Agnes Mathilde Wesendonck (née Luckemeyer; 23 December 1828 – 31 August 1902) was a German poet and author. The words of five of her verses were the basis of Richard Wagner's Wesendonck Lieder; the composer was infatuated with her, and his wife Minna blamed Mathilde for the break-up of their marriage.
Agnes Mathilde Luckemeyer was born in Elberfeld (now part of Wuppertal) in the Rhineland of Germany in 1828. In 1848[1] she married the silk merchant Otto Wesendonck. Otto was a great admirer of Wagner's music, and after he and Mathilde met the composer in Zurich in 1852, he placed a cottage on his estate at Wagner's disposal. By 1857, Wagner had become infatuated with Mathilde. It is not known whether she returned his affections to the same degree, or if the affair - if there was one - was ever consummated. Nevertheless, the episode inspired Wagner to put aside his work on Der Ring des Nibelungen (which would not be resumed for the next twelve years) and begin work on Tristan und Isolde.
In 1858, Wagner's wife Minna intercepted a romantic letter from Wagner to Mathilde. After the resulting confrontation, Wagner left Zürich alone, for Venice. Minna went to Dresden to stay with her family. She wrote to Mathilde before departing for Dresden:
"I must tell you with a bleeding heart that you have succeeded in separating my husband from me after nearly twenty-two years of marriage. May this noble deed contribute to your peace of mind, to your happiness."[2]
In her autobiographical reminiscences Mathilde later wrote about Wagner's stay in Zürich, but made no mention of troubles with Minna.
In 1866 Mathilde met with Johannes Brahms in Zürich and enabled him to study some of Wagner's manuscripts.[3]
Mathilde Wesendonck died in Altmünster (Austria) in 1902, and she is buried at the Alter Friedhof with the Wesendonck family in Bonn, Germany.
Selected works
Gedichte, Volkslieder, Legenden, Sagen (ca. 1864)
Märchen u. Märchen Spiele (1864)
Natur-Mythen: Mai 1865 (1865)
Genovefa: Trauerspiel in 3 Aufzügen (1866)
Gudrun. Schauspiel in 5 Akten (1868), online at Internet Archive
Musgrave, Michael (2000). A Brahms Reader. New Haven and London: Yale University Press. ISBN0300068042.
External links
Works by or about Mathilde Wesendonck in libraries (WorldCat catalog)
February 15, 2023
mathilde, wesendonck, agnes, née, luckemeyer, december, 1828, august, 1902, german, poet, author, words, five, verses, were, basis, richard, wagner, wesendonck, lieder, composer, infatuated, with, wife, minna, blamed, mathilde, break, their, marriage, 1850, ka. Agnes Mathilde Wesendonck nee Luckemeyer 23 December 1828 31 August 1902 was a German poet and author The words of five of her verses were the basis of Richard Wagner s Wesendonck Lieder the composer was infatuated with her and his wife Minna blamed Mathilde for the break up of their marriage Mathilde Wesendonck 1850 by Karl Ferdinand Sohn in the StadtMuseum Bonn The villa of Otto and Mathilde Wesendonck in Zurich Switzerland Cover of Marchen u Marchen Spiele by Mathilde Wesendonck published Dusseldorf 1864 Grave of Mathilde Wesendonck and family in Bonn Germany Contents 1 Biography 2 Selected works 3 In film 4 References 5 External linksBiography EditAgnes Mathilde Luckemeyer was born in Elberfeld now part of Wuppertal in the Rhineland of Germany in 1828 In 1848 1 she married the silk merchant Otto Wesendonck Otto was a great admirer of Wagner s music and after he and Mathilde met the composer in Zurich in 1852 he placed a cottage on his estate at Wagner s disposal By 1857 Wagner had become infatuated with Mathilde It is not known whether she returned his affections to the same degree or if the affair if there was one was ever consummated Nevertheless the episode inspired Wagner to put aside his work on Der Ring des Nibelungen which would not be resumed for the next twelve years and begin work on Tristan und Isolde In 1858 Wagner s wife Minna intercepted a romantic letter from Wagner to Mathilde After the resulting confrontation Wagner left Zurich alone for Venice Minna went to Dresden to stay with her family She wrote to Mathilde before departing for Dresden I must tell you with a bleeding heart that you have succeeded in separating my husband from me after nearly twenty two years of marriage May this noble deed contribute to your peace of mind to your happiness 2 In her autobiographical reminiscences Mathilde later wrote about Wagner s stay in Zurich but made no mention of troubles with Minna In 1866 Mathilde met with Johannes Brahms in Zurich and enabled him to study some of Wagner s manuscripts 3 Mathilde Wesendonck died in Altmunster Austria in 1902 and she is buried at the Alter Friedhof with the Wesendonck family in Bonn Germany Selected works EditGedichte Volkslieder Legenden Sagen ca 1864 Marchen u Marchen Spiele 1864 Natur Mythen Mai 1865 1865 Genovefa Trauerspiel in 3 Aufzugen 1866 Gudrun Schauspiel in 5 Akten 1868 online at Internet Archive Deutsches Kinderbuch in Wort und Bild 1869 Friedrich der Grosse dramatische Bilder nach Franz Kugler 1871 Edith oder Die Schlacht bei Hastings ein Trauerspiel 1872 Gedichte Volksweisen Legenden und Sagen 1874 Der Baldur Mythos 1875 Odysseus ein dramatisches Gedicht in zwei Theilen und einem Vorspiel 1878 Alte und neue Kinder Lieder und Reime 1890 Alkestis Schauspiel in vier Aufzugen 1891 In film EditMathilde Wesendonck was portrayed by Valentina Cortese in the 1955 film Magic Fire and by Marthe Keller in the 1983 film Wagner References EditNotes Vazsonyi Nicholas ed 2013 The Cambridge Wagner Encyclopedia Cambridge University Press ISBN 9781107004252 Retrieved 10 June 2015 Burck John N Letters of Richard Wagner The Burrell Collection The Macmillan Company New York 1950 page 374 Musgrave 2000 p 56 SourcesMusgrave Michael 2000 A Brahms Reader New Haven and London Yale University Press ISBN 0300068042 External links EditWorks by or about Mathilde Wesendonck in libraries WorldCat catalog Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Mathilde Wesendonck amp oldid 1068002318, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
