Final answer:
Gesamtkunstwerk is a German term meaning "total work of art," where various forms of art are combined for a unified experience. Wagner utilized this concept in his operas by integrating music, drama, and other arts, with innovations like the orchestra pit, to create a seamless and immersive theatrical experience.
Step-by-step explanation:
Define Gesamtkunstwerk: Gesamtkunstwerk is a German term that translates to "total work of art." It's an artistic creation where various art forms are combined to create a single cohesive and unified experience. This approach aims to synthesize music, drama, poetry, dance, visual arts, and other artistic disciplines into one art form.
Richard Wagner and Gesamtkunstwerk: Wagner is renowned for employing the concept of Gesamtkunstwerk in his operas. He integrated the musical and dramatic elements to create operas that are holistic works of art. One of Wagner's significant contributions to this end was the conception of the orchestra pit, a design feature that physically separated the musicians from the audience to allow the music to support the dramatic action on stage 'magically'. By doing so, he also reduced the competition between the musicians and the actors' voices, allowing for a more immersive theatrical experience.
Each opera that Wagner created was an intricate combination of these different art forms. He didn't isolate music from the scenic design, storytelling, or dance, but rather, he composed his works in a way that these elements all contributed to a greater whole.