"What do Wagner's operas really mean? How much room do they leave for different perspectives? In this book, James Treadwell lays open the rich possibilities for interpretation offered across the full range of Wagner's art. Focussing steadily on Wagner's music, dramas and prose writings, rather than questions of biography or influence, the book carefully traces the tensions and uncertainties embedded within the composer's central themes. The result is a new and vivid depiction of the essential character of Wagner's work." "Addressing both general Wagner enthusiasts and more scholarly students of music, Treadwell identifies and pursues the habitual concerns of Wagner's operas and writings: enchantment, seduction, heroism, victory, transcendence and sacredness."--Jacket.