner showed an early interest in music and began composing at a young age. He received his first formal music education from his stepfather, who taught him to play the piano and introduced him to the works of Beethoven and Mozart. Wagner's talent was recognized early on, and he was given a scholarship to study at the Leipzig Conservatory when he was only 15 years old. Wagner's early works were heavily influenced by the Romantic movement, which emphasized emotion and individualism. His first opera, Die Feen (The Fairies), was completed in 1834 when he was only 21 years old. The opera was not well-received, and Wagner struggled to find success as a composer. He spent several years working as a conductor and music director in various cities throughout Germany. In 1842, Wagner married Minna Planer, an actress who had appeared in several of his operas. The couple had a tumultuous relationship, and Wagner's infidelities and financial problems put a strain on their marriage. Despite these difficulties, Minna remained a loyal supporter of Wagner's work throughout his life. Wagner's breakthrough as a composer came in 1845 with the premiere of his opera Tannhäuser. The opera tells the story of a medieval knight who is torn between his love for the virtuous Elisabeth and his desire for the sensual pleasures of Venusberg, a mythical realm of pleasure. The opera was a critical and commercial success, and it established Wagner as one of the leading composers of his time. Wagner's next opera, Lohengrin, premiered in 1850. The opera tells the story of a knight who comes to the aid of a damsel in distress and falls in love with her. The opera is notable for its use of leitmotifs, recurring musical themes that represent characters, objects, or ideas. Wagner would go on to use leitmotifs extensively in his later works. In 1853, Wagner began work on what would become his most famous opera, Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring of the Nibelung). The opera is a cycle of four operas that tell the story of a cursed ring that brings power and destruction to those who possess it. The cycle took Wagner over 25 years to complete and is considered one of the greatest achievements in the history of opera. Wagner's personal life was marked by controversy and scandal. He was a vocal critic of the German government and was forced to flee the country after his involvement in the failed revolution of 1849. He spent several years in exile in Switzerland, where he wrote some of his most famous works, including Tristan und Isolde and Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg. Wagner's anti-Semitic views also caused controversy. He wrote several essays in which he expressed his belief in the superiority of the Aryan race and his disdain for Jews. These views have led to accusations of anti-Semitism against Wagner, and his music has been banned in Israel and other countries.

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