Richard Wagner

Lohengrin, WWV 75: Act III, Sc. 3, Lohengrin's Narrative

Finished in 1848 and premiered in 1850 in Weimar, Germany, Richard Wagner's (1813-1883) Lohengrin tells a story of a tragic medieval German romance in the Knight of the Swan tradition. Elsa, a princess in Brabant, is rescued and wedded by a knight in shining armor who insists on remaining nameless. The opera received its premiere on August 18, 1850, at the Court Theatre in Weimar, conducted by Franz Liszt while Wagner himself was living in exile after the 1849 Dresden uprising. Today Lohengrin stands as one of Wagner's most frequently performed operas, occupying a central place between his early Romantic style and his later music dramas. Near the conclusion of the opera, after Elsa has broken her vow never to ask her husband's name or origin, Lohengrin is compelled to reveal his true identity before departing forever. In the celebrated Grail Narration, "In fernem Land," he discloses that he is a knight of the Grail, sent from the sacred realm of Monsalvat to defend innocence and justice. The aria serves as both the dramatic and spiritual climax of the work. Instrumentation: 3.3.3.3: 4.3.3.1: Timp.Perc(1): Str (4.4.3.3.3 in set): Solo Tenor. Reprint edition.