Aspects of Modern Opera: Estimates and Inquiries

In this incisive study the author turns a careful eye to the shadow cast by Wagner over the first quarter‑century after his death, arguing that the great composer’s influence has both saturated and stifled the operatic world. By juxtaposing Wagner’s revolutionary ideals with the reality of post‑Romantic creation, the book asks whether the “Wagnerian after‑math” has become a paralysing spell rather than a source of fresh inspiration. The discussion is anchored in a clear, scholarly tone that makes even dense musical argument accessible to listeners.

The second part moves to the contemporary scene, especially the German stage, where the author observes a striking scarcity of genuine inventive impulse. Apart from a handful of noteworthy exceptions, he describes a chorus of imitators whose works are marked by elaborate surface but an emptiness of true ideas. Through vivid examples and thoughtful critique, the book invites readers to reconsider how modern opera might break free from its dominant legacy and rediscover its own creative vitality.