Rienzi is Wagner's third completed opera, and is mostly written in a grand opera style. In his 1860 essay "Music of the Future," Wagner called it "a work full of youthful fire" which was inspired by "the heroic opera of Spontini" … See more

Despite Wagner's reservations, Rienzi remained one of his most successful operas until the early 20th century. In Dresden alone, it reached its 100th performance in 1873 and 200th in 1908 and it was regul… See more