"One can't judge Wagner's opera Lohengrin after a first hearing, and I certainly don't intend to hear it a second time"

Gioachino Rossini’s remark about Wagner’s *Lohengrin* is caustically witty and masterfully layered. At face value, he acknowledges the complexity and density of Wagner's opera, subtly implying that it demands more than a single exposure to be fully understood or appreciated. Wagner's music, especially in *Lohengrin*, is renowned for its expansive structure, rich orchestration, and intricate leitmotifs, characteristics that were innovative and, to some, challenging in the 19th century. By referencing these qualities, Rossini seemingly pays grudging respect to Wagner’s technical ambitions.

However, the cutting edge of the wit rests in the second half of his statement. While conceding that a single hearing is insufficient for fair judgment, Rossini makes it abundantly clear that he himself has no intention to endure a second. This flips the original compliment into sly criticism and reveals a deep skepticism, even distaste, for Wagner's style. The underlying suggestion is that, for Rossini, the music’s demands on the listener are so great, or perhaps its appeal so limited, that he feels no motivation to engage with it further.

Rossini’s sardonic comment emerges from a time of musical transformation, with Wagner’s innovations sharply contrasting with the bel canto tradition Rossini exemplified. Where Rossini favored clarity, melodic beauty, and lightness, Wagner embraced lengthy developments and dramatic intensity. For Rossini, Wagner's world may have seemed overwrought or unnecessarily complicated, perhaps it lacked the immediacy and charm he prized.

The witticism also captures the broader resistance among some 19th-century composers and audiences to new artistic movements that challenged familiar norms. Rossini’s humor masks a deeper divide in taste and philosophy, making the quote more than a personal jab, it's a reflection of a pivotal shift in music history, as the Romantic era's lush experimentation began to overshadow the elegance of earlier operatic forms.