Have you ever fallen out of love with an artist for moral reasons?

[Aristus]

36. The truth about Wagner is that he was......complex.

He was an anti-Semite, and that was inexcusable, no matter how many of his contemporaries thought the same.

At the same time, most of his other views were highly progressive, even liberal, for their time. He was an ardent supporter of the left-wing revolutions in Europe in 1848, and was so vocal about them that he lost several appointments, and had to go into hiding in other countries.

His views toward women, on the operatic stage and off, were very forward-looking. Every one of his female characters, with the possible exception of Elsa in Lohengrin is smarter than all of his male characters. They are far more rational, practical, and exhibit better qualities of leadership than the male characters in leadership roles.

Wagner's opera Siegfried was a favorite of Hitler and the Nazis, because it is a celebration of the Northern European dynamic 'man of nature'; Siegfried, the fearless, heroic dragon slayer. However, Siegfried exhibits all of these traits without putting down or suppressing anyone whom one might call inferior, or use his demigod-like superiority to oppress anyone. He treats the dwarf, Mime, abominably, but it's worth pointing out that Mime cares nothing for Siegfried, and is only using him to get his greedy hands on the eponymous Ring of power the dragon guards in his hoard.

Still a huge Wagner fan, and probably always will be...