The documentary volumes of the Richard Wagner Complete Edition are no mere addition to the sheet music editions. Wagner's work on his compositions did not end with the completion of the scores. He rather insisted on participating in the first performances in order to create an 'exemplary performance' which should serve as a model for other theatres. As a consequence, the score's intentions were specified and complemented, modified and revised a lot of times, with all these changes having to be understood as constituent parts of the works.