Peter Cornelius, German composer, music writer and poet, first actor, studied composition with Siegfried Dehn (*1799, 1858) in Berlin from 1844-46 and in 1852 went to Franz Liszt in Weimar where he became an advocate of the New German School and met Hector Berlioz among others. In 1865 he followed Richard Wagner whom he greatly admired to Munich (1867 teacher at the newly founded Royal Music School).

His masterpiece is the comic opera 'Der Barbier von Bagdad' (premiered by Liszt in Weimar in 1858). His two other operas 'Der Cid' (1865) and 'Gunlöd' (fragment, completed by Waldemar von Bausznern in 1905) are strongly influenced by Wagner. As a composer of vocal works and songs, Cornelius created major works such as 'Weihnachtslieder' (1856), 'Brautlieder' (1858), 'Hebbel-Lieder' (1862). Apart from his duos and choral works, his Berlin church music, such as 'Stabat mater' (1849), are noteworthy as well.