Pegasus Books is set to release “Wagner and the Creation of the Ring” on July 1, 2025.

The new book by Michael Downes explores Richard Wagner’s inspirations, influence, and artistic revolution, which culminates in the creation of the famed “Der Ring des Nibelungen.”

“In ‘Wagner and the Creation of the Ring,’ Michael Downes combines cultural history and biography to recount the colorful, fascinating, and insightful journey behind the creation of ‘The Ring’ and its mythology,” says an official press release. “He tells the story of how and why this extraordinary masterpiece came into being, why it takes the form it does, why it fascinates and obsesses so many—and horrifies others—and why it still matters today.”

Downes is a conductor, writer, lecturer, and co-author of “The Wagners: The Dramas of the Musical Dynasty.” He is the director of music at the University of St. Andrews, Scotland.