On 16 February 1962, the day before he died, Walter ended his last letter with: "Despite all the dark experiences of today I am still confident that Palestrina will remain.

[1] Claire Taylor-Jay has discussed Pfitzner's depiction of the political relationship between Palestrina and the Council of Trent in the light of several German "artist-operas" such as Paul Hindemith's Mathis der Maler.

[8] Pfitzner wrote in his copy of the score:Ich erachte es als einen der seltenen Glücksumstände in meinem Künstlerleben, dass mein grösstes Werk bei seinem ersten Erscheinen in der Welt für seine Haupt- und Titelrolle einen solch idealen Vertreter gefunden hat, wie Sie, lieber Karl Erb es sind.

Ihr Name ist mit diesem Stück deutscher Kunst für alle Zeiten ruhmreich verbunden.

[I consider it as one of the very occasional fortunate circumstances in my life as an artist, that my greatest work at its first appearance in the world has found for its chief and title role such an ideal interpreter as you, dear Karl Erb, are.

More recently the role of Palestrina has been played by Julius Patzak, a successor to the style of tenor singing developed or maintained by Karl Erb.

Palestrina was Pfitzner's most successful opera and is still regularly performed in German-speaking countries, though revivals abroad are rarer.

He is sad because his father has lost heart: fame made others jealous, his marriage led the Pope to dismiss him, and his wife died knowing this.

(3) Cardinal Borromeo is visiting Palestrina to explain that, because of growing secularism, the Pope plans to banish polyphony from the Mass and other offices, to burn the polyphonic masterpieces, and to revert entirely to the Gregorian chant.

(6) In the darkness of his room angels begin to appear, singing the Mass, and his dead wife's spirit approaches.

Not seeing them, Palestrina feels a surge of joy as the walls and ceiling open up to celestial light full of glory and angels, who sing the Gloria.

The Cardinal of Lorraine (who has reached compromise with the Pope) and Count Luna, representative of the King of Spain (favouring Protestantism) must be seated equally and without precedence.

(3) While delegates arrive, Borromeo and Novagerio talk politics: Emperor Ferdinand and his son Maximilian plan to have dominion of the Catholic world (including Germany) from the throne of Spain, in union with the Kingship of Rome, which is offered to Maximilian even though he is secretly inclined to Lutheranism.

Borromeo imprisoned him for refusing the commission, but Ighino handed the music of the Mass over to save his father from the hangman.

Suddenly the voices of singers from the Papal chapel are heard from the street singing 'Evviva Palestrina, the Saviour of Music!'