The Richard Wagner Society in Iceland was founded in 1995. Its president from the start is Selma Gudmundsdottir. The background to the founding was the Shortened version of the Ring des Nibelungen in one night put on stage in the National Theatre at the Reykjavik Art Festival in 1994. The production was in cooperation with the Bayreuther Festspiele under the artistic supervision of Wolfgang Wagner, who in his foreword in the Programme said the following: „None of Wagner’s works is more closely linked with Old Norse, and more especially Old Icelandic, culture.“

The Icelandic Wagner Society, with its 230 members (2019), has been part of RWV International since 1996 and its activities are in accordance with its aims, to provide support for the younger generation of artists, send young scholars to Bayreuth, promote international co-operation, support the Bayreuther Festspiele and increase the interest and deeper understanding of Richard Wagner‘s work. The Icelandic society has initiated research on the influence of Icelandic literature on Wagner’s work and the results did appear in Dr. Arni Björnsson‘s book „Wagner and the Völsungs“ in three languages, followed by articles and lectures for Wagner Societies all over the world. Apart from this the Icelandic Society offers every year a programme with recitals and lectures and organizes opera tours abroad. Many distinguished guests from abroad have visited the Society, apart from Wolfgang Wagner, to name but a few, Josef Lienhart, Barry Millington, Stewart Spencer, Eva Märtson, Eva Wagner-Pasquier and Oswald Georg Bauer.