Gudrun Wagner the assistant of Wolfgang Wagner, the grandson of Richard Wagner and director of the Bayreuth Festival which the composer founded. She and Wolfgang Wagner each divorced their spouses in order to marry each other in 1976. Their daughter Katharina, who succeeded her father as co-director of the festival, was born in 1978. Although officially keeping a low profile, she exercised influence on the festival from behind the scenes. Wolfgang Wagner's attempt in 2001 to install his wife as successor did not pass a vote of the board of the festival foundation. She had been recovering from an operation in hospital
Paula Wagner also the recipient of the Excellence in Producing Award at the Sarasota Film Festival and served as the president of the First-Time Directors Jury at the Venice Film Festival. In 2008, Wagner was honored by the Costume Designers Guild with its Swarovski President's Award, and in 2011, she earned the Chicago International Film Festival’s Renaissance Award. In 2012, Wagner was honored at the 38th Deauville American Film Festival, which ran from August 31 to September 9 in Normandy, France. In 2012, Wagner executive produced Tony-nominated "The Heiress" and in 2014, "Mothers and Sons", nominated for best new play. Paula Wagner