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Wagner Without Fear: Learning to Love—and Even Enjoy—Opera's Most Demanding Genius
Do you cringe when your opera-loving friends start raving about the latest production of Tristan? Do you feel faint just thinking about the six-hour performance of Parsifal you were given tickets to? Does your mate accuse you of having a Tannhäuser complex? If you're baffled by the behavior of Wagner worshipers, if you've longed to fathom the mysteries of Wagner's ever-increasing popularity, or if you just want to better understand and enjoy the performances you're attending, you'll find this delightful book indispensable.
William Berger is the most helpful guide one could hope to find for navigating the strange and beautiful world of the most controversial artist who ever lived. He tells you all you need to know to become a true Wagnerite--from story lines to historical background; from when to visit the rest room to how to sound smart during intermission; from the Jewish legend that possibly inspired Lohengrin to the tragic death of the first Tristan. Funny, informative, and always a pleasure to read, Wagner Without Fear proves that the art of Wagner can be accessible to everyone.
Includes:
- The strange life of Richard Wagner--German patriot (and exile), friend (and enemy) of Liszt and Nietzsche
- Essential opera lore and "lobby talk"
- A scene-by-scene analysis of each opera
- What to listen for to get the most from the music
- Recommended recordings, films, and sound tracks
William Berger is the most helpful guide one could hope to find for navigating the strange and beautiful world of the most controversial artist who ever lived. He tells you all you need to know to become a true Wagnerite--from story lines to historical background; from when to visit the rest room to how to sound smart during intermission; from the Jewish legend that possibly inspired Lohengrin to the tragic death of the first Tristan. Funny, informative, and always a pleasure to read, Wagner Without Fear proves that the art of Wagner can be accessible to everyone.
Includes:
- The strange life of Richard Wagner--German patriot (and exile), friend (and enemy) of Liszt and Nietzsche
- Essential opera lore and "lobby talk"
- A scene-by-scene analysis of each opera
- What to listen for to get the most from the music
- Recommended recordings, films, and sound tracks
464 pages, Paperback
First published September 29, 1998
About the author
William Berger
25 books11 followersWilliam Berger was born in California and studied Romance languages and music at the University of California at Santa Cruz. He worked for five years at the San Francisco Opera Company, where he acquired for the company’s recorded music collection. He is the author of Wagner Without Fear: Learning to Love–and Even Enjoy–Opera’s Most Demanding Genius and Verdi With a Vengeance: An Energetic Guide to the Life and Complete Works of the King of Opera. He is a frequent lecturer and radio commentator and has recently been a regular host for New York Public Radio’s Overnight Music. He has written libretti, performance pieces, and articles on a wide variety of topics including architecture, religion, and, of course, music. He is a music host for WNYC radio and lives in New York.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
August 2, 2018
This was an informative, and quite entertaining, overview of all things Wagner. Berger has something for everyone here, and its an especially suitable montage for "beginners" with little or no knowledge of Wagner, or of opera in general. It features a biographical thread of Wagner's life, including his excesses, flaws, and controversial viewpoints. There is a detailed synopsis of each of his operas, in order of their composition, in which Berger describes the characters, plots, and every individual act, in significant detail. Here you will also find a number of humorous touches, including recommendations on where to plan bathroom breaks in each opera, and some suggested conversation starters that will come in handy among opera fans in the lobby. The book includes a large Wagner discography near the end, and more supplemental material than I can describe in a short review.
If you're curious and want to accumulate a good foundation of knowledge about Wagner and his works, this volume is a chatty, breezy, funny and information-packed place to start!
If you're curious and want to accumulate a good foundation of knowledge about Wagner and his works, this volume is a chatty, breezy, funny and information-packed place to start!
September 1, 2012
I came to William Berger’s Wagner Without Fear with established interest in and a beginner’s knowledge of German opera, including many adjacent fields. I found exactly the part review, part deeper study that I was looking for in the 52-page biography and overview of Wagner’s work. It painted a clear enough picture of Wagner’s life to satisfy an interested reader without boring an initiate. Importantly, it thoroughly connected Wagner’s characteristics and circumstances to key points in his work thoroughly, so as to make the biography come alive and render the opera more accessible. This was accomplished smoothly, without distracting the reader. It brought out many of the themes explicitly running through Wagner’s works and highlighted some of the paradoxes that make them so enjoyable, chief among them how he could be a good father and artist of the highest integrity while remaining such a despicable man. Berger’s writing sets a healthy foundation on which to build a personal relationship with Wagner opera, whether it is one of love or hate.
Only once did a misplaced modifier distract us (Wagner, not the noble Esterhazy family, went through “years of hard work” [pg. 24]). Of course, it is clear what he means, but it might not be so for someone discovering these people for the first time. Only once does awkward syntax force a passage to be read, then re-read, with difficulty: “idol for now, later, in one of those about-faces that characterize Nietzsche’s life and thought, his bitter enemy” (pg. 42). And only once, in describing the “relatively huge stage” of the Bayreuth theater created by Wagner, does illogical word use tarnish the otherwise humorous, knowledgeable, and easy-reading tone of a wonderfully accessible guidebook to Wagner.
Berger’s unnecessarily specific reference to “the Gym at the Pines (Fire Island, N.Y.)” (pg. ix), presumably means to identify the author as an openly gay scholar. This would seem to have nothing to do with the rest of his writing except that it enables him to discuss homosexuality among important figures in Wagner’s life later, in passing, but with a specific purpose. Berger can treat this information lightly or not, as he chooses. Unfortunately, the introduction of this topic is inevitably accompanied by a certain gravity which Berger, fortunately, has thus deflated.
Greatly appreciated and in line with the book’s guidebook nature are the two European maps, “Places in Wagner’s Life” and “Places in Wagner’s Operas” (pgs. 56-57). They are instructive when studied in juxtaposition and useful as an aid in following the composer’s biography.
I didn’t use the sections on specific operas which comprise the bulk of the book, although I did read through the first one, “The Flying Dutchman.” It contains beneficial observations to get us started learning the opera: the sailors’ calls echoing off the Norwegian coast (pg. 65) or Senta’s ballad as a microcosm of the entire work (pg. 71). It is, however, beset by unhelpful bits of hyperbole that detract from our respect for the expert author: “Was Newman on drugs when he wrote this?” (pg. 69); “It’s hard to know what effect Wagner was intending, because … the good gentlemen of the chorus invariably look like idiots,” when they do not, and the intended effect is absolutely clear (pg. 75); “the action took place on Daland’s ship, with random details representing other places” (pg. 81). Not only does Berger probably mean “disorganized,” “not contributing to the production,” or “unsatisfying to me” rather than “random,” but he also overlooks the fact that randomness, if “random” was, in fact, an appropriate descriptor, may be a desired effect in 20th-century music (he was describing a 1975 production) or may have made sense in theatrical terms for that production. He subsequently describes the production as presenting elements “in the manner of dreams” (pg. 81), which is not at all random – it is deeply significant! He otherwise mishandles the interpretation of the opera, drawing a connection to the Norwegian word for “maid” from that character in the opera, in part as evidence of the work’s inspiration by Wagner’s own sea voyage, but then extrapolating it to the Mexican term “chencha” for no reason, although he tries to explain one (pg. 82); describing describing the heroine’s name as a “tribute” to his wife even though the important idea is that this is one of many connections that form the basis of the opera’s main theme, man’s redemption through woman (pg. 82); and mis-explaining why it is “Wagner’s most ‘Italian’ opera,” confusing rather than clarifying what is already an ambiguous topic for newcomers to opera (pg. 83). Someone encountering opera for the first time is challenged to understand how “Italian” opera refers to a style rather than to work created in Italy or in Italian and what the characteristics of that style are. A student who progresses that far might begin to see that, despite the great distance of his art from the Italian styles, Wagner’s Rienzi might be his closest work to Italian-style opera, as the author has previously explained. His observation has the potential to leave anyone other than an expert horribly confused since it is presented as part pun, part argument, but really not explained at all. However, the introduction to the Dutchman does its job of immersing the reader in the opera. The book does the same for Wagner’s oeuvre as a whole, leaving the reader both familiar and opinionated, with Berger or against him. The author could polish the work by removing some of the weird colloquialisms, but it is effective and enjoyable overall.
Only once did a misplaced modifier distract us (Wagner, not the noble Esterhazy family, went through “years of hard work” [pg. 24]). Of course, it is clear what he means, but it might not be so for someone discovering these people for the first time. Only once does awkward syntax force a passage to be read, then re-read, with difficulty: “idol for now, later, in one of those about-faces that characterize Nietzsche’s life and thought, his bitter enemy” (pg. 42). And only once, in describing the “relatively huge stage” of the Bayreuth theater created by Wagner, does illogical word use tarnish the otherwise humorous, knowledgeable, and easy-reading tone of a wonderfully accessible guidebook to Wagner.
Berger’s unnecessarily specific reference to “the Gym at the Pines (Fire Island, N.Y.)” (pg. ix), presumably means to identify the author as an openly gay scholar. This would seem to have nothing to do with the rest of his writing except that it enables him to discuss homosexuality among important figures in Wagner’s life later, in passing, but with a specific purpose. Berger can treat this information lightly or not, as he chooses. Unfortunately, the introduction of this topic is inevitably accompanied by a certain gravity which Berger, fortunately, has thus deflated.
Greatly appreciated and in line with the book’s guidebook nature are the two European maps, “Places in Wagner’s Life” and “Places in Wagner’s Operas” (pgs. 56-57). They are instructive when studied in juxtaposition and useful as an aid in following the composer’s biography.
I didn’t use the sections on specific operas which comprise the bulk of the book, although I did read through the first one, “The Flying Dutchman.” It contains beneficial observations to get us started learning the opera: the sailors’ calls echoing off the Norwegian coast (pg. 65) or Senta’s ballad as a microcosm of the entire work (pg. 71). It is, however, beset by unhelpful bits of hyperbole that detract from our respect for the expert author: “Was Newman on drugs when he wrote this?” (pg. 69); “It’s hard to know what effect Wagner was intending, because … the good gentlemen of the chorus invariably look like idiots,” when they do not, and the intended effect is absolutely clear (pg. 75); “the action took place on Daland’s ship, with random details representing other places” (pg. 81). Not only does Berger probably mean “disorganized,” “not contributing to the production,” or “unsatisfying to me” rather than “random,” but he also overlooks the fact that randomness, if “random” was, in fact, an appropriate descriptor, may be a desired effect in 20th-century music (he was describing a 1975 production) or may have made sense in theatrical terms for that production. He subsequently describes the production as presenting elements “in the manner of dreams” (pg. 81), which is not at all random – it is deeply significant! He otherwise mishandles the interpretation of the opera, drawing a connection to the Norwegian word for “maid” from that character in the opera, in part as evidence of the work’s inspiration by Wagner’s own sea voyage, but then extrapolating it to the Mexican term “chencha” for no reason, although he tries to explain one (pg. 82); describing describing the heroine’s name as a “tribute” to his wife even though the important idea is that this is one of many connections that form the basis of the opera’s main theme, man’s redemption through woman (pg. 82); and mis-explaining why it is “Wagner’s most ‘Italian’ opera,” confusing rather than clarifying what is already an ambiguous topic for newcomers to opera (pg. 83). Someone encountering opera for the first time is challenged to understand how “Italian” opera refers to a style rather than to work created in Italy or in Italian and what the characteristics of that style are. A student who progresses that far might begin to see that, despite the great distance of his art from the Italian styles, Wagner’s Rienzi might be his closest work to Italian-style opera, as the author has previously explained. His observation has the potential to leave anyone other than an expert horribly confused since it is presented as part pun, part argument, but really not explained at all. However, the introduction to the Dutchman does its job of immersing the reader in the opera. The book does the same for Wagner’s oeuvre as a whole, leaving the reader both familiar and opinionated, with Berger or against him. The author could polish the work by removing some of the weird colloquialisms, but it is effective and enjoyable overall.
November 13, 2025
I’m not a huge opera fan - I’ve only seen a few performances in person (neither by Wagner) - but I do have the habit of listening to the Metropolitan Opera every Saturday afternoon on the radio (in season), and the replacement broadcast at other times. It is in that context that I picked up this book, as my Saturday afternoons of late have been filled with broadcasts from Bayreuth of Parsifal, Die Meistersinger, and Lohengrin and I was seeking more context. This book definitely delivered, and with humor as well! I appreciated the breakdown of the storylines and the healthy descriptions of the musicality. I also appreciated the fact that the author did not shy away from some of the darker sides of the composer, including his anti-Semitism.
January 28, 2022
Looking for a way to get into Wagner? Look no further. This book is the perfect way to get started listening to some of the most complex musical stories. He gives a brief biography and then walks you through all 10 operas, in terms of plot and music. Then he advises on how to be human and sit through the various lengthy performances. Perhaps more importantly he takes no trouble to cover up the issues of Naziism and anti-semitism that were and continue be inseparable from Wagner and how he is perceived. He presents you with all of the information in an unapologetic manner and lets you do with it as you will. Lastly, everything is presented in an easy-to-read way and often with humor.
April 17, 2018
This is my second time reading this. We’re going to the Ring this summer, and I needed a refresher. This book explains the incredibly complex work of Wagner in a fresh interesting manner. I love the author’s voice, his use of the vernacular to soothe the intensity of the subject matter. Plus, the author has a real passion & wants the reader to share his love of Wagner. I highly recommend this book for anyone who is going to see ANY of Wagner’s operas, or just to read for fun.
November 13, 2021
I've been dreaming about reading this book for a long time without knowing it existed, and now I have read William Berger's WAGNER WITHOUT FEAR.
I've seen THE RING and have had many questions about what was happening. Berger answers my question in an easily understood tone with humor and empathy. Wagner's earlier works are now on my list of have to listens as well as seeing THE RING again very soon. I own the marvelous Zubin Mehta version on Blu-ray.
I've seen THE RING and have had many questions about what was happening. Berger answers my question in an easily understood tone with humor and empathy. Wagner's earlier works are now on my list of have to listens as well as seeing THE RING again very soon. I own the marvelous Zubin Mehta version on Blu-ray.
May 9, 2026
This book has a lot to offer both novice and experienced opera buffs. Berger puts Wagner into context in his time as well as the present. In addition he treats each opera in separate chapters giving a synopsis with underlying explanations. In addition he gives hints and strategies on how to tackle each opera live (planning bathroom breaks, when to snack/get coffee). He does this all with drôle humor.
March 14, 2021
Richard Wagner led a very operatic life and Berger's biography at the beginning of the book summarizes the artist's many peccadillos. The majority of the text lays out the plot and characters of each of Wagner's operas - a very helpful adjunct to listening.
November 4, 2018
The book is a good text on the 1, 2, 3's of Wagner, but I don't see it changing anyone's mind.
You can lead a horse to Wagner, but you can't make him like it.
You can lead a horse to Wagner, but you can't make him like it.
January 28, 2019
This is a terrific introduction to Wagner the man and his operas. Easy to read, informative on the music without being too heady. A great way to start your love of this music
May 1, 2019
Note: I rate any book by an author I know 5 stars... nonetheless really great intro to Wagner and his operas!
May 11, 2019
Excellent and quite funny introduction to Wagner, the man, the composer, and his operas. Highly recommended.
May 25, 2019
Funny, entertaining book on Wagner and his famous operas with practical tips on attending a performance. To be honest if you've never seen a staged performance (live or recorded), it is a bit difficult to imagine them just by reading about them. You would get more by reading about the opera a second time after seeing a performance. Although I've seen/heard most of the operas in this book, I found much that was new or insightful.
Tangent: the author recommends Karajan's Ring. The sound is pretty for sure but in a fussy studio-manipulated way and the price is a Ring with little drama. Compare that to Böhm's exciting live recording. This can be heard for example by comparing the last 12 minutes of Das Rheingold.
Tangent: the author recommends Karajan's Ring. The sound is pretty for sure but in a fussy studio-manipulated way and the price is a Ring with little drama. Compare that to Böhm's exciting live recording. This can be heard for example by comparing the last 12 minutes of Das Rheingold.
November 16, 2025
A good introduction for total newbies and Wagner skeptics. Acknowledges the ridiculous while also highlighting the sublime. Helpful to me as a starter.
February 10, 2024
William Berger knows and understands music. William Berger also knows and understands opera. There are many of us in the world who also know and understand music and the opera. What Berger does a neat job of doing in this book is to help those of us do know and understand music take one more monumental and often frightening step. And that step is to gain an understanding of the operas of Richard Wagner. Berger tells us to approach Wagner without fear and then learn to even enjoy these musical dramas. And it is that form of drama with music set on the stage that distinguishes Wagner from all other operatic composers. This book is the product of an author with almost an encyclopedia knowledge of the opera and operatic history. There is, furthermore, a wealth of practical advice on how to approach and how to listen to Wagner's magnificent works. The practical advice includes such critical but mundane topics as scheduling restroom breaks during some of the longer operas. This is an excellent guidebook. It is one that should prove to be a valid companion for all who have more than just a fleeting interest in this musical format.
August 23, 2016
The second sentence reads "I have always loved sharing my enthusiasm for opera in general and Wagner in particular with anyone who didn't run away fast enough." That's pretty much all you need to know about why I enjoyed it.
While light on the musical analysis (which is half of what makes Wagner dramatic), I'll offer this to anyone interested in a starting point for discussion on why Wagner's works (NOT Wagner himself) have become a musical and spiritual influence in my life. It's the basics for what anyone should know about the operas, about Wagner, about the issues and concepts they relate to, and their unique, yet timeless, appeal.
While light on the musical analysis (which is half of what makes Wagner dramatic), I'll offer this to anyone interested in a starting point for discussion on why Wagner's works (NOT Wagner himself) have become a musical and spiritual influence in my life. It's the basics for what anyone should know about the operas, about Wagner, about the issues and concepts they relate to, and their unique, yet timeless, appeal.
December 27, 2015
The book gets 3 stars. Wagner's music, one and a half. I tried my best to enjoy it. Then I tried my best to appreciate it. Wagner wrote a lot of important and impressive stuff, but I didn't really like any of it. The best of it was over-worked, over-complicated, and proud of being both; the worst of it was - well, now I know where all those terrible parodies of opera come from. I don't like Wagner or his music. I can't say I regret its existence, what with how influential and far-reaching his work was and is, but I'm certainly not going to be listening to it for pure pleasure.
June 11, 2009
This book is funny, informative, and very clever. Even if you already consider yourself a Wagner fan, you can learn a lot from this book. It discusses every opera that Wagner composed, and breaks them all down so even us mere mortals can understand. It points out moments to listen for, historical tidbits, and it also makes good fun of it all. I love Wagner - his operas are among my favorites. And this book is a lot of fun. Highly recommended.
February 24, 2016
See my review of Puccini Without Excuses - all the same applies here. Another really wonderful and accessible journey into the composer and his music. Wagner was a complicated and divisive person, so this was an excellent and honest portrait of his life and work.
Perhaps the only downside to this book is that it created a hunger in me to go to the Bayreuth Festival. One Internet search alone was enough to reassure me that the waiting period for tickets still averages about 8 to 10 years!
Perhaps the only downside to this book is that it created a hunger in me to go to the Bayreuth Festival. One Internet search alone was enough to reassure me that the waiting period for tickets still averages about 8 to 10 years!
August 9, 2024
A shallow collection of popular cliches about Wagner, his works, and his impact, many of them untrue. Anybody somewhat familiar with Wagner will glean nothing from this book other than despair at such profound insights as "Tristan und Isolde is about 'sex'" (it isn't). I know it's intended for novices, but novices deserve better. I regret that I had the Kindle version so I could only delete it and not cast it upon a pile of trash where it belongs.
May 2, 2009
This book is a hoot: hardcore and hypertraditionalist Wagnerites may blanch at the irreverent look at the maestro's music-dramas, but any book that includes hints on when to go to the bathroom and when you're likely to doze off is worth a read for the amusement factor.
November 4, 2015
Definitely a must-read for anyone interested in Richard Wagner and/or his operas. The author breaks down what is considered "heavier" opera so that even novice opera goers can have an improved experience at their next Wagner opera.
January 31, 2019
Wagner, Wagner and more Wagner
You can either love or hate Wagner, tertium non datur. This book is a real guide how to fall in love with The King of The Opera. And don’t read it if you hate him.
I love this book and Wagner, of course!
You can either love or hate Wagner, tertium non datur. This book is a real guide how to fall in love with The King of The Opera. And don’t read it if you hate him.
I love this book and Wagner, of course!
July 27, 2012
This book is an excellent introduction to Wagner!
July 28, 2012
A very good non-technical analysis of the operas. I learned a lot from this book.
October 8, 2012
Fascinating..... pulled off the shelf and reread to accompany the PBS Wagner week 2 weeks ago
June 24, 2018
With down-to-earth language, funny stories and in the meanwhile thorough and critical analyses of the operas, this is a really useful companion to listening to Wagner.
Read
April 10, 2019This has some smart insights in spite of the dumb title (which I'm sure is the publisher's fault, not the author's). I'm cuckoo for Wagner, so I'm not here to be convinced of anything. I just want to understand why I love his work so much. This book uncovers some of those reasons, or at least offers gateways to new paths to explore, so for that I'm grateful.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews