Wagner in China [3] Yang Lin with Wagner through the times

Already as a student I came into contact with Wagner’s works on several occasions. As a very productive and multi-talented composer and because of his incredible innovative energy, he represents a rare case in the history of modern music and therefore occupies a special position in our teaching materials. For example, during our advanced lectures on harmony, Wagner's chromatic and temporary modulation represented an important topic. I remember that some of the foreign music CDs we had at home included a selection of Wagner's works. Moreover, I have written reports about the Bayreuth Festival for the Chinese media. In addition, many of my friends are "devoted" Wagner fans. Some of them just love his music, while others praise his literary talent, and some even like to discuss his philosophical views. As for me, the debates on Wagner among my friends are a very interesting experience. As you can see, living in the world of music, Wagner is a name you will encounter on many opportunities and occasions.

The "Ring" in Beijing

I was deeply impressed by the performance of the German opera “Ring der Nibelungen” in original cast in Beijing in 2005. For me and the other Wagner fans among my friends it was a very exciting event and I therefore attentively watched the entire “Ring” from beginning to end.

Thanks to the fantastic production and the perfect performance the event succeeded to convey the special energy of Wagner's music. I also remember the performance's beautiful state design.
In the beginning of the first scene of "Rheingold" I was very surprised of the stage design. The stage wasn't divided into a front and rear part, there was no elegant landscape painting with mountains and water, no scenery in a traditional classic European style. The stage design was very simple, a big capital "A" dominated the entire stage and reached until the ceiling. This resulted in a very modern-looking and holistic appearance. The four sides of the stage and the letter were cloaked with pale, long curtains, which amplified the extravagant effect and corresponded very well to the piece’s atmosphere.

Perspectives of musical theatre

Until then I had only heard rumors that opera houses in Europe, where the works of Wagner are frequently performed, always have to come up with something new in order to attract the audience’s attention. Apart from the music, they need to be innovative in all kind of ways, for example, in regard to stage design and costumes. The fact that such music and a very bold and original stage design was used for this piece, allowed me to experience Wagner from different perspectives and to overcome temporal boundaries.

I was very lucky that I was able to watch the entire performance of the "Ring”, especially since today there are yet not many opportunities in China to attend performances of Wagner's works. I hope that in the future there are going to be more and more such performances in China.
However, Wagner is not a source of inspiration for my own work as a composer. Unlike for many other Wagner fans, he occupies no central position among my favorite composers. On the contrary: There are a number of other European composers that are stylistically more diversified then him (this even includes contemporary composers of Wagner), and therefore are much more important for my compositional work. But I must admit that the endurance and tragic power of his music have affected me deeply. Therefore, I do not dare to eliminate the possibility that he will exercise an unconscious influence on my work in the future.