Richard Wagner: Das Liebesmahl der Apostel
Of the many masterpieces by Leonardo da Vinci, his mural painting, The Last Supper, created between 1494 and 1498 in the refectory (dining room) of the Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan, Italy, is one of the most familiar works of the western world.

da Vinci: Il Cenacolo (The Last Supper), 1494–1498 (Milan: Santa Maria delle Grazie)
The Duke of Milan, Ludovico Sforza, Leonardo’s patron, was paying for the renovation of the church and its convent buildings, and he commissioned Leonard to do the mural. Now, some 530 years after its creation, very little remains of Leonardo’s original work, it has suffered environmental damage from a damp wall, from numerous restoration projects, and in 1652, had a door cut into it, removing off Jesus’ and other apostle’s feet.
The work occupies an entire end wall in the dining room and is 460 cm × 880 cm (15 ft 1 in × 28 ft 10 in) in size. Although the room was used as a dining room, it was originally intended to be part of a mausoleum for the Sforza family. Above this painting, in three lunettes, are the Sforza family arms.

da Vinci: Il Cenacolo (The Last Supper) showing the full wall, 1494–1498 (Milan: Santa Maria delle Grazie)
The scene captures the moment in time when Jesus announces that one at the table will betray him. The apostles gathered around and reacted in various ways. The first group of three (Bartholomew, James, son of Alphaeus, and Andrew) are surprised. The next three (Judas Iscariot, Peter, and John) also react: Judas is taken aback and is shown clutching a bag, perhaps of money, and has tipped over the salt cellar, a bad omen; Peter is angry, and John leans in towards Peter.
On the other side of Jesus, the trio of Thomas, James the Greater, and Philip are upset and stunned. Lastly are Matthew, Jude Thaddeus, and Simon the Zealot. The first two turn towards Simon, as though looking for more information.
Where most depictions before Leonardo’s put Judas on one side of the table or put halos on every apostle except Judas, this painting puts Judas in shadow and has his head lower than everyone else’s.
A full-scale copy in oil, done around 1520 by Giampietrino, gives an idea of what Leonardo had painted, particularly as it preserves the original colour and many of the details, such as Jesus’ feet, that had been lost over time.

Giampetrino: The Last Supper, ca. 1520 (London: Royal Academy of Arts)
In 1842, Richard Wagner (1813-1883) returned to Dresden and was appointed Royal Saxon Court Conductor, a position he fled in 1849 when he was being sought for his role in the unsuccessful May Uprising in Dresden. In 1843, Wagner took charge of the Dresden Leidertafel, the leading male choral society, on a two-year appointment. In mid-century Germany, men’s singing groups were prominent and were a good way of promoting patriotic sentiment. Following Wagner’s two-year appointment, he was followed by Schumann in 1847.
The work was written for a male choral festival in July 1843, co-hosted by the Liedertafel. Wagner’s piece, Das Liebesmahl der Apostel, was the last piece in the opening concert, given in the Frauenkirche in the presence of the royal family and court. The choir of 1,200 men, supported by an orchestra of 100, made an incredible impression. In a letter to his sister, Wagner boasted, ‘There has never been anything like it in any other church … my composition entitled Das Liebesmahl der Apostel contained a genuine outpouring of the Holy Spirit and was thoroughly enthralling’.
Wagner wrote his own text based on the Pentecost stories found in the Acts of the Apostles. The 1,200-member chorus was divided into three groups in the nave, with another chorus above in the cupola. The Apostles were sung by 12 basses, and the orchestra, with a core formed by the court orchestra, was out of the side in the chancel.
The work is in 2 main sections, each split into 3 subsections:
1. The disciples gather for supper and reflect on the fears and hostility they face in spreading the gospel.
Richard Wagner: Das Liebesmahl der Apostel – Gegrüßt seid, Brüder, in des Herren Namen! (Saxon State Opera Chorus, Dresden; Czech Philharmonic Choir, Brno; Dresden Symphony Chorus; Czech National Choir Prague; Central German Radio Chorus; Dresden Philharmonic Choir; Dresden Chamber Choir; Dresden Staatskapelle; Christian Thielemann. cond.)
2. The twelve apostles join in and warn of hatred and increased persecution. The disciples react by offering a prayer and pleading for the succour of the Holy Spirit.
Richard Wagner: Das Liebesmahl der Apostel – Seid uns gegrüßt, ihr lieben Brüder (Saxon State Opera Chorus, Dresden; Czech Philharmonic Choir, Brno; Dresden Symphony Chorus; Czech National Choir Prague; Central German Radio Chorus; Dresden Philharmonic Choir; Dresden Chamber Choir; Dresden Staatskapelle; Christian Thielemann. cond.)
3. From the cupola, the “voices from above” promise the succour of the Holy Spirit, after which 4. there is a mighty roar that leaves the disciples in astonishment and joyous anticipation.
Richard Wagner: Das Liebesmahl der Apostel – Allmächt’ger Vater (Saxon State Opera Chorus, Dresden; Czech Philharmonic Choir, Brno; Dresden Symphony Chorus; Czech National Choir Prague; Central German Radio Chorus; Dresden Philharmonic Choir; Dresden Chamber Choir; Dresden Staatskapelle; Christian Thielemann. cond.)
Richard Wagner: Das Liebesmahl der Apostel – Seid getrost! Ich bin euch nah (Saxon State Opera Chorus, Dresden; Czech Philharmonic Choir, Brno; Dresden Symphony Chorus; Czech National Choir Prague; Central German Radio Chorus; Dresden Philharmonic Choir; Dresden Chamber Choir; Dresden Staatskapelle; Christian Thielemann. cond.)
5. The apostles once again affirm their missionary mandate and urge the disciples to unite. The disciples enthusiastically agree and profess 6. their willingness to proclaim the gospel even in the most adverse circumstances, drawing on the doxology from the Lord’s Prayer to reaffirm this commitment.
Richard Wagner: Das Liebesmahl der Apostel – Welch Brausen erfüllt die Luft? (Saxon State Opera Chorus, Dresden; Czech Philharmonic Choir, Brno; Dresden Symphony Chorus; Czech National Choir Prague; Central German Radio Chorus; Dresden Philharmonic Choir; Dresden Chamber Choir; Dresden Staatskapelle; Christian Thielemann. cond.)
The use of a choir above the main floor was used later by the composer in the grail scene in Parsifal. Critics agreed that it was much more effective in the Frauenkirche than in the opera house.
The work was performed 4 more times in the Frauenkirche, with the last performance in 1913 to mark the centenary of Wagner’s birth. Other venues in Dresden also saw performances, but the work largely vanished from the repertoire. Modern performances have included one in 2008, the first performance of which was in the restored Frauenkirche.

Frauenkirche ruins and Luther Monument in 1958 (German Federal Archive)
The Frauenkirche was destroyed in WWII during the bombing of Dresden in February 1945. It would be another 45 years before the pile of rubble that sat in the middle of Dresden was restored to its former glory.

Frauenkirche, 2008
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