Chaos and Dancing Star discusses the anarchist, revolutionary, feminist and nationalist influences on Wagner, the revolutionary who turned the world of opera upside down. The books and articles that directly influenced him are examined in detail, including works by Bakunin, Proudhon, Hoffman, Stirner, Hegel, and the Marxists. Also investigated is the way Wagner influenced his contemporaries, and the way his work continues to influence artists, political activists, composers, and poets today.

"Pateman manages to seduce the reader into a narrative that offers a wealth of information assembled in just one volume." - German Studies Review

"Pateman's book contains plenty of information that is extremely valuable and includes significant observations that can clarify our understanding of Wagner's intellectual heritage." - Opera Quarterly

"Pateman's book contains plenty of information that is extremely valuable and includes significant observations that can clarify our understanding of Wagner's intellectual heritage." - Opera Quarterly

"Pateman manages to seduce the reader into a narrative that offers a wealth of information assembled in just one volume." - German Studies Review