Der Ringkämpfer - Richard Wagner. Macht, Liebe und Musik

The film is divided into the topics "love", "politics", "money" and "music". Each aspect is traced from Wagner's time to the present day. The focus on "money", for example, not only deals with Wagner's financial situation, but also with his current market value as a film composer, advertising medium and tourist driver, for example in Bayreuth. In the "Love" section, Wagner's wives are introduced, but also asked what still stimulates Wagnerians erotically in his music today. The focus is always on Wagner's greatest work "The Ring of the Nibelung". His plot shows parallels to Wagner's life. The reception of the trilogy is also followed: From the premiere performance to the abuse by the National Socialists to the role Wagner's work plays in our time. The most important Wagner interpreters and scholars, as well as music historians and politicians (including Marek Janowski, Christian Thielemann, Dr. Sven Friedrich, Albert Dohmen, Stefan Vinke, Catherine Foster, among others) will have their say. The film shows that Wagner's work anticipated every change in Germany, from revolution to monarchy, dictatorship and democracy.