Tenor Roy Stevens and Stage Director Daniel Helfgott worked long and hard to bring the first-ever performance of Wagner's Tannhäuser to the stage in Tirane, Albania. There were times when they feared the project might not come to fruition.  But it did! Stevens and Helfgott will share their story and also present video of the… Continue reading The Agony and the Ecstasy – Tannhäuser’s Journey to Albania

Desiree Mays returns to San Francisco and the Wagner Society of Northern California with an interesing talk entitled "Wagner's Women: Real and Imagined" At one point the three most important women in Wagner's life came together under one roof: Minna, his wife; Mathilde, his current beloved; and Cosima, married to another man at the time. Simultaneously,… Continue reading Desiree Mays – "Wagner’s Women: Real and Imagined"

In a recent e-mail exchange with Professor Wade regarding the Covent Garden HD's of Parsifal, the family tree of Parsifal came up. It seems Professor Wade had just finished teaching courses on medieval studies and Parsifal at California State University Sacramento. Like much of Richard Wagner's work, his final opera, Parsifal, was inspired by his… Continue reading Professor Marjorie Wade – The Genealogy of Parsifal

A Rube Goldberg Machine is an over-engineered contraption designed to perform a simple task in a complicated way.  Wagner’s operas are never easy to produce, and the implementation of special effects – the sinking of the Holländer’s ship, swimming Rheindaughters, and the Verwandlung (change of scenery) in Parsifal are prime examples.  Nonetheless, stage designers, theater… Continue reading Dr. Evan Baker – The "Rube Goldberg" Effect in Wagner Productions

The Wagner Society welcomes Steinway Artist and piano virtuoso Stephan Möller. Stephan Möller is also professor of piano at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna, President of the Vienna International Piano Institute and also serves on the juries of many piano competitions world-wide which is what brings him to California (see additional information on Stephan… Continue reading *Special Concert*

REGISTRATION IS CLOSED IF YOU FORGOT, PLEASE PHONE UTA WAGNER (650)697-3004 AND SHE MIGHT BE ABLE TO SQUEEZE YOU IN    

The Wagner Society is delighted to welcome Victor Thomas and Jess Thomas, Jr., sons of the unforgettable tenor Jess Thomas. The Thomas brothers will present a multi-media presentation for the Society, a program which will include: The documentary film A Dream Forged into Reality Jess Thomas' own home movies from Bayreuth with narration Excerpts of… Continue reading Jess Thomas "A Dream Forged Into Reality"

Believe it or not, many of the first of Thomas Edison's two minute cylinder recordings were of opera singers. Many of the first issues were oriented toward recording Wagner, in spite of the duration restrictions of the cylinders. It seems that Edison had hopes of exploiting an untapped commercial market in America. Wagnerian opera was… Continue reading Thomas Edison’s Wagner Recordings

Wagner Society Members may wish to attend this program which is presented by the JCC-SF Arts and Ideas Lecture Series. Deborah Voigt has had an illustrious career singing on the stages of the great opera houses of the world. Well known as an exponent of both Wagner and Strauss, Voigt's repetory covers Strauss' Ariadne to… Continue reading Call Me Debbie

Once asked how he could love Wagner, Leonard Bernstein replied, “I hate Wagner. On my knees!” Wagner and Bernstein shared extraordinary numbers of common characteristics. Both were flamboyant, controversial, and changed the face of music in their time and beyond. Both men were hugely successful as musicians and writers, with egos to match, and needed… Continue reading Wagner and Bernstein: Parallels and Contrasts

REGISTRATION IS CLOSED The Wagner Society is pleased to welcome Professor Heath Lees.  University professor, broadcaster, writer, and musicologist, Heath Lees is much sought-after for his lecturing skills, especially on anything to do with Wagner. Twenty years ago Professor Lees and his wife founded the Wagner Society of New Zealand and from there, Heath has… Continue reading Seminar: The Music of Wagner’s Ring and the Life Cycle of an Audience

HAPPY 202ND BIRTHDAY RICHARD WAGNER! The Society will be exhibiting 47 painting of the late WSNC member and artist Cal Pedranti. The Firehouse/Adeline is a huge space which in which we will be able to exhibit the works. There will be a silent auction of the paintings. In addition, we have arranged lively musical entertainment featuring… Continue reading Art Exhibition & Concert Celebration of Richard Wagner