Abstract

Wagner’s reform of opera into musical drama introduced new formal solutions, which have been sparking discussions between analysts from the moment Wagner’s mature works (_Der Ring des Nibelungen_, _Tristan und Isolde_, _Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, _and _Parsifal_) premiered. It was Friedrich Nietzsche who formulated the most famous critique of Wagner’s alleged inability to handle great forms, which stems from miniaturism as the principal compositional characteristic, or even as the main symptom of Wagner’s decadent style. Drawing from Karol Berger’s book _Beyond_ _Reason_, this paper will look at the historical context of Nietzsche’s reproach, question its adequacy, and lastly illuminate the paths and problems the artist and the philosopher faced while exploring new ways of thinking and creating in the times of crisis brought on by the decline of the Enlightenment’s faith in the power of reason.