Wagner’s Artistic Influences: with Joshua Borths
Richard Wagner provocatively changed the course of music, drama, and art throughout the twentieth century, and his work continues to influence artists in the present. Since Wagner’s death in 1883, much of the discourse surrounding him has focused on his artistic legacy. However, Wagner was a man of the nineteenth century, firmly rooted to a specific time and place. Tracking the ebb and flow of an artist’s influences and innovations brings great aesthetic enjoyment but focus on Wagner’s influences has largely been absent from the conversation. Using Wagner’s enigmatic autobiography, Mein Leben, as a starting point, Joshua Borths will explore the artistic influences on Wagner, emphasizing his art as a conversation between the old and new and discovering the foundations of his greatest music dramas.
About the Speaker: Joshua Borths (he/him) is a nationally recognized stage director, writer, and dramaturg. Known for his creative and insightful productions, Borths’s work has been lauded as “beautiful, even poetic.” (Opera Today) Recently, Borths directed The Flying Dutchman for Des Moines Metro Opera (DMMO), and he returns in 2026 to stage a new production of Puccini’s Tosca. Other upcoming projects include productions for Sacramento Philharmonic & Opera, Chautauqua Opera, Calgary Opera, Arizona Opera, and Madison Opera. Recent favorites include Three Decembers (Pensacola Opera), Hansel & Gretel (Opera Montana), Il barbiere di Sivliglia (Arizona Opera). In addition to his directing work, Borths is also the Director of Opera Theatre at James Madison University and Company Dramaturg at DMMO. As a writer, Borths has written numerous children’s operas that have been produced across the country and seen by hundreds of thousands of students (OperaClassroom.com). He has also given over 500 lectures on opera history & literature, and he has been a guest lecturer for the Triangle Wagner Society, Wagner Society Manchester, Wagner Society of Scotland, among others. Borths is proud to be represented by UIA Talent.
The event will be followed by a social hour with refreshments.
Livestream: the event will be livestreamed (viewable up to 36 hours after the start of the event). WSNY Members receive livestream link automatically by e-mail; no need to pre-register.