TRISTAN UND ISOLDE TRISTAN AND ISOLDE

Music-drama in three acts, words and music by Richard Wagner, who calls the work, "eine Hand lung" (an action). Produced, under the direction of Hans von Bülow, Munich, June 10, 1865. First London production, June 20, 1882. Produced, December 1, 1886, with Anton Seidl as conductor, at the Metropolitan Opera House, New York, with Niemann ( Tristan ), Fischer ( King Marke ), Lehmann ( Isolde ), Robinson ( Kurwenal ), von Milde ( Melot ), Brandt ( Brangäne ), Kemlitz (a Shepherd ), Alvary (a Sailor ), Sänger (a Helmsman ). Jean de Reszke is accounted the greatest Tristan heard at the Metropolitan. Nordic a, Ternina, Fremstad, and Gadski are other Isoldes , who have been heard at that house. Édouard de Reszke sang King Marke , and Bispham Kurwenal . Characters | Tristan, a Cornish knight, nephew to King Marke | Tenor | | King Marke, of Cornwall | Ba | | Isolde, an Irish prince | Soprano | | Kurwenal, one of Tristan's retainers | Baritone | | Melot, a courtier | Baritone | | Brangäne, Isolde's attendant | Mezzo-Soprano | | A Shepherd | Tenor | | A Sailor | Tenor | | A Helmsman | Baritone | Sailors, Knights, Esquires, and Men-at-Arms. Time —Legendary. Place —A ship at sea; outside King Marke's palace, Cornwall; the platform at Kareol, Tristan's castle. Wagner was obliged to remodel the "Tristan" legend thoroughly before it became available for a modern drama. He has shorn it of all unnece ary incidents and worked over the main episodes into a concise, vigorous, swiftly moving drama, admirably adapted for the stage. He shows keen dramatic insight in the manner in which he adapts the love-potion of the legends to his purpose. In the legends the love of Tristan and Isolde is merely "chemical"—entirely the result of the love-philtre. Wagner, however, presents them from the outset as enamoured of one another, so that the potion simply quickens a pa ion already active. To the courtesy of G. Schirmer, Inc., publishers of my Wagner's Music-Dramas Analysed , I am indebted, as I have already stated elsewhere, for permi ion to use material from that book. I have there placed a brief summary of the story of "Tristan and Isolde" before the descriptive account of the "book" and music, and, accordingly do so here. In the Wagner i an version the plot is briefly as follows: Tristan , having lost his parents in infancy, has been reared at the court of his uncle, Marke , King of Cornwall. He has slain in combat Morold, an Irish knight, who had come to Cornwall, to collect the tribute that country had been paying to Ireland. Morold was affianced to his cousin Isolde , daughter of the Irish king. Tristan , having been dangerously wounded in the combat, places himself, without disclosing his identity, under the care of Morold's affianced, Isolde , who comes of a race skilled in magic arts. She discerns who he is; but, although she is aware that she is harbouring the slayer of her affianced, she spares him and carefully tends him, for she has conceived a deep pa ion for him. Tristan also becomes enamoured of her, but both deem their love unrequited. Soon after Tristan's return to Cornwall, he is dispatched to Ireland by Marke , that he may win Isolde as Queen for the Cornish king. The music-drama opens on board the ve el in which Tristan bears Isolde to Cornwall. Deeming her love for Tristan unrequited she determines to end her sorrow by quaffing a death-potion; and Tristan , feeling that the woman he loves is about to be wedded to another, readily consents to share it with her. But Brangäne , Isolde's companion, substitutes a love-potion for the death-draught. This rouses their love to resistle pa ion. Not long after they reach Cornwall, they are surprised in the castle garden by the King and his suite, and Tristan is severely wounded by Melot , one of Marke's knights. Kurwenal , Tristan's faithful retainer, bears him to his native place, Kareol. Hither Isolde follows him, arriving in time to fold him in her arms as he expires. She breathes her last over his corpse. IMG:872270115144378713_nordic a_isolde.png:Nordic a Copyright photo by Dupont Nordic a as Isolde