FULL MAGIC FIRE Movie USA 1955
Information on the Performance
- Work Title: Magic Fire
- Composer: Wagner Richard, Erich Wolfgang Korngold
- Libretto: Bertita Harding, Ewald André Dupont
- Venue & Opera Company: Studio and on location
- Recorded: 1955
- Type: Movie
- Singers: N/A
- Conductor: Alois Melichar
- Orchestra: Bayerisches Staatsorchester
- Stage Director: William Dieterle
- Stage Designer: Ernest Haller
- Costume Designer: Ursula Maes
Information about the Recording
- Published by: Republic Pictures
- Date Published: 1955
- Format: Broadcast
- Quality Video: 3 Audio:3
- Subtitles: yessubs, essubs
- Video Recording from: YouTube FULL VIDEO
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THIS PERFORMANCE
Magic Fire is a 1955 American biographical film about the life of composer Richard Wagner, released by Republic Pictures.
Directed by William Dieterle, the film made extensive use of Wagner’s music, which was arranged by Erich Wolfgang Korngold. Dieterle worked with Korngold on several Warner Bros. films, including A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Juarez. It was one of the final films Republic made in the two-strip color process known as Trucolor.
Although many details about Wagner’s life were accurately portrayed, the film often distorted some facts, apparently for dramatic purposes. One high point was the accurate depiction of the riot at the Paris Opera House for the premiere of the revised version of Tannhäuser. The film depicted King Ludwig II’s patronage of Wagner, without going into much detail about the king’s controversial personality.
The film used a very large cast, opulent sets, and lavish costumes. Since Republic was known primarily for westerns and adventure serials, Magic Fire was one of the rare “prestige” films to be produced by studio chief Herbert Yates. Nevertheless, critical response was mixed and box office receipts in the U.S. were disappointing.
Quote from Wikipedia