248.—RICHARD WAGNER AND THE NUMBER "13."
If the number "13" is, as many people believe, an unlucky one, certainly the life of Richard Wagner must have been full of ill-luck; for this cabalistic set of figures turns up at all times and places in his biography. While Wagner had, during some periods of his life, a hard battle with the non-appreciation of his fellow-musicians, we would hardly like to believe, after reading the last thirty years of his biography, that his life was an utter failure! So perhaps there is not so much bad fortune in the number "13" as the superstitious Scotchmen would have us believe. But the recurrence of this number so frequently is a peculiar coincidence.
A statistically inclined writer has made the following list:—
Wagner was born in 1813 and died on the 13th of the month; there are 13 letters in his name, and the sum of the figures in 1813 equals 13. The full date of his death was the 13th day of the second month in '83; it makes 13 twice viz., first 13, and again 2+8+3=13. He composed 13 operas or "music-dramas." His first and determining impression in favor of a dramatic career was formed on the 13th of the month. He was influenced in his choice emphatically by hearing Weber's "Freischütz," and by Wilhelmine Shröder-Devrient. The latter went upon the stage on the 13th of October, 1819, and the "Freischütz" was completed on May 13, 1820, and first performed in Dresden, Wagner's home, in 1822 (1+8+2+2=13). Weber died in Wagner's 13th year. Wagner's first public appearance as a musical personage dates from the year 1831 (1+8+3+1=13), being at this time a music student in the Leipzig University.
The stage at Riga, where he became a director, was opened on the 13th day of September, 1837, and he there began the composition of "Rienzi" which he completed in Paris in 1840 (1+8+4=13). On the 13th of April, 1844, he completed his "Tannhauser," and it was performed in Paris on March 13, 1861, and on the 13th of August, 1876, he began the first presentation of his "Baireuth dramas," the "Nibelungen Ring."
Wagner was exiled from Saxony for 13 years. The 13th of September, 1882, was his last day at "Baireuth" before leaving for Venice. Wagner saw Liszt for the last time in Venice on January 13, 1883, and finally he died on the 13th of February, in the 13th year of the new German confederation.