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A Royal Affair

Donald Macleod explores Wagner’s entanglements with King Ludwig and Cosima Liszt – love, patronage, and public disgrace.

Donald Macleod explores two of Wagner’s most defining relationships: with King Ludwig II of Bavaria, who bankrolled his dreams, and with Cosima Liszt, the young woman who would become his muse, lover, and eventually wife. Wagner’s fantasy of artistic freedom and romantic fulfilment seem within reach – but lavish spending, court gossip, and a scandalous affair threaten to unravel it all…

Albumblatt (arr. August Wilhelmj) 
Renaud Capuçon, violin
Guillaume Bellom, piano

Huldigungsmarsch
London Symphony Orchestra
Marek Janowski, conductor

Lohengrin, Act III: In fernem Land “Grail Narrationâ€â€¯
Jonas Kaufmann, tenor
Mahler Chamber Orchestra  
Claudio Abbado, conductor

Tristan und Isolde, Extract from Act II
Deborah Polaski (Isolde), soprano
Johan Botha (Tristan), tenor
Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra
Wiener Singverein
Bertrand de Billy, conductor

Siegfried, Love duet from Act III Scene 3
Jess Thomas (Siegfried), tenor
Gerhard Stolze (Mime), tenor
Thomas Stewart (Wanderer), baritone
Helga Dernesch (Brünhilde), soprano
Zoltán Kéléman (Alberich), baritone
Oralia Domínguez (Erda), soprano
Karl Ridderbusch (Fafner), bass
Catherine Gayer (Waldvogel), soprano
Berliner Philharmoniker
Herbert von Karajan, conductor

Produced by Ellie Ajao for ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Audio Wales and West.

Release date:

59 minutes

Broadcast

  • Thu 20 Nov 2025 16:00

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