A huge panorama of Wagner's life and work, from before the 1848 Revolution, through his exile in Switzerland, his rescue by the besotted King Ludwig II of Bavaria to the final triumph at Bayreuth. Wagner's radical musical and political ideas, his German nationalism and even his anti-Semitism are set in the context of his life and times.

Actor and writer Stephen Fry explores his passion for the world's most controversial composer - Richard Wagner. But Stephen is Jewish and lost family members in the Holocaust, so can he salvage the music he loves from its dark association with anti-semitism and the Nazis? Shot on location in Germany, Switzerland and Russia, the film includes unique behind-the-scenes access to the Bayreuth Festival, the annual extravaganza of Wagner's music held in the composer's own purpose built theatre. Animated by Stephen Fry's trademark wit and intelligence, and featuring a soundtrack of Wagner's extraordinary music, this is a fantastic introduction to the life and legacy of one of the most important composers ever, and a must-see film for those who already know and love his music.

早在一百七十多年前，瑞士是欧洲唯一的民主宪政国家。德国革命失败后，有多达一万两千名难民从德国涌入了瑞士。理查德·瓦格纳也是其中之一，从1849年到1858年，他一直定居在苏黎世。当时，这位著名的作曲家正在创作他的新歌剧《王者之心》，剧中的“特里斯坦和弦”是对当时时代的描述。实业家夫妇威森东克——玛蒂德和她的丈夫丝绸商人奥图——非常敬仰瓦格纳，玛蒂德也从一位慈爱的母亲变成了音乐的缪斯。整个城市都在谈论这段伟大的情谊，而苏黎世现代化也随之到来。

Stephen Fry explores his passion for controversial composer Richard Wagner. Can he salvage the music he loves from its dark association with Hitler's Nazi regime? His journey takes him to Germany, Switzerland and Russia as he pieces together the story of the composer's turbulent career.

大都会歌剧院高清转播系列，瓦格纳的四联剧《尼伯龙人的指环》，前夜剧《莱茵的黄金》在2011年10月8日首度向全美直播，此次直播的录像在2013年11月底在上海大剧院以及上海艺术人文频道进行剧场放映和电视播出。

斯图加特歌剧院的这版《指环》制作始于1999年，也是首次创下了《指环》演出历史上，四部戏交给四位不同导演完成的首例。《莱茵黄金》的导演Joachim Schlömer和制景Jens Kilian合作，四场戏只采用了一个固定布景，摹仿斯特林堡的室内戏剧，所有的戏剧动作都在疗养院内展开（令人联想起托马斯·曼的《魔山》），将神话色彩抹去，转化为一出日常生活背景的悲喜剧。

Musical genius, political hero and racist demon, the life of Richard Wagner reads like the ultimate Boys-own story. The Ring cycle is regarded as one of the finest achievements of the human soul. This documentary examines the connections between Wagner’s own spiritual vision and his art, including coded anti-Semitic references in his music and the techniques he used to mesmerise his audience. It is filmed in Switzerland, Italy and King Ludwig’s Bavaria. Musicians include the world’s greatest and most controversial performers: Daniel Barenboim, Roger Norrington, Siegfried Jerusalem, Deborah Polaski, Graham Clarke, Falk Struckmann with contributions from Wagner experts John Deathridge and Barry Millington as well as Stephen Hawking, George Steiner and Edward Said. Excerpts include The Ring, Rienzi, The Flying Dutchman, Lohengrin, Tannhäuser, Tristan und Isolde and Parsifal. 　　GREAT COMPOSERS – THE SERIES 　　This landmark series presents the lives and works of seven musical giants from the Baroque era to the twentieth century. It examines the backgrounds, influences and relationships that make these seven composers part of the very fabric of the history of western music. Each composer’s life and work is presented through extensive performance sequences, and through interviews and comment from some of today’s greatest artists and most respected authorities.