Lohengrin's entrance must be one of the most brilliant in all of opera. Arriving on a barque lead by a swan on a golden chain to the most serene music, it truly is exquisite. Here I wanted to evoke a dreamy atmosphere, one of stillness broken only by the appearance of the Knight. The best description of this scene however, must surely come from the libretto itself.
Elsa: In splendid, shining armour
a knight approached,
a man of such pure virtue
as I had never seen before:
a golden horn at his side,
leaning on a sword -
thus he appeared to me
from nowhere, this warrior true;
with kindly gestures
he gave me comfort;
I will wait for the knight,
he shall be my champion!
And then:
Chorus: Behold! Behold! What strange and wonderous things is this? A swan?
A swan is pulling a barque towards us!
A knight is standing upright in it!
How his armour shines! The eye is dazzled
by such splendour! Behold, he is coming ever closer!
The swan is pulling on a golden chain!
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