we have more from leipzig. >> the mood is festive at the birthplace of richard wagner. a series of performances, concerts, and ceremonies are taking place to commemorate the composer. >> conductor timm says wagner's music appeals to audiences in a unique way. >> his music elevates our feelings like no other music can. it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say he is a genius. >> but he also has a negative connotation to his name. for his 200th birthday, they unveiled a statute. >> the shadow in this sculpture shows his influence over germany. but wagner was anti-jewish. hitler enjoyed his music and used it for nazi propaganda. a university recently had an open seminar on wagner and his impact on german history. >> carmen beckmann works at a museum and she has taken an interest and is preparing an exhibit on the composer. she thinks that people should not let their praise of his music change his part in history. >> people should make the anniversary a good opportunity to review his works and personality in a critical manner. >> nearly 70 years after the end of nazu rule, germ

. >> and the anniversary of richard wagner's birth. how germany is celebrating the controversial composer. >> in a period of record recession and unemployment, the eu has decided to aggressively go after a reported one trillion euros in tax loopholes lost in loopholes. >> leaders backed by the european parliament have agreed to halve the edge -- the figure by 2020. they have also set a deadline to end banking secrecy. >> luxembourg's prime minister smiled for the cameras but had to make major concessions. after initially resisting, he agreed to share other information. now his focus is on negotiating a similar agreement with switzerland. >> what we are planning to do with the automatic exchange of information is again unprecedented. unprecedented. we could not speak in those terms on those issues two months ago, so there is real breakthrough. >> eu countries want to push the issue of tax avoidance at international gatherings at the upcoming g-8 summit as well. >> it cannot stop at the eu, nor should we try to find a sort of separate yo

. >> and the anniversary of richard wagner's birth. how germany is celebrating the controversial composer. >> in a period of record recession and unemployment, the eu has decided to aggressively go after a reported one trillion euros in tax loopholes lost in loopholes. >> leaders backed by the european parliament have agreed to halve the edge -- the figure by 2020. they have also set a deadline to end banking secrecy. >> luxembourg's prime minister smiled for the cameras but had to make major concessions. after initially resisting, he agreed to share other information. now his focus is on negotiating a similar agreement with switzerland. >> what we are planning to do with the automatic exchange of information is again unprecedented. unprecedented. we could not speak in those terms on those issues two months ago, so there is real breakthrough. >> eu countries want to push the issue of tax avoidance at international gatherings at the upcoming g-8 summit as well. >> it cannot stop at the eu, nor should we try to find a sort of separate yo

. >> rose: we conclude this evening with richard wagner's ring cycle at the metropolitan opera. joining me -- >> i think as every composer writing an important opera because he start thinking now i'm writing something crucial, something very important. to put a mirror for us to see ourselves. and all great operas and generally all great artworks are a mirror for us. what do we see in them which we can understand ourselves. and the ring is important because it's about politics. it's about love. it's about power. it's about relationships between family members. >> rose: senator bob corker and looking at the ring cycle next. >> funding for charlie rose was provided by the following captioning sponsored by rose communications from our studios in new york city, this is charlie rose. >> rose: we begin there evening with a pressing issues facing leaders in washington, foreign policy is front and center with the escalading chaos in syria, new accusations of chinese cyberattack and the risk of if you clear proliferation. president obama addressed recent provocation from north korea earli

. >> and the anniversary of richard wagner's birth. how germany is