Let's talk Tristan und Isolde.....................

35413 Views 251 Replies 43 Participants Last post by DavidA, Sep 11, 2018

Itullian

Discussion Starter · Feb 13, 2015

Always controversial.
Why do you like it or hate it?

It's sometimes called the greatest opera ever.

What makes it so compelling?
It really grabs me. Those chords opening Act 3 , sounding and wafting upwards always grip me.

What are it's meanings? What is its power? Is the power of the potion real or just an excuse?

What makes it the iconic work that it is on a musical and psychological level?
Wagner said a truly great performance would drive you mad.
Conductors have died conducting it. Karajan said he needed to come up with another way to conduct it.

Lovers of this opera.............let's talk Tristan.

:tiphat:

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Albert7

· #10 · Feb 13, 2015

For more recent recordings this one is a classic despite the fact that hate Domingo for Wagner singing:

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Albert7

· #43 · Feb 14, 2015

Sorry folks, as much as Tristan is beautiful, my favorite opera is still Parsifal. For me, Tristan is a stepping stone towards that ultimate summation.

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Albert7

· #98 · Feb 16, 2015

Well, there is a version of Tristan and Isolde with a happy ending:

No dead princess, no unhappy prince, no dissatisfied king.
But Wagner it ain't.

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Albert7

· #100 · Feb 16, 2015

Note, this isn't an aria, but just another wincer:

Someone please bring me the man with the golden gun.

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Albert7

· #103 · Feb 16, 2015

DavidA said:
But this is not real life. If you've sat by a bedside comforting a grieving spouse when their loved one passes (or has past) away you know death us not a joyful, romantic experience except in the imagination of poets.

Biologically, there is an erotic element to death for a few people.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_during_consensual_sex

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Albert7

· #115 · Feb 16, 2015

Woodduck said:
Oh come on, show a little historical awareness. This is the middle ages. People believed in such things. It would have been some herbal mixture, and it hardly matters what was in it. Tristan and Isolde thought they were taking poison. They expected to die, the ship had docked, King Marke was due to greet them and claim his bride, the pressure to get it over with and end their hopeless situation was intense. And then - OMG! - they didn't die. So there they stood, having in effect confessed the love they'd been holding in all this time, expecting to die together, and finding themselves gazing into each other's eyes. So what could they do?

Love potion? No, just time to admit the truth. Psychologically, that's pretty damned real.

I agree with Woodduck. Today new mix is going to be Love Potion No. 9. Except that Isolde is now played by the great Sandra Bullock.

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Albert7

· #133 · Feb 16, 2015

DavidA said:
As I said, it doesn't happen outside the movies!

Perhaps although there have been some chemists who have attempted to make a chemical love potion.

http://everydayroots.com/love-potion

And then the drug companies are making bank on Viagra. Although honestly I can't dream of Tristan taking that during the Liebestod scene.

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