libretto of 'Rienzi' was the best he had ever read.
'Rienzi' was produced at Dresden in 1842.

The opera opens at night. The scene is laid in a street near the Lateran
Church in Rome. Orsini, a Roman nobleman, and his friends are attempting
to abduct Irene, the sister of Rienzi, a Papal notary. They are
disturbed by the entrance of Colonna, another Roman noble, and his
adherents. The two ruffians quarrel over the unfortunate girl; their
followers eagerly join in the fray; and in a moment, as it seems, the
quiet street is alive with the _cliquetis_ of steel and the flash of
sword-blades. Adriano, Colonna's son, loves Irene, and when he discovers
who the trembling victim of patrician lust really is, he hastens to
protect her. The tumult soon attracts a crowd to the spot. Last comes
Rienzi, indignant at the insult offered to his sister, and bent upon
revenge. Adriano, torn by conflicting emotions, decides to throw in his
lot with Rienzi, and the act ends with the appointment of the latter to
the post of Tribune--- he refuses the title of King--and the marshalling
of the plebeians against the recreant aristocracy. The arms of the
people carry the day, and in the second act the nobles appear at the
Capitol to sue for pardon. Rienzi, though warned of their treachery by
Adriano, accepts their promise of submission. During the festivities
which celebrate the reconciliation Orsini attempts to assassinate
Rienzi, who is only saved by the steel breastplate which he wears
beneath his robes. For this outrage the nobles are condemned to death.
Adriano begs for his father's life, and Rienzi weakly relents, and
grants his prayer on condition of the nobles taking an oath of
submission.

In the third act the struggle between the nobles and the people advances
another stage. The nobles have once more broken their oath, and are
drawn up in battle array at the gates of Rome. Rienzi marshals his
forces and prepares to march forth against them. In vain Adriano pleads
once more for pardon. The fortune of war goes in favour of the
plebeians. The nobles are routed, Colonna is slain, and the scene closes
as Adriano vows vengeance over his father's body upon his murderer.

In the fourth act the tide has turned against Rienzi. The citizens
suspect him of treachery to their cause. Adriano joins the ranks of
malcontents, and does all in his power to fire them to vengeance. Rienzi
appears, and is at once surrounded by the conspirators, but in a spee