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Why did Richard Wagner leave Munich despite King Louis IIâs support?
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Richard Wagner
Richard Wagner, painting by Franz von Lenbach, 1882, Bayreuth, Germany.
Richard Wagner left Munich in 1865 due to significant public and political opposition sparked by his controversial lifestyle and behavior, despite the continued patronage of King Louis II.1
Several factors contributed to this friction:
- Financial Irresponsibility: Despite receiving a generous salary from the king, Wagner remained in constant debt due to his lavish spending habits.1
- Political Interference: Wagner attempted to involve himself in the government of the Bavarian kingdom, which alienated local officials and the public.1
- Personal Scandal: Wagner began an affair with Cosima von BĂŒlow, the wife of the conductor Hans von BĂŒlow and daughter of Franz Liszt. The couple eventually had three children together before Cosimaâs divorce and subsequent marriage to Wagner in 1870.1
While these circumstances made his departure from Munich advisable, Wagner maintained his close friendship with King Louis II, who continued to support him by providing a new residence at Triebschen on the Lake of Lucerne.1