For more information, contact
Aurelius Fernandez at 301.907.2600
WASHINGTON,
D.C., AUGUST 2004 ––––– The Wagner
Society of Washington, D.C. announces its first fall event, a free lecture by
the prolific author and Wagner expert, John DiGaetani.
The
program will be open to the public on Thursday, September 23, 2004 at 7:30 P.M.
at the George Washington University, Funger Hall, 2201 G Street, N.W. in
Washington, D.C.
The Presentation. John
DiGaetani will explore a suicidal theme in Wagner’s life and operas, showing
how manic-depressive illness affected his life and art. He believes that Wagner was plagued by
extreme mood swings and that he used his operas, especially their librettos, to
express himself and his emotional difficulties. His latest book on the same subject, Wagner and Suicide,
explores suicide as a theatrical and operatic phenomenon, and the way that
suicide has appeared in literary and performing arts, especially the works of
Richard Wagner.
The Speaker. John DiGaetani is a
Professor of English at Hofstra University.
He has previously taught at Providence College, the University of
Wisconsin, the University of New Orleans, and at Harvard. He has authored several well-received
books. Currently in print are Penetrating
Wagner’s Ring, An Invitation to the Opera, Puccini the Thinker, and the
first biography of the influential Venetian author and dramatist, Carlo
Gozzi. He is the author of Richard Wagner
and the Modern British Novel, a study of Wagner’s influence on important
British novelists.
The
Wagner Society of Washington, D.C. is a private, non-profit organization
devoted to the study and enjoyment of Richard Wagner’s art. Many events are free to members and the
public. The Society welcomes new
members at any time. Membership
information is available at the Society’s website or by telephone.
~~~~~~~~
The Wagner Society of
Washington, D.C.
P.O. Box 33051 ~
Washington, D.C. 20033
Telephone
301.907.2600 ~ Facsimile 301.907.8671
www.wagner-dc.org