Knights at the Opera, Part 4 - Wagner's Grail operas
© Iris Bass
Lohengrin is set in early 10th-century Antwerp. When questioned by King Henry I about events in the community, Frederick of Telramund accuses his ward, Elsa, of murdering her own brother, Gottfried of Brabant, an act that has caused Telramund to break off his engagement to her and to instead wed Ortrud, who hails from the Frisian Islands of the North Sea. (Being as he was Elsa's guardian, we may assume that her "criminal" status combined with the elimination of the male heir to her father's estate means that Telramund now expects Brabant to go to himself, by default.) When asked to defend herself against the charge, Elsa sings "In lichter Waffen Scheine" - "In brightly shining armor" about a dream she has had, of a handsome knight who will come to her aid. It is decided that a champion must come forth to defend her against the murder charge. A knight indeed turns up, in the famous swan-drawn boat. He agrees to be her champion on two conditions: she must marry him if he wins, and she must never inquire into his name or origins (he is, of course, Lohengrin). Elsa's mysterious defender is victorious in a sword battle against Telramund, striking him to the ground. He demonstrates his generosity by allowing Telramund to live; Telramund immediately laments the loss of his political power - "Mein' Ruhm und Her' is hin!" - "My name and fame are gone!" -- as, by marrying, Elsa's property will now go to her husband.
As Act II begins, Telramund continues to rail against his circumstances, now blaming Ortrud for his plight, as it was she who claimed to have witnessed Gottfried's murder. During their argument, we learn that Ortrud is in fact a sorceress. She tells her spouse that any wound would immediately strip Lohengrin of his magical powers; and she berates Telramund for not having so much as scratched him during the duel. (Curiously, she never dispensed this knowledge before the duel began, when perhaps it would have been more useful!)
When Elsa appears, Ortrud now turns her anger upon her, complaining that Telramund's misery is Elsa's fault, and when Elsa calls upon God to bless her assailant, in an aside Ortrud counters by calling upon Freia and Wodon to enable her to take vengeance. Ortrud then tries to convince Elsa to break her oath not to question her fiancé about his identity, but Elsa dismisses her suspicions, calling her a slanderer. Frederick goes even further, claiming that Lohengrin is an evil sorcerer, that the swan-powered boat is an example of his magical powers.
