ph08_18_tristan_us:ph06_12_traviata_us
4.12.2008
9:57 Uhr
Seite 1
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RZ ZH Progrb ch 165 235 indd 1
8 1 2008 15 03 20 Uhr
Tristan und Isolde
Verena-Maria Fitz, Violinistin, Orchester der Oper Zürich
Tristan und Isolde Richard Wagner
opernhaus zürich
Act I Isolde is about to marry Marke, who is much older than she is. Powerless, she has to accept the match, which his nephew Tristan has arranged for social reasons. Brangäne, who is aware of Isolde’s desperation, argues with the voice of reason that, in her eyes, Isolde’s union with Marke, a high-ranking personage, can only be advantageous. Isolde sends Brangäne ahead to compel Tristan to talk to her, but he is evasive. When Brangäne returns to Isolde without having accomplished anything and derided by Tristan’s friend Kurwenal, she reveals the real situation to Isolde: Tristan killed Isolde’s betrothed, Morold, was himself wounded during the combat, and returned to Isolde under name of “Tantris”, well aware that only she could heal his wound. Although Isolde recognises “Tantris” as Morold’s murderer and has sworn to avenge her betrothed, she cannot bring herself to kill the wounded man. Instead, having suddenly fallen in love with him, she nurses the man back to health. She can bear the fact that Tristan does not return her feelings, to which even she cannot admit, but not that he should force her to marry Marke, whom she does not love. Brangäne reminds Isolde of the love potion brewed by her mother as a precautionary measure, but unwittingly gives Isolde an idea as to how she can save herself from her ignominious situation and take revenge on Tristan – she will ask him to drink to atonement with her; Brangäne should prepare the lethal potion. Kurwenal asks the women to prepare themselves for Marke’s arrival, but Isolde refuses to go to the altar with Marke before she and Tristan have spoken openly with each other. At last, he comes to her. She makes it clear to him that she is well aware of his duplicity and demands atonement for it. Tristan, suspecting that she is calling for his death, accepts the potion offered him, but before he can empty the goblet, Isolde wrests it from him and drains it. The very moment that they both believe they are to die, they confess their mutual love – it transpires that the lethal potion has been exchanged for a love potion. Marke comes to lead his bride to the altar.
opernhaus zürich
Act II Marke has left for a nocturnal hunt; Isolde impatiently awaits the moment when she can give Tristan the agreed signal to come to her. She refuses to believe Brangäne’s warning th t Marke might have become suspicious and is only pretending to be out hunting. To signal that all is clear for Tristan, she extinguishes the lights in the house. The passionate greeting of the lovers ends in a discussion during which Isolde in particular accuses Tristan of not having accepted her love. He admits to having been blinded by allegedly more important social demands, but now that love has opened his eyes, he wishes nothing more than to be eternally united with her, even in death. Together, they curse the day, which deceives people with appearances, and praise the night as the realm of love, to which they then deliver themselves. Their tryst is abruptly interrupted by the return of Marke, who has been summoned by his liegeman Melot – allegedly a friend of Tristan – so that he should recognise Tristan and Isolde’s deception. Deeply shaken, Marke asks Tristan in vain for the reason for his betrayal, as the latter had urged him to marry Isolde. Tristan is unable to give an answer and invites Isolde to follow him into the realm of the night forever. He provokes Melot to fight and thrusts himself onto the latter’s dagger.
Act III Kurwenal has brought the mortally wounded Tristan to his father’s house. However, his longing for Isolde, whom he knows to be with Marke, will not allow him to die. In the meantime, Kurwenal has sent for Isolde in the hope that she can cure Tristan once again. Between life and death, Tristan awakes and curses the day, which has again caught up with him. Kurwenal tris in vain to bring him back to reality. Only when he assures him that a ship will soon bring Isolde to him does Tristan awake to new life. As he waits in agony for his lover, the images of his life pass him by once more; his father and mother, who died when he was born, laid the yearning for death in his cradle. Yet his love for Isolde, which he wanted to escape through death, has taught him that death will never be able to liberate him from his longing. The ship approaches at last. For once, Tristan praises the day that brings him his beloved, but when Isolde appears, he collapses, close to death. Marke, Melot and Brangäne have followed Isolde on a second ship. Having realised that his love for Isolde is futile, Marke has decided to forgive her and Tristan. However, Kurwenal, who believes he must protect the couple, uses force to deny them entry; both he and Melot die. Aghast, Marke must also accept the death of Tristan. Isolde is no longer aware of what is happening.
opernhaus z端rich