From an early age Nietzsche was passionately fond of music, and by the time he was a student he was a highly competent pianist who impressed his ... But Nietzsche, however much he revered Wagner and his music, and although he had quite possibly fallen in love with Cosima, had ambitions of his own. read more
Of all the people who Friedrich Nietzsche met, the composer Richard Wagner (1813-1883) was, without question, the one who made the deepest impression on him. As many have pointed out, Wagner was the same age as Nietzsche father, and thus could have offered the young scholar, who was 23 when they first met in 1868, some sort of father substitute. read more
The common consensus of why Nietzsche would possibly love Cosima Wagner was because he referred to her as Princess Ariadne in one his letters about the time of his mental collapse. I don’t think he referred to her as a Greek goddess out of infatuation, but because he was making a metaphor to the myth of Theseus. read more
Nietzsche became enamored of Wagner in his college days, and was very excited to meet with man who would become a legend. Eventually, Nietzsche and Wagner became friends, and Nietzsche attended quite a few of the festivals at Bayreuth. Nietzsche was part of the intellectual circle that surrounded Wagner, and early works of Nietzsche praised Wagner. read more