Music as Narrator in Wagner's Theory of “Drama”

Abstract

Goethe and Schiller did not succeed in making a clear distinction between epic and drama as literary genres in their joint essay ‘On Epic and Dramatic Poetry’ (1797). Schiller did not think, however, that the indistinct aspect of drama should be considered as negative, for he expected the epic element in modern tragedy to ensure “freedom of mind” from passion.

Half a century later Wagner presented in his main theoretical work ‘Opera and Drama’ (1851) a new theory that the orchestra could play a chorus-like role in his musical drama in order to make the audience take an active part in the dramatic performance. In spite of all the differences between the musical drama of Wagner and the modern tragedy of Schiller, a certain parallel aspect should be observed in the dramatic roles of orchestral music in the former and the epic element in the latter.