Wagner's Shadow: The Haunting Relevance of 'Rienzi' Today The revival of Richard Wagner's opera "Rienzi" at the Bayreuth Festival has sparked a long overdue conversation about the composer's troubled legacy.
As the festival celebrates its 150th anniversary, the production brings to light the complex and disturbing connections between Wagner's music and the rise of Nazi Germany.
The opera itself is a cautionary tale about the dangers of unchecked power and the corrupting influence of populism.