From Wagner to Literary Modernity
Bill Pastor will discuss his recently published book "Three Pillars of Modern Western Culture", which demonstrates Wagner's impact on Joyce's "Ulysses" and Proust's "In Search of Lost Time" in the use of leitmotif, endless melody, and the concept of Gesamtkunstwerk.
Date
Mar 10, 2022, 7:30 PM
Arts Club of Washington, 2017 I St NW, Washington, DC 20006, USA
Details
William Pastor: Three Pillars of Modern Western Culture: Wagner, Joyce and Proust.
In his recently published book, the author elucidates Wagner’s enormous impact on modern literature, most
specifically on James Joyce's monumental Ulysses and Marcel Proust's In Search of Lost Time. Three of Wagner’s artistic innovations,leitmotifs, Endless Melody, and Gesamtkunstwerk, played major roles in the authors’ presentation of time, interior monologue, and the subconscious. Bill will present musical excerpts from Wagner's works, and textual excamples from these two literary masterpieces. Click here to purchase a copy of the book.
Deb Diamond, one of our board members, has written a thoughtful review. Click here to read it.