[2] His wife, Lore Klebe, wrote the libretto based on the fairy tale Das Märchen, part of the novella Unterhaltungen deutscher Ausgewanderten by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.

[3] Das Märchen von der schönen Lilie premiered on 15 May 1969 at the Schlosstheater Schwetzingen.

[4] The opera production of the Deutsche Oper am Rhein was directed by Oscar Fritz Schuh on a stage designed by Heinrich Wendel, and conducted by Hans Zender.

[3] The first performance in the German Democratic Republic was staged in Weimar in 1988, where Goethe had written his text.

[6] Klebe's music is scored for soloists and a chamber orchestra of 30 players, including alto saxophone, harp and two pianos.