Wilhelm Richard Wagner (1813-1883) was a German composer, best known for his long, romantic operas. His use of leitmotifs (musical phrases associated with individual characters, places or plot elements) greatly influenced film scores.
His music is heard in a number of Arthur episodes and there are several references to his operas.
- The Bridal Chorus from Lohengrin, also known as Here Comes the Bride, is heard in several episodes, e.g. “D.W. Thinks Big”.
- In “D.W. Flips” and “Operation D.W.”, opera singers in typical valkyrie costumes are seen on TV.
- In “Crushed”, Arthur tries to get his parents to attend Wagner's complete Ring Cycle to get them out of the house.
- In “Lights, Camera, Opera”, Bailey sings Winterstürme wichen dem Wonnemond from The Valkyrie.
- Also in “Lights, Camera, Opera”, Muffy has a fantasy about attending The Barber of the Valkyries, a combination of Rossini's The Barber of Seville and Wagner's The Valkyrie.
- In “Buster’s Secret Admirer”, Buster is attacked by cupids to the sound of Ride of the Valkyries from The Valkyrie. The scene parodies a helicopter attack from the film Apocalypse Now.
- In "Postcards from Binky", Binky hums Ride of the Valkyries during the reenactment of a soccer game.
- In "The Last Day", a girl in the Camp Elysium video sings in a typical valkyrie costume.
- In "The Master Builders", Apocalypse Now is parodied again. This time, cabbage butterflies attack the Community Garden.
Richard Wagner on wikipedia.