Lohengrin (opera)

Lohengrin (pronounced [ˈloːənˌɡʁiːn] in German), WWV 75, is a Romantic opera in three acts composed and written by Richard Wagner, first performed in 1850. The story of the eponymous character is taken from medieval German romance, notably the Parzival of Wolfram von Eschenbach, and its sequel Lohengrin, itself inspired by the epic of Garin le Loherain. It is part of the Knight of the Swan legend. King Ludwig II of Bavaria, whose patronage later gave Wagner the means not only to complete the epic cycle Der Ring des Nibelungen but also to build the monumental Bayreuth Festspielhaus upon which to stage it, named his own Neuschwanstein Castle after the Swan Knight. The most popular and recognizable part of the opera is the Bridal Chorus, colloquially known in English-speaking countries as "Here Comes the Bride," usually played as a processional at weddings. The orchestral preludes to Acts I and III are also frequently performed separately as concert pieces. The autograph manuscript of the opera is preserved in the Richard Wagner Foundation.