Wagner's Lohengrin premieres in Weimar under Liszt

Background. Lohengrin was composed between 1845 and 1848 while Wagner served as Kapellmeister in Dresden. The full score was completed in April 1848. Following the failed May Uprising in Dresden in 1849, Wagner was exiled. Liszt, who had settled in Weimar in 1848, sheltered Wagner and actively promoted his music, staging earlier works like Tannhäuser before arranging the Lohengrin premiere.

The Premiere. The first production occurred on 28 August 1850 at the Staatskapelle Weimar. Franz Liszt, acting as court kapellmeister, directed the performance. Wagner was unable to attend due to his exile resulting from the 1849 uprising. The opera was dedicated to Liszt, who had long supported Wagner's career and published transcriptions of his works.

Liszt's Role. Liszt had settled in Weimar in 1848 and held the title of Kapellmeister Extraordinaire. He maintained a close relationship with Wagner, having sheltered him after the Dresden uprising. Liszt's efforts to publicize Wagner's music included staging Tannhäuser in 1849 and arranging the Lohengrin premiere in 1850, demonstrating his devotion to the composer's work.