Siegfried Wagner composed fifteen operas in total, none of which achieved lasting success, although they contain much fine music, expertly written in the late romantic style of the period. He also wrote several purely orchestral works. Bruder Lustig was his fourth opera, for which he wrote the text as well as the music. It received its first performance in Hamburg on 13th October, 1905. The setting is the pre-medieval period in the heart of Germany: Franconia during the tenth century. As was typical of operas written at the turn of the century, and particularly of Siegfried Wagner’s operas, the plot is saturated with magic and dreams as well as emotional conflict. Siegfried Wagner’s music leans more to Humperdinck than to that of his father. Although composing in the lush style of late-romanticism, he writes with sensitivity for the voice and with great understanding for the orchestra.