Wagner wrote thirteen operas that historians categorize into three different groups: early operas, romantic operas, and music dramas. His third work, Rienzi, was the last of his early operas. In late 1837, Wagner set out to compose an opera based on the novel Rienzi, the Last of the Roman Tribunes, by Edward Bulwer-Lytton.

During his youth, he had much trouble in his personal and financial life as well as his composing career. Fleeing from his debts, he went to Paris and sought out Meyerbeer, another German who was the most successful composer of French grand opera. Still in financial trouble, Wagner was placed in debtors' prison for his outstanding debts. After working for months on Rienzi, Wagner, with the help of Meyerbeer, learned that the Dresden Opera had accepted the opera.

The world premiere of Rienzi, der Letzte der Tribunen took place on October 20, 1842 at the recently opened Dresden opera house. The five- act opera lasted six hours with Wagner worrying that his audience would be bored. Years later, he recalled in his autobiography My Life that ".my astonishment at finding the audience still there in full muster, even in the last act towards midnight, filled me with unbounded perplexity." Rienzi was Wagner's first major success. In subsequent performances, the opera was split into two parts, Rienzis Grösse (Rienzi's Greatness) and Rienzis Fall (Rienzi's Fall). However, following audience complaints about paying twice for one opera, the composer was forced to shorten the length of the opera.

The opera is about a Roman leader, Cola di Rienzi, who stages a rebellion, crushing the nobility and assuming leadership of his city. An insurrection among the townspeople is formed to overthrow Rienzi because of his questionable leadership and his supposed conspiring with the nobles to rule the townspeople. Adriano, son of the head of a rival house, leads the attack on Rienzi but cannot assassinate him because of his relationship to Irene, Rienzi's sister. The defeated nobles storm back to kill Rienzi and his peers by setting the whole town ablaze. Adriano, Rienzi and Irene are buried alive when a building collapses on top of them.

The overture to Rienzi is actually a medley incorporating themes from the opera. It follows a set form that includes an introduction, an exposition [the main theme] and other variations on the theme. The trumpet's sustained note at the very beginning of the overture symbolizes the signal for revolt against the nobility. The string entrance is the same theme as the sombre tune played in Rienzi's prayer in the final act before he dies. This theme is passed from the strings to the woodwinds, only in greater magnitude than before. This slow introduction is followed by a more uplifting theme, the battle-hymn. The battle-hymn is not only passed from the strings to the woodwinds, but also played in unison. The overture ends with its heroic last theme, Rienzi, Praise to Thee.

The overture to Rienzi is scored for a piccolo, two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, contrabassoon, four trumpets, four horns, three trombones, Ophicleide (an obsolete instrument that is in recent times replaced with a tuba), timpani, percussion, and strings.   

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