Background
Agnes Mathilde Luckemeyer was born in Elberfeld (now part of Wuppertal) in the Rhineland of Germany in 1828.
Agnes Mathilde Luckemeyer was born in Elberfeld (now part of Wuppertal) in the Rhineland of Germany in 1828.
Otto was a great admirer of Wagner"s music, and after he and Mathilde met the composer in Zurich in 1852, he placed a cottage on his estate at Wagner"s disposal. By 1857, Wagner had become infatuated with Mathilde. lieutenant is not known whether she returned his affections to the same degree, or if the affair - if there was one - was ever consummated.
Nevertheless, the episode inspired Wagner to put aside his work on Der Ring des Nibelungen (which would not be resumed for the next twelve years) and begin work on Tristan und Isolde.
In 1858, Wagner’s wife Minna intercepted a romantic letter from Wagner to Mathilde. After the resulting confrontation, Wagner left Zürich alone, for Venice.
Minna went to Dresden to stay with her family. She wrote to Mathilde before departing for Dresden:
May this noble deed contribute to your peace of mind, to your happiness."
In her autobiographical reminiscences Mathilde later wrote about Wagner"s stay in Zürich, but made no mention of troubles with Minna.
She died in Altmünster (Austria) in 1902, and she is buried at the Alten Friedhof with the Wesendonck family in Bonn, Germany.
Mathilde Wesendonck was portrayed by Valentina Cortese in the 1955 film Magic Fire, and by Marthe Keller in the 1983 film Wagner. Her legacy as assumed lover of Richard Wagner lives on with reference to her in Rhett Miller"s song Our Love from the album The Instigator.