The fertilizing seed

Introduction -- Influences on Wagner's theory of opera -- The theory of opera set forth in "Oper und Drama"--Wagner's later theories of opera -- "Music and the inner movements of the soul" : Tristan und Isolde -- "Ideal naturalism and the singing tongue" : Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg -- "Music divorced from the reasoned word" : Parsifal -- Conclusions.