Wagner: A Genius in Exile

German composer Richard Wagner produced some of his most creative work—including Tristan und Isolde, the Wesendonck Lieder, and Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg—in Switzerland, where he spent two extended periods of exile and settled with his second wife, Cosima. Andy Sommer's documentary follows Wagner's great-great-grandson Antoine Pasquier, a New York photographer and filmmaker, as he traces his ancestor's travels through Switzerland, along the way speaking with historians, scholars, and musicians in order to achieve a fuller appreciation of Wagner's development as an artist and a man. As the title indicates, this portrait presents Wagner as a genius, but it also doesn't candy coat the less savory aspects of his character. Helped along by Antoine's agreeable personality, this is a mostly interesting journey, pointing out aspects of Wagner that are usually overlooked, such as the physical stamina demanded by his hikes through the Alpine regions. As befitting a project supported by the Swiss tourism bureau, the film is also filled with beautiful footage of locales that are plausibly identified as inspiration for Wagner's music, accompanied by snippets from the actual scores. DVD extras include interviews with musicologist Eva Rieger and conductor Philippe Jordan, and more location footage. Sure to be appreciated by Wagnerites, this is recommended. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)