Tristan und Isolde

"Tristan und Isolde" is a profoundly influential German opera composed by Richard Wagner. It premiered in Munich in 1865 under the patronage of King Ludwig II of Bavaria. Wagner wrote both the music and the libretto for this massive work.

The "Tristan chord" is a famous musical chord played in the opening bars of Wagner's "Tristan und Isolde." It is incredibly notable for its extreme harmonic ambiguity, defying traditional 19th-century rules of musical resolution. This chord is widely considered to have opened the door to 20th-century modernist music.

The tragic opera tells the story of a passionate, forbidden love affair between the knight Tristan and the Irish princess Isolde. Isolde is supposed to marry Tristan's uncle, King Marke, but she and Tristan accidentally drink a love potion. The opera explores themes of ultimate longing, desire, and the sacrifice of life for eternal love.

A full, uncut performance of "Tristan und Isolde" typically lasts around four hours, not including intermissions. The opera is notoriously demanding on the singers, particularly the tenor playing Tristan, due to its relentless length and emotional intensity. Many famous tenors have famously lost their voices attempting the role.