The politics of Wagner's Ring

Why do politicians love the Ring cycle? Perhaps because it’s about the intimate relationship between love and power. For as long as I can remember, politicians and my fellow political journalists have been conspicuously drawn to the astounding works of Richard Wagner. Many composers address political themes and confront the timeless dilemmas of political life. But none has the gravitational pull of the Wagnerian planet.George Osborne and Michael Gove are passionate Wagnerites, as is Micha...

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