Wagner Studies

L’Anello del Nibelungo è l’opera d’arte che più di ogni altra ci costringe a riflettere sui destini della nostra specie. Una riflessione che viene condotta sull’onda sublime di un’immensa opera d’arte che è, al contempo, somma ed estasiante espressione artistica e illuminante ed impietosa riflessione filosofica sui destini della nostra specie, così bramosa di potere e così povera di amore e di senso di appartenenza al meraviglioso contesto naturale di cui è parte.
The Ring of the Nibelung is the work of art that, more than any other, forces us to reflect on the destiny of our species. A reflection that is conducted on the sublime wave of an immense work of art which is, at the same time, both the supreme and ecstatic artistic expression and an illuminating and merciless philosophical reflection on the fate of our species, so greedy for power and so poor in love and a sense of belonging to the wonderful natural context of which it is a part.

L’Anello del Nibelungo è l’opera d’arte che più di ogni altra ci costringe a riflettere sui destini della nostra specie. Una riflessione che viene condotta sull’onda sublime di un’immensa opera d’arte che è, al contempo, somma ed estasiante espressione artistica e illuminante ed impietosa riflessione filosofica sui destini della nostra specie, così bramosa di potere e così povera di amore e di senso di appartenenza al meraviglioso contesto naturale di cui è parte.

The Ring of the Nibelung is the work of art that, more than any other, forces us to reflect on the destiny of our species. A reflection that is conducted on the sublime wave of an immense work of art which is, at the same time, both the supreme and ecstatic artistic expression and an illuminating and merciless philosophical reflection on the fate of our species, so greedy for power and so poor in love and a sense of belonging to the wonderful natural context of which it is a part.

The field of Jewish music is a cross-disciplinary one and is rich, broad and complex as the culture that has created it. As a subordinate topic within both Judaic Studies and ethnomusicology, Jewish music can be approached from different humanistic or artistic starting points. It involves the scholarship of musicology, ethnography, folklore, cultural anthropology, comparative religion, archeology, iconography, history, sociology, etymology and others.  It is thus, not surprising that the field of Jewish music, while growing steadily, is still one of the least researched areas of scholarship.

One of the main problems with the research of Jewish music is the problem of its definition. For the sake of comparison, let us imagine, for example, a group of scholars embarking on research of traditional music of the Australian Aborigines in the Northern Territory. The research will be conducted as fieldwork within the clearly defined region.  It will start with a systematic collection of data such as field-recordings and photographs, the transcription of aurally-transmitted musical, dance and narrative material, close depiction of tribal ceremonies, as well as tools and instruments utilized by the tribe, and so forth. The research will resume with the analysis of the collected information, in order to understand its cultural context and give an accurate picture of musical life and tradition of the people in question. Centuries of limited cultural exchange and relative isolation would result in a clearly defined depiction of cultural identity and musical idiosyncrasies. Ultimately, the scale of such a project is defined and dictated by the amount of access allowed by the people subjected to the research.

¿Qué hace una mujer tocando el Grial? Peor aún, ¿cómo es que está custodiado hasta por veinticinco, en la versión que Wolfram von Eschenbach relata en su Parzifal? Diferentes especialistas en la materia artúrica llaman la atención sobre este detalle, que consideran incoherente, por la siguiente razón: "las apariciones de la reliquia, tanto en Li conte du Graal de Chrétien como en las sucesivas novelas que repitieron la escena de aquella comitiva sagrada, tuvieron lugar siempre poniendo la reliquia en manos de una doncella que asumía, por el hecho de llevarla, un papel sacerdotal totalmente impropio del talante cristiano, que ya entonces negaba y seguiría negando siempre el derecho de la mujer a acceder al sacerdocio activo" (Atienza, 2001:221). Si bien se piensa, no tiene mucho sentido que el Santo Cáliz, con el que Jesucristo ofició una Última Cena estrictamente masculina y en el que José de Arimatea recogió la sangre que brotaba de la llaga inferida por Longinos, pase (literariamente) al personaje de Repanse de Schoye porque "el Grial sólo se dejaba llevar por ella, y por nadie más" (Eschenbach, 1999:378). ¿Pudiera ser que este grial no fuese, en origen, un objeto de la mitología cristiana? En El cuento del Grial, 1 El artículo está concebido como un juego en clave. Ofrece hasta seis interpretaciones de qué sea el Grial. Pero sólo tres de ellas son explícitas. La primera es la negación de la tradicional (la cristiana) para restaurar la que la propicia (la pagana), tras de las cuales viene una tercera (sicofisiológica) en donde se aventura una hipótesis de por qué ha ocurrido todo esto. Pero hay tres más, no manifiestas y que sin embargo se van desgranando a lo largo del texto. Será fundamental haberlo leído íntegro y será aún más fundamental haber tenido en cuenta ciertas notas a pie de página donde se ofrecen, en clave, los códigos para la interpretación. La cuarta y la quinta explicaciones se enunciarán en una sintaxis (y semántica) deliberadamente críptica. El juego consiste en descubrir cómo, mientras se estaba explicando -a lo largo de todo el artículo-una cosa se ha venido a descubrir otra. Entonces, pero sólo entonces, si se ha sido el lector implícito que necesita el texto, se desvelará, finalmente, la verdadera naturaleza del Grial. La cuestión es saberse plantear bien tras la pregunta de qué es el Grial la de a quién sirve el Grial.

The proposal explores the fantastic genre focusing on the domains of female water creatures. These beings appear in different types of storytelling and art, from ancient Greco-Roman and Germanic-Scandinavian myths to contemporary fiction. During the first period of German Romanticism, Friedrich de la Motte Fouqué wrote "Undine" in 1811. This dark romance is full of mystery, wonder, and ambiguity, creating an eerie atmosphere. Fouqué also wrote a libretto for the eponymous opera, which was composed by his friend E.T.A. Hoffmann. The gothic revival that swept across Europe at the time sparked interest in national folklore. In 1876, Richard Wagner premiered The Ring Cycle, based on medieval legends and sagas. The first and last of the dramatic opera tetralogy feature three nymphs guarding a golden treasure of the Rhine. Arthur Rackham, renowned for his marvellous designs, was asked to illustrate both titles, which were published by William Heinemann Ltd. (London, 1910-1911).
In light of the cultural touchstones outlined above, I would like to contribute to the ongoing debate regarding the cultural tensions that arise from the juxtaposition of the Enlightenment's focus on rationality and the Romantic movement's emphasis on feelings and imagination. The term 'disenchantment’ was used by Max Weber in 1918 to argue that modernity had a detrimental effect on the unconstrained and creative dimensions, resulting in a loss of subversive potential to defy the status quo in the field of art, literature and music within a technocratic society. Today, the cultural industries encompass virtually every medium, transforming artistic practices into vehicles for commercial entertainment and consumption. Within this framework, Fredric Jameson considers the development of opera in relation to broader historical and cultural trends, particularly the emergence of postmodernism and the impact of globalisation. I conclude by analysing the loss of a rich legacy, whereby directorial appropriations reduce opera to a spectacle focused on surface-level elements, at the expense of meaningful engagement with its themes and musicality. This raises broader questions about the political implications of such transformations and their contested role in contemporary cultural wars.

In early October 2024, Ramzan Kadyrov issued threats against Russian elected officials in the North Caucasus, accusing them of plotting his assassination and thereby revealing the Kremlin's vulnerability in controlling the Chechen leader's political autonomy. The patronage relationship between V. Putin and R. Kadyrov plays a decisive role in regulating Kadyrov's autonomy, to the point of overriding institutional regulatory mechanisms. This article highlights the interaction between the Kremlin's patronage logic and the regional autonomy of the Chechen leader, which could ultimately lead to changes in Russia's internal power dynamics. The disappearance in August 2023 of Yevgeny Prigozhin, who had also granted himself substantial autonomy, could have led to a tightening of the autonomy granted to intermediate actors such as Kadyrov and curbed the political ambitions of both. Conversely, Kadyrov appears more inclined than ever to expand the autonomy already granted by the Kremlin and to take on the role of federal politician, taking over the missions formerly assigned to Wagner.

English (for German version see below): Amid the Europe-wide storm triggered by Richard Wagner's publication "Judaism in Music", Cosima von Bülow, Wagner's lover and later wife, came up with the idea of commissioning a copy of a silver lamp. Gottfried Semper had designed it for the synagogue in Dresden (1838–1840). However, the project faced several obstacles. First, Cosima von Bülow absolutely did not want this commission to become public and had enlisted Friedrich Nietzsche for this purpose. As a first step, Nietzsche asked Semper himself for a drawing of the lamp. However, it seems that this drawing was not suitable for execution, so Nietzsche turned directly to Dresden, where the Jewish community was also unable to help. Finally, a draftsman was hired in Dresden, who was commissioned to make a copy of the lamp on site. Cosima's original plan to have the lamp manufactured in Dresden also fell through, so it was done in Lucerne by Carl Bossard's goldsmith workshop. If we were to ask the purpose of the whole undertaking, it becomes clear that Cosima had the silver lamp made for the baptism of her son Siegfried. Born out of wedlock, he could only be baptized a year after his birth because Cosima's divorce had dragged on so long. Siegfried could only take the name Wagner once Cosima and Richard had married. But the baptism, as well as the production of the synagogue lamp, had to be carried out as discreetly as possible to avoid any scandal. It took place at the Tribschen country house near Lucerne, where Wagner had lived since 1866 and where Cosima joined him a year later with their two daughters.

German: Inmitten des europaweiten Sturms, den Richard Wagner mit seiner Publikation "Das Judentum in der Musik" ausgelöst hatte, kam Cosima von Bülow, Geliebte und nachmalige Ehefrau Wagners, auf die Idee, eine Kopie einer Silberampel fertigen zu lassen. Gottfried Semper hatte diese für die Synagoge in Dresden (1838–1840) entworfen. Doch dem Unternehmen waren verschiedene Hindernisse gesetzt. Zum einen wollte Cosima von Bülow auf keinen Fall, dass diese Bestellung publik würde und hatte zu diesem Zweck Friedrich Nietzsche eingespannt. Dieser ersuchte in einem ersten Schritt Semper selbst um eine Zeichnung der Ampel. Doch es scheint, dass sich diese Zeichnung nicht für eine Ausführung eignete, so dass sich Nietzsche direkt nach Dresden wandte, wo jedoch auch die israelitische Gemeinde nicht behilflich sein konnte. Schliesslich wurde in Dresden direkt in Zeichner engagiert, der den Auftrag erhielt, die Ampel vor Ort zu zeichnen. Auch der ursprüngliche Plan Cosimas, die Ampel in Dresden herstellen zu lassen, zerschlug sich, so dass dies in Luzern durch das Goldschmiedeatelier von Carl Bossard bewerkstelligt wurde. Ist nach dem Zweck des ganzen Unternehmens zu fragen, so kristallisiert sich heraus, dass Cosima die Silberampel für die Taufe ihres Sohnes Siegfried herstellen liess. Unehelich geboren, konnte er erst ein Jahr nach seiner Geburt getauft werden, da sich die Scheidung von Cosima so lange hinzog. Denn Siegfried konnte erst den Namen Wagner annehmen, als Cosima und Richard geheiratet hatten. Doch die Taufe wie auch die Herstellung der Synagogen-Ampel mussten so diskret wie möglich erfolgen, um jeglichen Skandal zu vermeiden. Sie fand im Landhaus Tribschen bei Luzern statt, wo Wagner seit 1866 wohnte und wo Cosima ihm ein Jahr später mit den beiden gemeinsamen Töchtern nachfolgte.

L’Anello del Nibelungo è l’opera d’arte che più di ogni altra ci costringe a riflettere sui destini della nostra specie. Una riflessione che viene condotta sull’onda sublime di un’immensa opera d’arte che è, al contempo, somma ed estasiante espressione artistica e illuminante ed impietosa riflessione filosofica sui destini della nostra specie, così bramosa di potere e così povera di amore e di senso di appartenenza al meraviglioso contesto naturale di cui è parte.
The Ring of the Nibelung is the work of art that, more than any other, forces us to reflect on the destiny of our species. A reflection that is conducted on the sublime wave of an immense work of art which is, at the same time, both the supreme and ecstatic artistic expression and an illuminating and merciless philosophical reflection on the fate of our species, so greedy for power and so poor in love and a sense of belonging to the wonderful natural context of which it is a part.
Der Ring des Nibelungen ist das Kunstwerk, das uns mehr als jedes andere zwingt, über das Schicksal unserer Spezies nachzudenken. Eine Reflexion, die auf der erhabenen Welle eines gewaltigen Kunstwerks geführt wird, das zugleich höchster und beglückender künstlerischer Ausdruck und erhellende sowie erbarmungslose philosophische Betrachtung über das Schicksal unserer Spezies ist, die so machthungrig und so arm an Liebe und Zugehörigkeitsgefühl zum wunderbaren natürlichen Kontext ist, dessen Teil sie ist.

The knowledge drama presented in volumes 2 and 3 described the transformation of the threefold human constitution and the construction of the threefold bridge of spiritual memory and continuity of consciousness. This is done in ‘seeing the Grail’, that is, in the light of the meeting with the etheric Christ, the archetype of man. The creative part, described in this volume, shows how man becomes a builder of the future temple of humanity, the earthly-human Sun. The creative part applies the forces obtained in the knowledge drama in the spiritualization of the human microcosm, created in the past out of the forces of the old, dying macrocosm, to form the seed of the new macrocosm, the Sun becoming, Christed earth, built in the future image of Christed man.
      Therefore, the creative part of the knowledge drama must be understood as a seed of a work in progress, which will continue until the end of the evolution of the earth and indeed until the end of the development of our solar system on Vulcan. It is an essential part of the practical creative spiritual activity, required in the present age of Michael. An important secret of the formation of the earthly-human Sun is that the planetary heart organ that connects the new Earth and Heaven, is formed through the new forces of karma, created in the healed, Christ permeated, human meeting. This is an essential part of the formation of the new Michaelic community. That this is possible today is due to the fact that since the end of last century, the etheric Christ has assumed his role as the new lord of karma. And the new human meeting and community, the formative heart organ of the earthly-human Sun, are formed through the inspiration of his new role.

Die formalen Verfahrensweise in Mendelssohns Melusinenouvertüre, v.a. die Prozessierung der Themen wird im Zusammenhang des Melusinenmythos interpretiert, also der Geschlechterspannung, die an einem bestimmten Punkt tragisch zerbricht.

The formal procedures in Mendelssohn’s Melusine Overture, above all the processing of the themes, are interpreted in the context of the Melusine myth – that is, the gender tension which, at a certain point, breaks down tragically.

This article contends that the literary evolution of the Holy Grail in the Arthurian romances of the late twelfth and early thirteenth centuries (c. 1180-1230) operates as a sophisticated political allegory, encoding the trauma of Empress Matilda's (d. 1167) contested succession and the national crisis known as the Anarchy. By tracing the Grail's transformation-from enigmatic relic to sanctified, elusive vessel requiring the quest of an ideal heir-this study demonstrates how Arthurian myth became a tool for Plantagenet Dynastic Legitimization, reframing Matilda's thwarted claim and the ultimate accession of her son, Henry II, as the fulfillment of a providential quest. In moving beyond Geoffrey of Monmouth's foundational narrative, the analysis illuminates how myth, memory, and dynastic necessity converged to legitimize Plantagenet rule and shape the political imagination of medieval England.

Ricercare tracce della tragedia e della letteratura greca nell'opera di Richard Wagner vuol dire ripercorrere tutta la vita del compositore attraverso i suoi scritti. Nella sua autobiografia «Mein Leben» Wagner racconta delle traduzioni in tedesco dei canti di Omero e altri studi condotti sulla classicità greca come colonna portante della propria istruzione. In una lettera del 12. 06. 1872 indirizzata a Nietzsche rivelava a tal proposito di essere entusiasta della lingua e della mitologia greca. 4 Anche Cosima Wagner, in diverse occasioni all'interno del suo Diario, non mancò mai di far presente delle frequentazioni letterarie assidue di Eschilo e Sofocle confrontando la traduzione tedesca con il testo greco. Bisogna anche considerare il contesto geografico e culturale nel quale Wagner era immerso. Nella Germania di XVII e XVIII secolo il teatro greco era stato interessato da una notevole riscoperta, con le traduzioni 6 fatta da Schiller e gli studi compiuti da Goethe su Euripide ed Eschilo. Hegel, poi, al quale Wagner si rifece in alcuni passi dei suoi scritti, aveva eletto l'Antigone di Sofole « la più compiuta di tutte le opere estetiche dello spirito umano». Alla base della trama del Ring è impossibile non notare la stretta somiglianza (anche se Wagner non ne fa esplicitamente menzione) al mito di Gige, menzionato da Platone nel secondo libro della Repubblica. Colpisce particolarmente che, nonostante la forte carica simbolica del quale l'anello si ritrova investito in qualsiasi cultura, Platone e Wagner siano gli unici a trattare approfonditamente una vicenda che vede l'anello, e tutto ciò che lo circonda, come

Transitions of a Myth? The Idea of a Language-Defined Kulturnation in Germany Arndt Kremer The idea of a nation predominantly based on often vaguely defined cultural values and standards has a long history in Germany, rooted in the development of a supra-regional, widely accepted variety of German, as a standard ‘High German’. This essay focuses on the development of the concept of a language-based cultural nation in Germany, particularly in the 18th and 19th century, but will also analyse recent provocative debates on national culture and identity which are, as affirmative developments or deprecatory deformations, negative or positive transitions of the original idea. The concept of a Kulturnation determined by language that brings together the Vaterland ‘fatherland’ and the Muttersprache ‘mother tongue’ in a mat- rimonial relationship is still evocated and could be of new interest for debates on integration with respect to the refugee influx to Germany since 2015. However, the que...

Este ensayo interroga la contenciosa clasificación de la inteligencia artificial (IA) generativa como una "máquina de plagio". Se argumenta que, si bien el término es técnicamente impreciso en un sentido legal tradicional, diagnostica con acierto una condición procesal y ética fundamental: el funcionamiento de estos modelos se basa en la derivación y remezcla estadística a gran escala de obras preexistentes, a menudo sin el consentimiento de sus creadores. El análisis distingue críticamente entre la inspiración humana, mediada por la experiencia subjetiva, y la derivación matemática de la IA, que opera sobre representaciones de segundo orden de la realidad. La discusión se amplía para examinar las implicaciones socio-ontológicas de esta tecnología, como la erosión de la confianza a través de los "deepfakes", antes de culminar en una prospección filosófica sobre la Inteligencia Artificial General (AGI). En esta última frontera, se postula que el debate trasciende la originalidad para centrarse en la naturaleza de la conciencia y si el sustrato material (carbono vs. silicio) constituye la distinción definitiva de la creatividad genuina.

L'Anello del Nibelungo di Richard Wagner, universalmente conosciuto come Ring, è immensa, straordinaria, cosmica, lungimirante e visionaria opera d'arte, la cui comprensione ci aiuta a gettare un illuminato sguardo sul mondo e sul suo destino. L'analisi qui riportata offre una prospettiva, spesso sfuggita ad analisti ed esegeti, che guarda alle azioni dei molti personaggi da un punto di vista giuridico e legislativo, perchè nel profondo del suo spirito il Ring è "Racconto di delitti".

The purpose of this contribution is to reflect on the human and musical figure of the great composer Ludwig van Beethoven. In 1802, Beethoven visited Heiligenstadt and in Octo-ber 6 he there wrote his famous "Testament" that was found after his death in 1827. The authors have visited the Museum dedicated to Beethoven in Heiligenstadt in the summer of 2022. Keywords: Beethoven; Music; Testament; Heiligenstadt

The Graal legend is interpreted as a personal journey of the soul, akin to mysticism, with the Graal symbolizing knowledge, memory, and enlightenment. The four epochs of the legend—institution, Keepership, enchantments, and closure—reflect this spiritual progression. The Graal’s true nature, as a symbol of initiation and advancement, is understood through secret societies and their teachings, not just printed books.

The Graal romances are believed to have originated from an apocryphal gospel, possibly a manifesto of a secret Christian sect. This gospel, containing elements of gnosticism, magic, and eschatology, was misinterpreted by romancers, leading to the Graal’s portrayal as a mythical object. The Graal legend, spanning from Robert de Borron’s works to the Galahad quest, explores the Eucharist as a higher mystery, symbolizing the soul’s journey towards divine knowledge and transcendence.

The Grail legend embodies a mystical quest for healing and redemption, symbolized by the wounded Keeper and the elusive Grail. The quest, led by Galahad, represents the soul’s journey towards spiritual enlightenment and union with the divine. Ultimately, the Grail’s mystery, hidden within the Keeper’s wounds, is revealed through the pursuit of spiritual knowledge and the attainment of a higher state of being.

Following their first meeting in Düsseldorf in 1961, Joseph Beuys and Nam June Paik began their lifelong series of artistic collaborations so-called EURASIA. Sharing a common interest in Europe and Asia, they started to consider Europe (=West) and Asia (=East) as one continental culture, and tried to connect them as EURASIA.
Containing Europe and Asia, Eurasia is one continuous mass of land. Europe and Asia, or West and East are merely imaginary divisions, but once they are named Europe and Asia or West and East, this fixed division makes it difficult to understand that these two areas are in fact one continent with common roots, and that they developed through mutual influence. To realize the continuity of Europe and Asia and understand how to connect these two regions is becoming an urgent question.
In our globalized world, it is becoming impossible to uphold protection through the entity of the nation-state, which defines the enemy as being outside the nation. In order to find an alternative to the nation-state, we need to look back in history and restructure the world on a more abstract level; in other words, the sublation of Westphalian sovereignty which developed after the Thirty Years’ War is now required.
Also if Asia becomes one political entity, just as Europe is becoming one political entity, the tension between Europe and Asia will be intense; it will be no different from that between nations, which caused two World Wars. As Asia, a large part of which was once colonized by Europe, begins to gain political and economical power, it becomes necessary to prepare a plan to reconcile Europe and Asia. Meanwhile, if Eurasia is united as an expansion of the nation-state, the result may be regional hegemony with a one-sided national perspective, similar to that of the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere led by the Empire of Japan. The Eurasian Economic
Union led by Vladimir Putin’s Russian Federation threatens to make the same mistake. Bearing in mind the fact that the bloc economy triggered World War II, to connect Europe and Asia while eschewing regional hegemony will be crucial for our co-existence in the 21st century.
Having endured World War II, both Joseph Beuys and Nam June Paik were aware of the contradictions of modernity and the nation-state which originated in Europe. They reflected on how to overcome divisions such as those between nations, between Europe and Asia in colonial history, and between East and West during the Cold War at that time. Eliminating borders, Beuys and Paik’s utopian vision of EURASIA is an abstract and archetypical metaphor for connecting Europe and Asia, West and East, or two opposite things into one, and it will give us a hint on how to overcome the divisions caused by modernity.

The Holy Assembly explores the Hermeneutics of the Holy Grail, examining the Eucharist and its significance in the Graal romances. It suggests that the Graal, representing the Mysterium Fidei, was associated with a secret rite within the Church, possibly a mystic sect. The text analyzes various Graal quests, interpreting them as symbolic narratives of spiritual chivalry and the soul’s journey towards divine knowledge.

The Grail legend represents the quest for spiritual conversion and the restoration of the Shekinah to the sanctuary. The external Church, as the good husbandman, prepares the ground for regeneration through moral conduct, doctrines, and sacraments. The Secret Church, or Holy Assembly, is the unity of arch-natural minds, the communion of saints, and the priesthood of the Grail sanctuary, embodying the highest spiritual truths.

The Secret Church, akin to angels unawares, is the spiritual manifestation of the Holy Assembly, embodying regeneration and divine communication. It is the soul of the outward Church, guiding believers towards higher consciousness and integration. This Church, connected to the Eucharist, is the ultimate goal of spiritual quests, symbolized by the Holy Grail, and its presence is felt in the study of quest literature.

The Holy Grail legend, of Celtic origin, is a glorified ecclesiastical legend reflecting the Celtic Church’s independent existence and mystical practices. The legend’s core is the story of St. David and his miraculous altar, which echoes the Graal’s mystical attributes. The secret words of the Robert de Borron cycle refer to the Epiclesis of the Celtic Rite, suggesting a connection to the Celtic Church’s Eucharistic consecration practices.

The Celtic hypothesis for the origin of the Graal myth is examined, tracing its roots to the Hereditary Relic Keepers of the Celtic Church. While the concept of sacred relics and their guardianship is prevalent in Celtic tradition, the specific characteristics of the Graal, such as its divine origin and healing powers, are not fully explained. The hypothesis is further challenged by the absence of a direct connection between the Graal and the Epiclesis, the secret words of consecration, and the shift towards a claim of super-apostolical succession in later Graal literature.

The Celtic Church’s influence on the Holy Grail legend is limited, with the Graal’s symbolic significance and the quest for it being distinct from Celtic traditions. While the Celtic Church’s decline is a backdrop, the Graal legend’s true meaning lies in its own narrative and symbolism. The Graal’s quest, particularly that of Galahad, represents a universal spiritual journey, transcending specific religious or cultural contexts.

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En este artículo se aborda un fenómeno cultural, el de los videos musicales ambientados en cafeterías, que experimentó un auge considerable durante la crisis sanitaria originada por el Covid-19. Se trata de un material difundido, principalmente, a través de la plataforma YouTube, cuyo propósito es propiciar estados de máxima relajación, concentración y creatividad, mediante el estímulo de la ASMR (respuesta sensorial meridiana autónoma). Tras llevar a cabo una etnografía digital, se han observado las dinámicas de funcionamiento de los canales seleccionados y se han analizado las diversas estrategias creativas que se ponen al servicio de los objetivos mencionados. Finalmente, el artículo aborda el análisis de este fenómeno a la luz de diversos marcos teóricos que ayudan a ubicarlo en un contexto social de modelos de consumo neocapitalistas, individualizados y espectacularizados.

Postulat de recherche Interpréter est recréer, en dépassant, dans une liberté totale de moyens. Afin de délivrer la vision futuriste, prisonnière, dans les oeuvres magistrales du passé. Nous prendrons ici, comme exemple, La Tétralogie de l'Anneau du Nibelung de Richard Wagner. Méthode de recherche. Débarrassant l'oeuvre de tous les anachronismes et la libérant de tout contexte historique, social, psychologique, psychanalytique, nous rechercherons en quoi sa signification pure et sa réalisation technique ouvrent une perspective nouvelle et moderne, à l'Art et à la Pensée. Thématique. Recréation. La concentration de La Tétralogie, en un seul volet, permettrait une stylisation écartant redondances et superflus. Cette synthèse musicale et scénique contiendrait l'essentiel, en hissant au sommet le message, voire en le transcendant. Cette recréation passerait par trois transformations majeures, libérant La Tétralogie de préjugés théoriques d'analyse, de la rigidité de la représentation scénique, de la théâtralité vide du discours. Application technique. Nous proposons de procéder en trois étapes : Refonte du matériel musical (Leitmotive). (Préjugés théoriques sur le rôle des Leitmotive). Simultanéité des plans spatiaux et temporels. (Rigidité de la représentation scénique). Reconstruction sur l'Idée maîtresse. (Théâtralité du discours, vide de sens). Refonte du matériel musical Les Leitmotive sont présumés souligner et éclairer l'action. Passant de l'orchestre à la voix et de la voix à l'orchestre, ils créent la mélodie continue. Si cela est exact, globalement, des ruptures, des anomalies, des contre-sens, des contradictions, fissurent cette apparence qui n'est que façade. Les Leitmotive ont été autrefois le ciment nécessaire à cette pièce théâtrale et architecturale, colossale. Aujourd'hui, l'on s'aperçoit que ces Leitmotive ont une vie propre qui anticipe, dépasse, s'associe, se dissocie ou même ment aux paroles et au drame. La nature de ces Leitmotive, et non seulement leur fonction, a une source propre qui les fait s'attirer entre eux, comme des aimants, ou se repousser, inéluctablement. Soit qu'ils incarnent le monde des dieux et Wotan, soit, à l'opposé, le mal destructeur absolu : la haine de l'Albe noir, le Nibelung. Pour redonner à ces Leitmotive leur vraie puissance dynamique et leur signification, il faut les fondre ensemble dans une cuve d'airain en fusion et les forger, à nouveau, selon leur véritable signification. Indépendamment même du discours scénique et gestuel. Le thème fondamental de La Tétralogie étant la lutte implacable entre mal, corruption et création. Vérité gravée dans les runes comme une énigme non résolue. Simultanéité. De nos jours, la technique cinématographique a permis de rendre compréhensible la simultanéité de plans et de temps très éloignés. Passé, présent et avenir apparaissent en une seule synchronisation, ainsi que des lieux diamétralement opposés ou antagonistes. Cette conception convient au personnage, mythique, du dieu Wotan, omniprésent et voyageant dans le temps et l'espace, du Palais des Dieux aux mines d'or du Nibelung, de la forge terrestre de Mime à la grotte du dragon, Fafner, du royaume souterrain d'Erda au banquet où périt Siegfried. Cette technique permettrait de concentrer l'action sur l'essentiel : la pensée secrète

Introduction: This study explores how drone movements and human bodily gestures influence spectators' perceptions, focusing on physical and emotional involvement, aesthetic appreciation, and time perception. Methods: Inspired by the iconic staircase scene from the Soviet film The Cranes Are Flying (1957), a set of 81 naturalistic video stimuli was created using a dronemounted camera, varying in Drone Movement (Ascending, Descending, Still), Human Presence (Female, Male, None), and Image Speed (Normal, Low, Very Slow). Participants evaluated each video based on Liking, Perceived Movement, Physical Involvement, Emotional Involvement and Perceived Duration. Results and discussion: Results showed that ascending movements elicited the highest levels of perceived movement, aesthetic appreciation and emotional engagement, outperforming descending and still movements. These results could be explained by a stronger sense of effort and exertion associated with ascending movements, aligning with the embodied simulation of upward motion against gravity. Human presence significantly enhanced ratings across all metrics compared to videos without human figures, thus suggesting that bodily movements play a crucial role in evoking stronger viewer involvement. Additionally, the Female condition received higher aesthetic ratings. Notably, normal image speed yielded greater perceived movement and physical involvement than slowed footage, highlighting a stronger connection to the natural rhythm of bodies in motion. Furthermore, ascending and descending conditions were perceived as lasting longer than still, corroborating prior research on time perception distortions with dynamic stimuli. Correlation analysis highlighted a strong link between physical involvement, emotional engagement, and aesthetic appreciation, underscoring the interplay between bodily and emotional responses. This study emphasizes the potential of drone-based cinematography to evoke embodied and emotional responses, reinforcing the role of embodied simulation theory in cinematic experiences.

ortiz-de-Urbina -tomaS macSotay Richard Wagner (1813-1883) es, sin duda, el compositor occidental con mayor repercusión internacional en las artes extramusicales. La influencia de su vanguardista y extensa obra operística, sus avances musicales (gracias a su uso del cromatismo, del leitmotiv, de la melodía infinita) sus originales libretos (con una novedosa técnica literaria y cargados de simbolismo), su nueva elaboración del mito, el nuevo sentido místico-religioso que otorgaba a la obra de arte, la renovación de la ópera y del espectáculo teatral global, el nuevo visionado de la escena (y su abismo místico), las nuevas pautas para la dramatización de la música y sus abundantes ensayos teóricos dedicados a la estética del arte en las más diversas disciplinas artísticas, se vinculan a una de sus creaciones estéticas más importantes: la Gesamtkunstwerk (Obra de arte total), que retomaba y recuperaba la fusión de la música, la poesía y la danza del teatro griego (mousiké) y la proyectaba hacia el futuro con la novedosa y visionaria inclusión de la imagen. Este concepto implicaba la fusión de las diferentes artes (música, literatura, teatro y artes plásticas) dentro de un nuevo concepto artístico. De igual manera, la huella de su obra tenía lugar bajo un espectro múltiple, manifestándose tanto en el aspecto musical, como en el pictórico, filosófico, estético, escenográfico, teatral, dancístico, escultórico, literario y cinematográfico. Además, la irradiación de su obra en los usos sociales, en el pensamiento y en la política ha sido foco de interés desde su muerte hasta la actualidad 1 . 1 Como ejemplo de la publicación al respecto más reciente, que está siendo un éxito de ventas internacional, podemos citar el extenso, documentado y detallado estudio de Alex Ross sobre el impacto político-social y la asombrosa influencia multidisciplinar de Wagner en

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The origin of the Holy Grail tradition is traced back to Guiot von Provins, a learned man who traveled to the Holy Land and was familiar with the Knights-Templars and Eastern lore. His work, influenced by the Crusades and the Secret and Mystical Societies of the East, introduced characters like Gamuret and Belakane and provided an ethical interpretation of the Grail myth. The Roman Church later adopted the Christian version of the legend, overshadowing its Oriental roots.

The conflicts between the Hohenstaufen and Rome demonstrate the strength of religious movements in Germany and beyond. The Waldensians, influenced by Provençal poets, developed a literature expressing their sect’s principles. Wolfram von Eschenbach’s Parzival depicts a Christian brotherhood without Roman hierarchy, reflecting the religious climate of the time.

The legend of the Holy Grail is a minor current of mystic teaching, keeping the mystical goal of humanity alive in the West.

Richard Wagner (1813-1883) wrote thirteen complete operas, including the four that comprised Der Ring des Nibelungen (1876). Overwhelmingly, the operas were based on medieval sources (Tristan und Isolde, Parsifal, Lohengrin, Tannhäuser, Das Rheingold, Die Walküre, Siegfried, Götterdämmerung, Rienzi), with two dating to the sixteenth century (Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg and Das Liebesverbot), with only two based on later sources (Der Fliegende Holländer and Die Feen).
While medievalism infuses Wagner’s oeuvre, only the Ring Cycle and (arguably) Parsifal are apocalyptic. The Ring traces the triumph and downfall of the gods and is an example of “mythic medievalism” (Eichner 2020). Wagner thought history was a narrative of decline and that an apocalyptic event could transform society, but his youthful hopes for revolution were dashed.
The Ring’s world is spoiled by Alberich’s theft of the gold, Mime’s creation of the ring and tarnhelm, and Wotan’s theft of the magical objects. In this paper I discuss the varied apocalypses that can be realized in productions of the Ring, and the how the impact or success of the production reduces or enhances the medievalism of Wagner’s operatic cycle.

In questo saggio si ripropongono alcuni racconti popolari tarantini molto antichi e risalenti probabilmente all’epoca medievale. Ci si domanderà di certo quale finalità possa avere una simile proposta culturale, se non quella, meramente oziosa, di rimembrare qualche antica elaborazione del passato, magari anche lontana dal nostro sentire. Ci sforzeremo di mostrare allora che tali antichi racconti possono assolvere invece ad una ben più nobile ed utile funzione.. Quando ci relazioniamo con la società tarantina medievale vi è poi un ulteriore e importante valore aggiunto: noi siamo figli di quella società, ne siamo oggettivamente l’evoluzione storica e allora leggere tali racconti con questa consapevolezza si traduce in un parziale ritorno alle proprie radici, in una sorprendente quanto inattesa ed intima agnizione, in un viaggio alla ricerca di quella parte di noi che non conosciamo e che pure ci appartiene. Questo è il potere magico ed evocativo dei racconti popolari!
In essi, a ben guardare, c’è tanta vita, quella vera ed è un po' anche la nostra…
Buona lettura!

El volumen "Recepción de Richard Wagner y
Vanguardia en las Artes Españolas. Mitos y
Materialidades" (2024) centra su objeto de estudio
en el legado multidisciplinar de un compositor único
–Richard Wagner– que aún pervive en diversas
expresiones artísticas en la escena española desde
finales del siglo xix hasta la actualidad. Como su
título indica, el libro presta especial atención a dos
aspectos concretos poco tratados hasta la fecha en
el estudio del wagnerismo español: la repercusión
en las artes del peculiar empleo de Wagner de los
mitos nórdicos y griegos; el concepto de vanguardia,
que tanto ha evolucionado desde el siglo xix
hasta nuestros días, y el término de materialidad,
que el compositor desplaza hacia la percepción
«trascendente» de la obra artística y resulta
fundamental para entender las transformaciones
de la modernidad de los dos últimos siglos.

The article explores parallels between Troyes' unfinished "Perceval, the Story of the Story of the Grail" and Eliot's "The Waste Land." The research begins with an overview of Perceval's encounter with the Fisher King, as well as his sighting of the Grail, as presented in Troyes' narrative. The article provides a detailed commentary on the significance of the "man with three staves" (Eliot, "The Waste Land") and illustrates how this tarot card can be interpreted in relation to the Fisher King. A proposition is made that this association is not misleading, as are many others from Eliot's endnotes, but is a valid representation of the Fisher King. A detailed examination of both the land of the Fisher King, as well as of the wasteland, depicted in Eliot's poem, is also conducted in parallel. The examination sheds light on some hitherto insufficiently explored correspondences between the two lands which highlights not only their visual comparability, but also their symbolic likeness. The article also shows how certain moments and elements from Perceval's account like: Perceval's failure to inquire about the Grail, the visual description of the Grail as well as Its symbolic weight, and Perceval's bewilderment when faced with the Grail have all been integrated within the framework of Eliot's poem. The present study also provides insight into the modern dimension of these allusions. А proposition is made in relation to the possibility of viewing the devastated lands of the Fisher King as comparable to the devastated lands of Europe as a result of war. In turn, Perceval's silence is interpreted as the disillusionment of the post-war world from spirituality and God as a result of the tragedy of the war. The article also devotes considerable attention to the polyphony in Eliot's poem, which problematizes the resonance of Perceval's voice, as well as of the echoes which proceed from his discourse, within the poem. An attempt is made not only to rationalize these voices in parallel with Perceval's voice, but also to show how Perceval's voice stands out against the polyphony that is deliberately created in the poem. Against the backdrop of the utter fragmentation and the lack of overarching narrative which is created in Eliot's poem, a proposition is made that it is Perceval's narrative, as well as his quest, that appear as unifying to the wastelanders. This unification is achieved through a myth, in particular 

The Wagnermania that swept Europe and the United States in the second half of the nineteenth century arrived relatively late to Spain (the first complete opera by Wagner staged on Spanish soil was Rienzi, performed in Madrid in 1876, the same year Der Ring des Nibelungen premiered in Bayreuth). In the late 1800s, Spain was looking for answers that could explain, on the one hand, the loss of the nation's geopolitical relevance (the last remains of the once mighty empire, Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines were "lost" in 1898, after the Spanish American War) and, on the other, the challenges posed by the rise of nationalism, in Catalonia particularly. Similarly, Spanish intellectuals (such as those associated with the Generación del 98) were searching for an aesthetic that could establish an agreement between traditional Spanish values and the innovations brought by the era of industrialization and its subsequent social modernization. The answer to their quest came by way of Wagner, whose musical revolution epitomized the artistic turmoil of the late romanticism and paved the way to twentieth-century avant-garde movements. To understand the reception of Wagner's music means to acknowledge his influence in politics, which reached far beyond Germany and lingered long after his lifetime. His revolutionary composition techniques and stage innovations helped articulate, intellectually and emotionally, the anxieties that many Catalans felt in their struggle for cultural autonomy, even their longing for an independent nation. Such messages spread from the stages of the opera theater (the Liceu), the cafés, academic circles, and elsewhere, and may explain why the success of Wagner in Catalonia was so markedly strong. The "cult to Wagner" functioned as a catalyst for the formation of progressive attitudes within artistic circles in Catalonia, where the modernisme of the early twentieth century was influenced, among other things, by Wagner's notion of Myth. It also led to a restructuring of the idea of spectacle and to the development of an avant-garde approach not only in music, but also in literature, the plastic arts, cinema, theater, dance, and virtually every type of artistic discipline. This book is the result of an ambitious initiative by its two editors, Paloma Ortiz-de-Orbina and Tomas Macostay, who procured the participation of as many as twenty scholars of diverse fields to work collaboratively on a project that examines the reception and influence of Wagner's music (and persona) through a truly multidisciplinary approach. It is arguably the first comprehensive study on Wagner's reception published in Spain, and it is aimed at rediscovering (or re-reading) the work of some of the many artists who were influenced, one way or another, by the composer. Because of its approachability, it reads like on of the many books which, under the title of "Companion [to a composer]", are so popular among English-speaking musicians, scholars, teachers, and students.

“Romeo and juliet” by Peter Tchaikovsky. The 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare’s death

With the biography of P. Tchaikovsky in the background, the author describes the circum-stances of the creation of the overture Romeo and Juliet. Then he briefly analyzes the com-position itself and describes its character.

El presente capítulo recoge las crónicas en torno al estreno de la ópera Lohengrin de Richard Wagner en la ciudad de México en 1890. El nombre de Wagner aparece continuamente en los periódicos de finales del siglo XIX, especialmente en los artículos de Gustavo E. Campa, quien consideraba la importancia de la ópera de Wagner como camino hacia la modernidad. Argumento que en una época dominada por el positivismo como lo es 1890, aún se encuentran destellos románticos en la manera de escribir sobre Wagner y apreciar su música. El capítulo refiere al cambio en la percepción del músico germano para entender una polémica surgida en 1890 respecto a si los mexicanos estaban o no preparados para escuchar la música wagneriana.

El compositor Gustavo E. Campa (1863-1934) fue uno de los críticos cosmopolitas con más presencia en la vida musical de Ciudad de México entre 1883 y 1914. Sus críticas educaron al público mexicano en la música de su tiempo, promoviendo el progreso artístico de la nación. Sin embargo, pese al impacto que tuvo en vida, Campa hay sido relegado en la historiografía de la música en México como un crítico francesista, europeizante y conservador. La presente tesis explica la actitud polémica de Campa desde la historia de la tradición de la crítica musical surgida en Europa en el siglo XVIII para comprender la tradición de la que éste formaba parte. Además, sostengo que el investigador ha de recrear el contexto en el que los críticos escribieron para comprender a qué respondían sus juicios estéticos y comentarios.

La palabra «recepción» se queda corta para describir la acogida de la obra y la figura de Richard Wagner, tal vez lo mejor sería servirse de un término menos neutro, quizás «irradiación». En el Dichter-Komponist (compositor-poeta) la fascinación puede cegar el estudio y la observación objetivos. Por eso, resulta difícil y meritorio emprender la edición acometida por Ortiz de Urbina y Macsotay. Lo sugerente converge con la complejidad en Wagner. Hay dos términos centrales en la estética wagneriana: Gesamtkunstwerk («obra de arte total»)

The scholarly examination of Gustav Mahler's tenure in Budapest (October 1888-March 1891) has primarily focused on his roles as artistic director and conductor as well as the compositional history of his Symphony No. 1. However, following the inauguration of the Hungarian Royal Opera House in 1884, the ballet repertoire, along with operas, was transferred from the National Theatre to the Hungarian Royal Opera House, warranting further investigation into this aspect of his directorship. This study aims to shed light on the reception history of two lesser-known ballets, A négy kérő (The Four Suitors) and A párisi festők (The Parisian Painters), which have so far remained on the periphery of academic discourse. The analysis relies exclusively on reports and reviews published in contemporary Hungarian and Germanlanguage press in Budapest. Absztrakt Gustav Mahler budapesti működésével (1888. október-1891. március) kapcsolatban elsősorban zeneigazgatói és karmesteri tevékenysége, illetve az I. szimfónia keletkezéstörténete áll a kutatói érdeklődés középpontjában. A Magyar Királyi Operaház megnyitását követően, 1884-ben azonban az operák mellett a balettrepertoár is átkerült a Nemzeti Színházból a dalszínházba, így ezek vizsgálata szintén indokolt. Az alábbi tanulmány két kisebb, mindeddig a kutatás perifériájára szorult balett, A négy kérő és A párisi festők fogadtatástörténetének a bemutatására vállalkozik. Forrásként csupán a korabeli fővárosi magyar és német sajtó híradásaira lehetett támaszkodni.

Fall of Coins": Metaphorical and literal transaction in James Joyce's "Araby" The year is 1905 and lampposts of the streets of Ireland are covered with posters announcing the "Araby" bazaar: a promisingly magnificent Oriental show complete with Cairo donkeys, skirt dancing, an orchestra, an Arab Encampment, and fireworks (Ehrlich 265). This historical event drew crowds with its international fascinations and was a "major public event" raising a gross revenue between £13,000 and £18,000 (Ehrlich 266). While the grandeur of "Araby" is written into history, author James Joyce, a native Irishman, strips the event of its grandeur. James Joyce's piece entitled "Araby" resides in his collection of short stories entitled Dubliners published in 1914. Joyce tells the story of a young boy that discovers puppy love with

Fall of Coins": Metaphorical and literal transaction in James Joyce's "Araby" The year is 1905 and lampposts of the streets of Ireland are covered with posters announcing the "Araby" bazaar: a promisingly magnificent Oriental show complete with Cairo donkeys, skirt dancing, an orchestra, an Arab Encampment, and fireworks (Ehrlich 265). This historical event drew crowds with its international fascinations and was a "major public event" raising a gross revenue between £13,000 and £18,000 (Ehrlich 266). While the grandeur of "Araby" is written into history, author James Joyce, a native Irishman, strips the event of its grandeur. James Joyce's piece entitled "Araby" resides in his collection of short stories entitled Dubliners published in 1914. Joyce tells the story of a young boy that discovers puppy love with

Reeditado en: Teorías del Arte desde el siglo XXI, de Ilia Galán, Madrid: Ibersaf, 2005 y Oviedo: Sapere Aude, 2017, pp. 63-76.Hoy tenemos un público masivamente educado, pero mayoritariamente alejado del arte contermporáneo. Las vanguardias han terminado produciendo hastío. En esta situación, empieza a ser necesario buscar expresiones nuevas. Una síntesis entre la tradición anterior a las grandes vanguardias del siglo XX y éstas parece más que posible y desable en el siglo XXI, una vez se halla en derrumbre el mito de la novedad. El cambio tendrá que afectar a la noción misma de arte. El arte no es un conjunto de formas externas, lujo prescindible; puede recuperar su dimensión religiosa, de reasunción del sentido, de reencuentro con el fundamento por medio de la transcendencia

Досліджені умови та специфіка діяльності італійської оперної трупи в оде- ському міському театрі у першому театральному сезоні антрепризи родини Ан- дросових першої половини 1850-х років. Проаналізований зміст основних пунктів театрального контракту антрепренера з міською думою, які визначали фінансо- ві та організаційні основи роботи театру, взаємні зобов’язання сторін, вимоги до складу та якості виконавської трупи і її сценічної діяльності. Показані особливо- сті закордонного ангажементу оперної трупи в головних центрах оперної індус- трії Італії, характер взаємовідносин імпресаріо з театральним агентом антре- призи, здійснений аналіз виконавського складу трупи, досліджені якісні характе- ристики голосів та акторської майстерності солістів. Окрема увага приділена вивченню вокально-сценічної діяльності трупи, виявленню особливостей форму- вання репертуару в умовах європейської оперної моди та, водночас, імперської по- літичної цензури, а також якісним характеристикам взаємодії арти...