LOHENGRIN'S HELMET - Mario Panizzardi

LOHENGRIN'S HELMET

MARIO PANIZZARDI Wagner in Italy (1852–1883)
Documents and testimonies

edited by Cecilia Brentano

with a note by Guido Salvetti and translations by Lorenzo Bianconi

Mario Panizzardi's name appears in the works of many scholars of Wagner's life and works. A journalist, Panizzardi dedicated numerous articles to the Maestro and wrote a biography of him in Italian. His Wagner in Italy It is divided into two parts: the first dedicated to biographical notes and the second to the "pages of musical history".
In this work, we have chosen to republish the first of two studies by Panizzardi, dated 1914 and dedicated to biographical information, drawn not only from the Maestro's autobiography, Mein Leben (1813–1864), but also from the numerous testimonies the author gathers from individuals who, at different times and in different situations, interacted with Wagner during his stays in Italy. What emerges are not only the most famous manifestations of his artistry, but also aspects of his private life in his relationships with family and friends, which the Maestro was not averse to encountering in pastry chefs and gondoliers, scrupulously avoiding pianists. At times, a sweetness emerges that is not usually associated with the Maestro, while his rigorous approach is evident in the writings he dedicated to his fellow Italian composers.
This volume aims to introduce the reader to Wagner's experience in Italy through a series of complementary perspectives: from pure biography to testimonies, from letters to writings, from reviews to a collection of complete performances of his operas. A subject so complex that thousands of pages would not be enough to fully cover it, but here it finds a timely balance for those wishing to explore, through stories and sources, the life of a man who, despite over a hundred years having passed since his death, still manages to divide the public between Wagnerians and anti-Wagnerians.

Errata corrige: We would like to bring to the readers' attention an error in the "Reviews" section of the appendix. The 18th century was indicated instead of the 19th century in the dates of the fiftieth anniversary of the opera's performance under the title. These dates are correct in the specific list.