Peter Cornelius, as a young man of few means, was first supported as a composer by his uncle, the Romantic painter of the same name. He then served Liszt as secretary, and his affectionate sensibility made him a favored companion of Wagner.



Thanks to financial help from Ludwig the Second of Bavaria he was, however, soon able to stand on his own feet. Berlioz' example inspired him to write the opera "The Barber of Baghdad" (1858), which has kept his name alive due to its melodic lyricism and unpretentious lilt.