Wagner's opera can be counted amongst the most important works of art of the 19th century, but he was a composer around whom violent artistic, political and literary controversies raged during his lifetime. Even today, his music and life seem to arouse either blind adulation or extreme antipathy. This review of Wagner's life and work traces his development from his first complete opera, Die Feen, to his death in Venice in 1883, a year after the first performance of Parsifal at Bayreuth. As in his other guides to the operas of major composers, including Mozart, Puccini and Verdi, the author takes each opera in turn and describes the composer's life at the time of composition, discusses the libretto and librettist, outlines the story and gives a detailed musical analysis. The book is intended for the expert and the general music lover alike.