Travel tips for opera lovers – Leipzig and Richard Wagner

Richard Wagner was born in Leipzig as the ninth child, the house where he was born no longer stands. His father died a few months later and his mother married the poet and actor Ludwig Geyer a little later. It was long puzzled whether Ludwig, to whom Richard was very attached, was his biological father, which would have been very piquant because of his Jewish roots. Today it is assumed that this is not the case. After 2 years the family moved to Dresden.

At the age of 16, Wagner heard Fidelio with the Schröder-Devrient in Leipzig, which, according to him, was the deciding factor to become a professional musician. Two years later he began his musical studies at the University of Leipzig, composed his first works and became interested in politics. In 1833 he left Leipzig to gain professional experience.