Wagner & Me

IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: Yes
Watched With: Nicole

First documentary of the year. I'm not a big documentary watcher, I'm too much in love with the storytelling and narrative of fiction but I do watch them occasionally and who can pass up anything with Stephen Fry.

There are a few threads to juggle here, The life of Wagner, Fry's personal relationship with the music, it's tainted association with the Nazi party and the upcoming performance of the Ring cycle. It' a tricky balancing act, one and a few stories suffer from the congestion. What becomes the main focus in the latter half of the film, the association with Hitler and the Nazi party and Fry's trepidation about the music because of that, is where all the tension in the film lies.

My favourite part was right at the end while interviewing an Auschwitz concentration Camp survivor and musician. She end up turning the tables on Fry and instead questions him about his feeling towards the ominous association and if it is something he can overlook as Jew.

For someone who doesn't know much Wagner this film doesn't tell me a great deal about the history or even his music, it's more of a personal story. It's enjoyable enough and fans of Fry or Wagner are sure to get something out of it.