On Wagner's 200th birthday, Emily asks 'Can we separate a man from his art?' 

My mum loves Wagner’s music. Her idea of heaven is to sit through the 14.5 hours of The Ring Cycle, barely surfacing for breath. My mum loves Wagner’s music so much that she can often be found crying just hearing the final scenes of Tristan und Isolde, made an inconsolable wreck by the music. 

Today, on Wagner’s 200th birthday, praise for the composer’s work fills my social media timelines. But although I can be deeply moved by his music, his politics always mar my enjoyment of his work.