The libretto of 'Das Liebesverbot' is founded upon Shakespeare's
'Measure for Measure,' It was performed for the first and only time at
Magdeburg in 1836, and failed completely; but it is only just to say
that its failure seems to have been due more to insufficient rehearsal
than to the weakness of the score. After the success of 'Die Feen' at
Munich, it naturally occurred to the authorities there to revive
Wagner's one other juvenile opera. The score of 'Das Liebesverbot' was
accordingly unearthed, and the parts were allotted. The first rehearsal,
however, decided its fate. The opera was so ludicrous and unblushing an
imitation of Donizetti and Bellini, that the artists could scarcely sing
for laughter. Herr Vogl, the eminent tenor, and one or two others were
still in favour of giving it as a curiosity, but in the end it was
thought better to drop it altogether, less on account of the music than
because of the licentious character of the libretto.
'Rienzi,' the next in order of Wagner's operas, was written on the lines
of French opera. Wagner hoped to see it performed in Paris, and
throughout the score he kept the methods of Meyerbeer and Spontini
consistently in his mind's eye. There is very little attempt at
characterisation, but the opportunities for spectacular display are many
and various. In later years Meyerbeer paid Wagner the compliment of
saying that the libretto of 'Rienzi' was the best he had ever read.
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