Undoubtedly a pioneer in his field, Wagner made music that continues to inspire composers today. But his personal views make it difficult to separate the art from the artist. Unfortunately for our panellists - Peter Rethinasamy, Laura Smyth and Rachel Fairburn - they have no choice but to decide: evil or genius.
Additional material: Eve Delaney and Christina Riggs Researcher: Miriam O’Byrne Sound Editor: Kate Mac Production Coordinator: Liz Tuohy Executive Producer: Paul Smith
The producer was Sasha Bobak. Evil Genius with Russell Kane is a BBC Studios Audio Production for BBC Sounds.