In the era when Wagner lived, Germans generally believed that the German language was not elegant enough. Italian and French operas were popular both inside and outside the court, focusing on the magnificence of musical techniques and ignoring the content of the drama. Wagner put forward the slogan of "musical drama", advocated the creation of operas with equal emphasis on music and drama, suggested that composers personally participate in the creation of scripts, and believed that the themes of operas should only be suitable for musical treatment. He elevated the status of the orchestra, which had previously only appeared in the prelude or overture, to the extreme, making it the unifying pillar of the entire play. Another obvious reform lies in the dominant motives in his musicals. In fact, no matter in the past or modern times, composers will use dominant motives in their works. But Wagner was different from them. He systematically used leading motives and combined several leading motives through polyphony. It can be said that the web of dominant motives created by the extremely concentrated plot covers the entire play, making the perfect combination of written language and musical language a precise and simple subtext. In addition, there are almost no parts in his musicals. The use of brass is more free and flexible. The emotional meaning is expressed by the band through melody and harmony. The vocal parts float on the surface of the orchestral flow, announcing There is no clear distinction between aria and aria. Wagner's opera reform mainly began with "Tristan und Isolde". The performance of this opera in Munich in 1865 marked the beginning of a new dialect in the musical language of the Western world and the beginning of the disintegration of the tonal system. From then on, "Wagnerian style" became synonymous with "advanced" and unconventional in opera or music in general. In order to realize his ideals of opera reform and present it to the world, Wagner specially organized the Bayreuth Music Festival to perform his works. This music festival has always attracted the attention of music lovers from all over the world.

It is said that Hitler once asked someone to perform Wagner's works for him in Bayreuth. At that time, he was moved to tears and wished he could hold hands and talk with this genius of the last century. Many people want to mention his thoughts while listening to Wagner's music. It is undeniable that the personality and thoughts of musicians have a great influence on their creative works. In his youth, Wagner's thoughts mainly tended to be "German". He was influenced by Feuerbach and Bakunin, wrote many fanatical and radical articles, and even participated in the Dresden revolution.

After the failure of the European bourgeois revolution in 1848, Wagner gradually accepted Schopenhauer’s pessimism and Nietzsche’s supermanism, as well as Arthur de Gobineau’s Aryan racism theory. . In his later years, Wagner was also influenced by religious mystical thoughts. Wagner and Nietzsche were close friends, and their friendship lasted ten years. When Nietzsche's relationship with Schopenhauer broke down, and because Wagner was still a disciple of Schopenhauer, Nietzsche's friendship with him naturally broke off.

On January 3, 1878, Wagner presented "Parsifal" to Nietzsche. Nietzsche wrote his last letter to Wagner and gave him his new book "Human Nature, All Too Human" in return. In 1888, Nietzsche wrote "The Wagner Affair" and "Nietzsche Against Wagner" to formally express his views on his former friend. King Ludwig II of Bavaria has always been Wagner's most important supporter and protector, and many of Wagner's works are dedicated to him. Ludwig II was also a fervent admirer of Wagner. He built the palace Neuschwanstein Castle with the content of Wagner's operas as the theme. Inside, there is a golden statue of Siegfried slaying the dragon, a tapestry depicting the story of "Tristan and Isolde", and "Tanh?user". "The story designed the cave and festival hall, and he planned to dedicate the castle as a gift to Wagner and use it as the background of the opera "Parsifal". He financed Wagner's construction of the Bayreuth Festival Theater and was a guest of honor at the opening performance.