- Richard Wagner, Bayreuth and Italy (german-way.com)
Richard Wagner (1813-1883) revolutionized classical music with his Tristan und Isolde (1859) and The Ring (1874). His tremendous influence on opera came from his “musical dramas,” including the “Ring Cycle” and the Meistersinger von Nürnberg. Because Wagner wanted the perfect stage for his productions, he custom built his now famous Festival Hall in Bayreuth, still today the home of the annual Bayreuth Festival (Bayreuther Festspiele). Wagner’s supporters say his music transcends his dark side as an antisemite, a deadbeat, and a philanderer. His life was also intertwined with that of King Ludwig II of Bavaria, who supported Wagner financially over many years beginning in 1864, but did not agree with the composer’s antisemitic views.
- Hennepin County, Minnesota (Wikipedia)
Hennepin County (/ˈhɛnəpɪn/ HEN-ə-pin) is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. Its county seat is Minneapolis, the state’s most populous city. The county is named in honor of the 17th-century explorer Father Louis Hennepin. The county extends from Minneapolis to the suburbs and outlying cities in the western part of the county. The county’s natural areas are covered with extensive woods, hills, and lakes.
