Family Tour: How Does an Orchestra Work?

On this museum tour, children and adults discover how Richard Wagner's music sounded and how today's film scores - from "The Lord of the Rings" or "Harry Potter", for instance - draw on his operas. Wagner used recurring leitmotifs in his operas to build atmosphere and dramatic tension; the same technique is now standard practice in Hollywood productions.

At the virtual orchestra pit, visitors can try their hand at conducting: interactive screens show what sound each instrument produces and how it appears in the score. The programme includes the prelude to the opera "Lohengrin", which Wagner sketched in 1846 during a summer stay in Graupa - which is why the Lohengrinhaus there is considered the oldest authentic Wagner residence still used as a museum.

The holography theatre brings to life the ghostly pirate ship from "The Flying Dutchman", while listening stations let you trace Wagner's music through well-known films.

More information and excursion tips - including the Wagner monument in Liebethaler Grund - at www.wagnerstaetten.de