Wagner Society in NSW Inc
Review

Report
Program
Keynote speakers
Speakers
Panel Discussion
Final Comments

Report

This ambitious Symposium was intended to "focus on current directions and new impulses in Wagner research and on the wider question of the reception of Wagner’s work at the close of the millennium. It will thus attempt to offer a reassessment of the place and significance of the composer’s work and ideas in our present changing world" (Conference registration form).

The Symposium was generally well organised with a range of associated activities to provide variety and commercial opportunities. There was a large and enthusiastic contingent of people interested in Wagner most of whom seemed to stay to the end even though the Napier Building Main Theatre was not a particularly sympathetic venue.

The International Wagner Symposium Organising Committee deserves the thanks of Australian Wagner lovers for taking on this task. Many well deserved plaudits were bestowed on Ms Christine Rothauser, whose energy and commitment ensured a successful Symposium.

The Progsam was diverse, catering for those whose primary interests may have been musicological or mythological, psychological or theatrical, cinematic or philosophical. Professor John Deathridge (King’s College, University of London) gave the University Foundation Lecture – open to the public and well attended – on "Hitler’s Wagner and the Musical Representation of Power".

The Symposium concluded with a Panel discussion (with a few questions from the floor) between most of the presenters and Mr Lionel Friend (Assistant Conductor for the Ring), Mr Stephen Taylor (Assistant Director for the Ring), Professor Dr Eva Rieger and Emeritus Professor Brian Coghlan.

The Symposium dinner was held in the Botanic Gardens, in a suitably octagonal building to take account of all angles on Wagner. In his dinner address, Mr Barry Millington - with disarming modesty from someone who has attempted the same task with far greater success - reminded us of the perils of making public utterances on artistic matters with some deliciously silly quotations from the Ellis translations of The Ring Cycle and some judicious comments about the perils of translation.

The Organising Committee has promised that the proceedings will be published, so if you are interested in finding out what you missed at the Symposium you could contact the Wagner Society of South Australia – www. – or send an email to info@wagner-nsw.org.au (you can also just click on the email link below).

Terence Watson - 8 May 1999