"Tristan and Isolde": Opera's Romeo and Juliet

The opera "Tristan und Isolde," which translates as "Tristan and Isolde," premiered on June 10, 1865, in Munich. Its composer, Richard Wagner, began work on the German-language opera in 1857, completing it in 1859. He wrote the libretto himself, inspired by a romance by Gottfried von Strassburg.
 
When "Tristan and Isolde" originally opened, it failed to get much critical support. Critics saw the opera as a glorification of sensuality and "animal passion." Richard Strauss proclaimed the music could "kill a cat." However, as time passed, Wagner's opera gained acceptance and is now seen as a staple in opera performance houses.

Synopsis of "Tristan und Isolde": Act I

Act I of the opera begins in the Middle Ages on board a ship traveling the passage between Ireland and Cornwall. Feisty Isolde is on her way to marry King Marke of Cornwall, much against her will. Her maid Brangaene tries to calm her, but Isolde refuses to be comforted. Instead, she sends Brangaene to summon King Marke's nephew and adopted son Tristan to attend her.

Tristan tries to be polite in refusing Isolde's demands to see him. However, his companion Kurwenal is more freely spoken. He tells Brangaene to let Isolde know that Tristan is not a lowly vassal whom she can command. In fact, it was Tristan who killed Isolde's fiancé Morold, a fact that Kurwenald rubs in Brangaene's face before Tristan sends him away.

When Brangaene gives Isolde the men's answers, Isolde muses that Tristan's rudeness is a poor return for her kindness to him. She nursed him back to health using her mother's herbs and magic knowledge following Tristan's battle with her fiancé. Of course, when she found out he killed Morold, Isolde regretted her generosity deeply. Tristan gave her such a loving look, however, that she had mercy on him.

Now, though, Tristan is determined to deliver Isolde to his uncle like a piece of property. Isolde curses Tristan and his lack of love for her. She then orders Brangaene to prepare a poisonous potion from her mother's recipes.

The sailors sight land, and Kurwenal visits the women to order them to prepare for shore. Isolde tells him that she will not even consider going along with Tristan until he gives her an apology. While Kurwenal carries her message to Tristan, Isolde forces Brangaene to pour the poison.

Tristan arrives and treats Isolde with distant courtesy. When she once again demands an apology, he offers to let her kill him with his own sword. She refuses. Instead, she suggests, Tristan and she should drink together to make their peace. Isolde offers the poison to him. Tristan knows what she is planning but drinks most of the potion anyway. Isolde finishes off what's left. Believing themselves about to die, they fall into one another's arms, confessing their love. Brangaene tells them that instead of poison she concocted a love potion.

Summary of Act II

At the beginning of Act II, the king and his companions leave on an evening hunting trip, which gives Isolde and Tristan the opportunity for a rendezvous. While Isolde waits impatiently for the hunting party to move far enough away, Brangaene warns her that Melot, one of King Marke's knights, is jealous of Isolde's affection for Tristan. Isolde protests that Melot and Tristan are good friends, then puts out the flames of a brazier to signal Tristan.

The two meet and Tristan complains about the fake, unreal nature of daylight. The night the lovers share now is only a taste of true night, death, which will allow them to be together forever. However, they ignore Brangaene's warnings until it is too late. As day breaks, Melot brings the king and exposes their affair.

King Marke is heartbroken by his heir's betrayal. Tristan, unable to justify his actions, asks Isolde if she will accompany him into the night realm. She agrees. Tristan fights Melot and allows Melot to mortally wound him.

Synopsis of Act III

As Act III of the opera opens, Kurwenal is nursing Tristan at Tristan's home. Outside, a shepherd pipes a sad song and then asks Kurwenal if Tristan has woken up yet. Kurwenal replies that only Isolde could save his master now. The shepherd promises to start piping a happy song if he sees a ship approaching.

Tristan wakes up, but his return to daylight brings him nothing but rage and grief. Kurwenal, trying to keep him calm, tells Tristan that Isolde is on her way. Tristan eagerly asks if her ship is in sight, but the shepherd is still playing his sad song. Tristan collapses on the bed and complains again about the love potion and his powerlessness over his own desires.

As Tristan passes into deliriousness, the shepherd's tune changes. Isolde's ship approaches. Tristan, eager for the end, rips his bandages off so that he will bleed to death quickly. Even while Isolde runs and catches him in her arms, he dies, whispering her name.

Another ship docks, and Melot, Marke and Brangeane disembark. Kurwenal duels Melot to avenge Tristan. He kills Melot but dies of his wounds immediately after. Marke finds Isolde clinging to Tristan's body. Grieving, Marke tells Isolde that Brangeane told him about the love potion and that he wanted to unite the lovers. Isolde, coming out of her stupor, sings about a vision she experiences of Tristan rising from the dead, and dies from grief.

Resources

Opera News (2008). Stories of the Operas Tristan und Isolde. Retrieved January 14, 2008 from the Metropolitan Opera Web site: http://www.meoperafamily.org/metopera/history/
stories/synopsis.aspx?id=86.