Richard Wagner

2 6.7

A German composer who wrote famous operas that mix music, drama, and stage effects

proper noun
/ˈrɪʧərd ˈvɑːɡnər/

: Richard Wagner

Many consider Richard Wagner to be one of the greatest composers of all time.

Examples

The music of Richard Wagner is renowned for its emotional depth and complexity.
During the nineteenth century, Richard Wagner revolutionized the concept of musical drama.
Many critics consider Richard Wagner one of the most influential composers in opera history.
Did Richard Wagner really invent the concept of musical drama?
Many people recognize the famous operas composed by Richard Wagner, such as 'The Ring Cycle.'
The music of Richard Wagner is often described as revolutionary for its use of leitmotifs.
Richard Wagner was a German composer known for integrating music and drama into his operas.

Synonyms

Wagner

vsRichard Wagner

21 7.1

A German composer known for long operas that mix music and drama

is the same composer but shown using the full formal name

Wilhelm Richard Wagner

vsRichard Wagner

1 8.1

A German composer who is known for operas that combine music, drama, and large stage shows

is the same composer but usually written in a shorter familiar form

Surface Forms

Richard Wagner main

Morphology

Richard + Wagner

This is a personal name referring to a specific historical individual; knowing the constituents 'Richard' and 'Wagner' (both proper names) does not allow a B1 learner to infer the meaning 'German composer who invented the musical drama' or biographical details. Proper names are lexicalized and rely on cultural/world knowledge rather than compositional semantics, so the meaning is not derivable from the parts.

Etymology

Richard Wagner was a German composer who created very large, dramatic operas where music, acting, and big stage scenes were one whole experience. Because he invented this 'musical drama', his name now brings to mind very grand, emotional operas.