Swan-knight (Legendary character)

Richard Wagner’s opera Lohengrin is being performed. At center, William Jennings Bryan appears in the role of Lohengrin, Knight of the Swan, who has just arrived, to the delight of “Miss Democracy,” standing on the left, in the role of Elsa, and to the chagrin of Perry Belmont and Thomas Fortune Ryan, standing on the right, who are playing the roles of Friedrich of Telramund and his wife Ortrud. James K. Jones plays the role of the King, seated on a throne on the left beneath a shield labeled “Jefferson.” A large supporting cast appears on each side.

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Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1906-08-15

On a desolate shore, a woman labeled “France” is playing the role of Elsa in Richard Wagner’s opera Lohengrin. She is embraced by Edward VII, King of Great Britain, who is playing the role of Lohengrin, and they are looking at a nasty knight labeled Russia playing the role of Telramund. The swan is in the background, chained to a stake on the shoreline. Caption: Elsa-France (to Lohengrin-England) — O, why did you not come sooner – before I was pledged to Telramund?

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Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1903-05-06

Thomas B. Reed, in the role of “Lohengrin,” arrives to rescue “Elsa” as the “Republican Party of New York,” with Thomas Collier Platt in the role of “Telramund” and Lemuel E. Quigg in the role of “Ortrud,” his wife. They are all at the gate of a castle and a swan labeled “Aspiration” is in a moat at far left. Caption: “The Republican Elsa would gladly be rescued from her oppressors.”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1897-12-15

Creator(s)

Taylor, Charles Jay, 1855-1929