Final answer:
Richard Wagner was in exile in Switzerland, particularly in Zurich, where he wrote his essays and began composing the cycle of operas known as Der Ring des Nibelungen.
Step-by-step explanation:
Richard Wagner began his work on the essays and on his monumental cycle Der Ring des Nibelungen while he was in exile in Switzerland. From 1849 until 1862, Wagner had taken residence there, especially in Zurich, after fleeing Dresden due to his involvement in the May Uprising of 1849.
During his time in Switzerland, Wagner not only wrote influential essays that laid out his ideas on opera but also began composing the series that would become his magnum opus - the four operas of The Ring of the Nibelung. This cycle is often seen as a pinnacle of German Romanticism, showcasing Wagner's innovative ideas on music drama and the use of leitmotifs, which are recurrent themes associated with specific characters, objects, or ideas within the narrative.