The subject of ongoing debates for his controversial social views, composer Richard Wagner is nevertheless recognized as a musical genius who richly contributed to the world of opera with a sensational body of work that includes Tristan and Isolde, The Flying Dutchman and The Ring of the Nibelungen.

The German state of Saxony celebrates the 200^th anniversary of Wagner’s birth with a series of festivals, music performances and exhibitions. Through Aug. 25 in Dresden, “Richard Wagner in Dresden — Myth and Legend” is on view in the city’s history museum. Until the end of the year, Dresden’s Semper Opera will offer guided tours upon request.

Legend has it that while in Leipzig (also home to composers Bach, Telemann and Schumann), the then-music student’s love for a local opera singer steered him toward his destiny. A permanent exhibit titled “Richard Wagner as a Young Man” can be enjoyed at the

Old St. Nicholas School in central Leipzig. In the nearby village of Pirna-Graupa, the house where he composed the score to Lohengrin is the launch for the Wagner Experience, encompassing sites where the composer lived and worked, along with a schedule of concerts and festivals.

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