Through its plot and such familiar music as the Bridal Chorus and the Act III Prelude, Lohengrin is one the most accessible of all Wagner operas. Not surprisingly, it has also been one of his most popular with its fantasy mix of medieval, historical and fairytale images, all drawn with the broad brush of grand opera and the rich palette of orchestral colour.

Elijah Moshinsky’s famous 1977 production of Lohengrin for the Royal Opera brings alive its expansive themes – the eternal fight of good and evil, the search for unconditional love, the symbolism of religion – to tell the story of the mysterious knight Lohengrin, who battles for good but must keep his name secret. His new bride Elsa – influenced by the plotting of Telramund and his evil spouse Ortrud – is unable to resist her curiosity about her new husband, bringing tragic consequences at the same time as mystical revelations.

Semyon Bychkov, known at the Royal Opera House for conducting such intense dramas as Elektra and Boris Godunov, returns to lead a revival of Lohengrin that has a particularly strong international cast of powerful and dramatic singers.

Learn more about London operas within the West End.