In English with simultaneous German translation.

Alex Ross explores a fundamental ambiguity in Wagner’s legacy: on the one hand, his notorious role as a fount and figurehead of nationalist, racist, and patriarchal values; and, on the other, his strong hold on the imaginations of writer and thinkers from marginalized groups. Tracing the spread of Wagnerian antisemitism in the late 19th-century alongside countervailing trends of Wagnerian decadence and eroticism, Ross weaves together the various strains of the composer’s complex legacy vis-à-vis the subaltern, portraying a Wagnerism that is more than the sum of its parts. 

In English with simultaneous German translation. Headphones will be provided. A valid photo ID (or alternatively € 20) must be presented as a security deposit.

In addition to lectures and music, the exhibition Dry, featuring works by photographer Abdo Shanan, will be on view during the Edward W. Said Days 2020 in the foyer of the Barenboim-Said Akademie.