It is little known that Richard Wagner was among the very first Westerners to appreciate Buddhism and that he was the first major European artist to be inspired

"When religion becomes artificial, art has a duty to rescue it. Art can show that the symbols which religions would have us believe literally true are actually

New essays demonstrating and exploring the abiding fascination of Wagner's controversial work.

With reference to Magdha King Asoka, fl. 259 B.C.

This study explores the evolution of the text and music of this inexhaustible yet highly controversial music drama across Wagner's entire career, and offers a r