Wagner Lohengrin WWV 75

Duration: full evening
Text by the composer
Place and time: Antwerp, first half of the 10th Century

Characters: Heinrich The Fowler (bass) - Lohengrin (tenor) - Elsa von Brabant (soprano) - Duke Gottfried (silent part) - Friedrich von Telramund (baritone) - Ortrud (soprano / mezzo-soprano) - Der Heerrufer des Königs (bass) - 4 Brabantische Noblemen (2 tenors, 2 Basses) - 4 Noble Boys (2 sopranoe, 2 altoe)

Once he had completed the score of "Lohengrin", Wagner asked Breitkopf & Härtel to use discretion in publicizing it so as not to lessen "Tannhäuser’s" chances of success: "With respect to the distribution of the score of ‘Lohengrin’, I kindly ask you to have patience before attempting to establish it successfully. My ‘Tannhäuser’ must make its breakthrough before we can even start thinking of ‘Lohengrin’. I have assured the theaters of this and they know that a good production of ‘Tannhäuser’ is a precondition for ‘Lohengrin’. The experience they gain through the performers and performance style of ‘Tannhäuser’ will allow them to do ‘Lohengrin’ practically by itself.” The composer withdrew his request, however, since the publishers were unable to call back all the scores they had sent out. To this day, though, the publisher still reserves a "Tannhäuser" for everyone ordering "Lohengrin", just as Wagner would have wanted it...