When the day dawns, the heralds announce the mar riage of Elsa and the Swan Knight. The nobility assembles at the Minster Gate and the bridal procession begins to issue from the castle. At the church door Ortrud, richly attired and no longer wrapped in humility, pushes aside the bride, claiming precedence over one who does not know even the name and rank of her bridegroom. The King and his attendants and the Swan Knight approach from the palace but scarcely has Lohengrin soothed the agitation of his bride, when Telramund appears upon the steps and openly accuses him of sorcery. All refuse credence to the charge, however, and the procession passes into the church.
The third act takes place on the evening of the same day. Lohengrin and his bride, accompanied by her ladies, are conducted to the bridal chamber to the strains of the Bridal Chorus. The attendants depart and Elsa and Lohengrin are for the first time by themselves. But the doubts sown by the wicked Ortrud have been growing and at last overcome the present joy. No longer able to resist, Elsa gently chides her lord for failing in confidence in her and enforces with caresses her pleas for knowledge of him. He tries to lead her thoughts to other things but her foolish heart is full of the fear that the swan boat will come and bear him away as suddenly as it brought him to her. Finally she fancies she hears it coming, and, as her apprehension grows to frenzy, she puts the fatal question, " Who art thou?" Before the sorrowing Lohengrin can frame an answer, Telramund and his assassins force their way into the room to take his life but the Swan Knight seizes his sword and kills Telramund with a single thrust.
The last scene takes place on the banks of the Scheldt, where the King and his men are again assembled and where the corpse of Telramund is brought. Hither comes Lohen grin with the pale and drooping Elsa and before the assembly he answers the forbidden question. He has no need to blush for his lineage, for he is no other than the son of Parsifal, the keeper of the Holy Grail, sent from Montsalvat to defend the oppressed. It has been sacredly decreed that he may remain on earth only on condition that his identity be kept unknown.
As he is speaking, the swan bark appears and, bidding a last farewell to the sorrowing Elsa, Lohengrin turns to the river amid the lamentations of the people. Only Ortrud enjoys the moment. Now she taunts Elsa with her lack of faith and confesses that the swan is Godfrey enchanted by her magic arts. As he hears this, Lohengrin kneels in prayer upon the river's bank and the white doves of the Grail are seen hovering over his head. He perceives them and, rising to his feet, loosens the golden chain which binds the swan to the skiff. The bird dives into the water and in its place rises a young knight clad in silver armor. It is Godfrey, and Elsa is soon clasped in the embrace of her brother. Lohengrin is borne swiftly away in his boat
drawn now by the doves, and as he vanishes over the waters of the Scheldt, Elsa sinks lifeless to the ground.
" Lohengrin," with " Tannhauser," enjoys the greatest popular favor of all the Wagner operas. It was received with public approval even when first presented and proved a potent factor in ultimately bringing success to the Wagner movement in Germany. It was " Lohengrin " which first interested and so wonderfully impressed Ludwig of Bavaria, that there was aroused in him the admiration which led to his proffer to the composer of a haven at his court. " Lohengrin " is difficult to surpass in romantic and poetic beauty and, while dealing with the mythical, is much easier of comprehension than either " The Ring of the Nibelungs " or " Parsifal," owing largely to the philosophical element being absent.
There is a Vorspiel, or prelude, before each act of "Lohengrin." That of the first act pitcures in tones the ap pearance of the Holy Grail in the sky of unclouded blue. The effect is produced by rather soft tremulous music as the vision begins to define itself on the sky, then beautiful harmony on strings, flutes and oboes, then as the picture grows clearer there is a burst of trumpets and trombones and bass tuba, and then the tones upon muted instruments softly die away and you feel the vision has gone.
The second act is opened with kettle-drum music, and Ortrude's motive found in "Dark Plots" is now heard for the first time, then a suggestion of doubt, also associated with him, and finally the wood winds softly sing of "The Mystery of the Name." The beautiful and world-re nowned wedding march opens the Vorspiel to the third and last act. Again just before the curtain falls on the final scene we hear the motive of the Grail and of Lohen grin, which is repeated in a sorrowful minor. After Lo hengrin's touching farewell " 0 Elsa! nur ein Jahr an definer Seite " "Too long I stay—I must obey the Grail! Oh, Elsa, think what joys thy doubts have ended! Couldst thou not trust in me for one short year?" This song, with its noble sorrow and wonderful dignity, is one of the most impressive in the whole beautiful opera. As Lohengrin floats away we again hear the Grail motive from the orchestra.
Among other admired portions of the score are Elsa's description of her vision of Lohengrin, "Einsam in triiben Tagen" ("Lonely in days of sadness "); Lohengrin's farewell to the swan, " Nun sei gedankt, mein lieber Schwan" (" Now fare thee well, beloved swan"); Elsa's song from the balcony, "Such Liiften, die mein Klagen" (" Ye breezes, which so often") ; the bridal chorus of Elsa's maidens, "Freulich geffihret ziehet dahin" "Faithful and true we lead ye forth, Where love triumphant shall crown ye with joys" and the love duet following.