Cosima Wagner: The Lady of Bayreuth Book

Cosima Wagner: The Lady of Bayreuth

by Oliver Hilmes, translated by Stewart Spencer
published by Yale University Press, New Haven & London., 2010
ISBN: 978 0 300 15215-9
9780300152159

29.90 Euros, bought in Bayreuth
Available on Kindle & on Amazon ($26.40)

Reviewed by Hazel Edwards
(www.hazeledwards.com )


I'm not a Richard Wagner fan. My husband genuinely enjoys the music and legendary ideas behind the operas. Although I refused to call our daughter Brunnhilde or our son Siegfried, I read 'Cosima Wagner' because biographies of strong females within their social and historic context, interest me.

Whereas most Wagner Society members are experts on the complicated politics of Wagnerian music, culture and family relationships, as an outsider, I could read the biography impartially, and ask naïve questions.

And this is one of the strengths of Hilmes' writing, as he provides the social context, and deftly explains the family reasons why Cosima might have been so manipulative, but allows you to make up your own mind. The writing is accessible and the tone is conversational. Hilmes poses the questions you might be thinking, and then tries to answer them.
Cosima's treatment as the illegitimate daughter of Franz Liszt , and her adulation of the remote father genius , was transferred to Wagner and their children. As she made herself organisationally indispensible, and built the reputation of his music, her reflected power grew. The children appeared to be dynasty fodder, groomed to take over the family business, but not all were able. The biographer chronicles this and allows the reader to judge this tenacious flaw. Cosima was a status strategist, and excellent at evaluating the most effective networks to promote Wagner's music, longterm.

The Wagnerian family tree endpapers are vital resources to work out the complicated family relationships. Frankly I had trouble with some of the liaisons, and had to keep checking names.

The strengths of Hilmes' writing( remembering that it is via translation) are in conveying the German and French politics, musical patronage arrangements and explaining some of the Hitler connections. Similar adulation by Winifred to a genius mythology is a parallel to Cosima's upbringing. The entrepreneurial focus of Bayreuth as a theatre town and the noble hospitality of Wahnfried, reliant on Cosima's housewifery skills, such as how many chickens for dinner as well as which conductors to entice, was a multi-tasking achievement. Paying the bills was dependent upon patronage, although Wagner seemed to consider it his right to live off his hosts or patrons or simply leave debts behind.. Cosima was passionate in her singlemindedness about the right of his works for the nation. After Wagner's death in 1883, Cosima lived on for almost fifty years, and created a Bayreuth Festival with herself as High Priestess of all things Wagnerian.

Much discussion has been provoked in our household by this book . How can musical 'genius' be an excuse for total self-centredness? Or post-humously, as the excuse for manipulating a musical legacy?

After a fortnight, I closed 'Cosima Wagner' with respect for the biographer's craft, but glad I had not had to confront the strategist Cosima in person. And yet she must have had personal charm to convince others to contribute? And the mind of a hard-working lobbyist?

Hilmes also wrote a biography of Alma Mahler, so I will read that next. The dynamics of creative partnerships of the woman behind the male musical genius appear to be his specialty. The internal dynamics of co-dependencies in creative partnerships are not always as outsiders assume. A biographer such as Oliver Hilmes provides some insight into the motivations of two strong personalities whose actions have created a musical legacy.

Music was the family business which went global. Richard Wagner was the star. But Cosima was the business manager and publicist.

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Author Hazel Edwards,(www.hazeledwards.com) best known of her 200 titles is the classic 'There's a Hippopotamus on Our Roof Eating Cake' recently made into a film. She co-authored 'Difficult Personalities' (Penguin) with Dr Helen Mc Grath.
She's married to Wagner fan, Garnet Edwards.