Genoveva
Genoveva, Op. 81, is an opera in four acts by Robert Schumann in the genre of German Romanticism with a libretto by Robert Reinick and the composer. The only opera Schumann ever wrote, it received its first performance on 25 June 1850 at the Stadttheater in Leipzig, with the composer conducting. It received only three performances during the premiere, and the negative criticism it received in the press played a decisive role in Schumann's decision to not write a second opera.

"Genoveva" is based on the story of Genevieve of Brabant, a medieval legend set in the 8th century that is reputedly based on the 13th century life of Marie of Brabant, wife of Louis II, Duke of Bavaria. The story gained in popularity during the first half of the 19th century, primarily in Germany through various theatrical settings. Two of the settings from this period, Ludwig Tieck's play "Leben und Tod der heiligen Genoveva" ("Life and Death of Saint Genoveva") and Christian Friedrich Hebbel's play "Genoveva", served as the basis for the opera's libretto.

The plot of the opera has several similarities with Wagner's "Lohengrin", which was composed during the same period as Schumann was writing "Genoveva".

"Genoveva" has never won a large popular audience, but it continues to be revived at regular intervals throughout the world and has been recorded several times.
Q385271
Op.
Concept
Q1344
opera
Concept
Q7351
Robert Schumann
PER
Q2477112
German Romanticism
MEDIA
Q131084
libretto
Concept
Q573548
Robert Reinick
PER
Q439728
Stadttheater
LOC
Q2079
Leipzig
LOC
Q269052
Genevieve of Brabant
UNK
Q12554
medieval
TIME
Q61467
Louis II, Duke of Bavaria
PER
Q57239
Ludwig Tieck
PER
Q57182
Christian Friedrich Hebbel
PER
Q1511
Wagner
PER
Q23085
Lohengrin
MEDIA
Q957377
Genoveva
MEDIA
Q957377
Genoveva
MEDIA
Q957377
Genoveva
MEDIA
Q957377
Genoveva
MEDIA
Q957377
Genoveva
MEDIA
Q957377
Genoveva
MEDIA
Q957377
Genoveva
MEDIA
1850-06-25T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
25 June 1850
DATE
+81^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#decimal
81
NUMBER
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8
NUMBER
+13^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#decimal
13
NUMBER
+19^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#decimal
19
NUMBER
instance of
composer
librettist
location of first performance
date of first performance
genre
located in the administrative territorial entity
notable work