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at which the Norwegian violinist Ole Bull played. In 1839, his contract having expired, he impulsively left his debts behind him and set out for Paris, going by sailing vessel through the Baltic to London and stopping a month at Boulogne to ingratiate himself with Meyerbeer. The latter's introduction gave him access to the Opéra management, but led to no commission. The projected production of the Liebesverbot at a lesser house was upset by the latter's failure. Wagner was kept from starvation only by all sorts of hack work for the publisher Schlesinger and casual essay-writing, in which his critical ability and his constructive theories began to appear. He formed a few useful friendships, especially with Berlioz, one or two artists and some literary people, besides doing careful study upon German myths. When he sought to get Der fliegende Hollander accepted at the Opéra, the only result was an offer for the libretto (given in 1842 with music by the Frenchman Dietsch). Two of his overtures were heard at concerts, but without success. In 1840 Rienzi was finished and was sent to Dresden for examination, and in 1841 Der fliegende Hollander was similarly submitted at Berlin. His restless imagination was also at work upon other plans. In the spring of 1842 he left Paris for Dresden.

Richard Wagner.

The successful production at Dresden first of Rienzi (1842) and soon after of Der fliegende Hollander (1843) led to Wagner's being made court-choirmaster in place of Morlacchi (d. 1841). For a brief time the two operas were in request at other cities, bringing Wagner some much-needed income. Though beset by opposition active and passive, he pushed on energetically to raise the level of the Dresden opera by giving works of high class, to establish significant orchestral concerts, and to consolidate the choral interests of the city (being leader of the Liedertafel for a time). He was also full of original projects for librettos and operas. Tannhäuser was soon finished and given (1845), but was violently attacked by the critics. Lohengrin was finished in 1847 (first given by Liszt at Weimar, 1850). His position grew increasingly difficult. His personality was passionate and uncompromising, his ambition and ideality ardent, his musical dialect unconventional. The conservatives and sticklers for usage found him incomprehensible or obnoxious. Schumann (in Dresden in 1844-50) and Hiller (there in 1845-7) only partially understood him. His local friends were few, such as the conductors Fischer and Röckel, the singers Tichatschek and Schröder-Devrient, and the violinist Uhlig. At Berlin he was supported by the editor Gaillard, at Cassel by Spohr and at Weimar by Liszt. But he was bitterly assailed by the critics Schladebach and Banck, and was viewed with jealousy by Meyerbeer. In 1848 he made two or three untactful moves, especially a project for a National Theatre, and presently became seri-