ABSTRACT
TJL he Arthurian enthusiast turns to Germany expectantly. The Medieval Revival of the nineteenth century was nowhere stronger than in the country of Novalis, Tieck, and the brothers Grimm and its most successful creative artist was certainly Richard Wagner (1813-1883). A number of his music dramas could have, we might even say should have, had references to Arthur: Parsifal1 in particular, but also Tristan und Isolde and even hdhengrin could have been connected with the legendary Briton; but we search in vain both in the libretti themselves and in Wagner’s voluminous correspondence, writings, and recorded conversations (mainly in Cosima’s diaries) for a mention of Arthur or his court.
