Wagner: Tristan und Isolde, WWV 90 Wolfgang Sawallisch

• Richard Wagner (1813 - 1883): Tristan und Isolde, WWV 90, Act I:
• 1Tristan und Isolde, WWV 90, Act I: Vorspiel11:07
• 2Tristan und Isolde, WWV 90, Act I: Westwärts schweift der Blick - Entartet Geschlecht!06:03
• 3Tristan und Isolde, WWV 90, Act I: Frisch weht der Wind der Heimat zu - Hab acht, Tristan!09:26
• 4Tristan und Isolde, WWV 90, Act I: Weh, ach wehe! Dies zu dulden! - Wie lachend sie mir Lieder singen11:42
• 5Tristan und Isolde, WWV 90, Act I: Welcher Wahn! Welch eitles Zürnen!07:45
• 6Tristan und Isolde, WWV 90, Act I: Auf! Auf! Ihr Frauen! - Nun leb wohl, Brangäne!07:53
• 7Tristan und Isolde, WWV 90, Act I: Begehrt, Herrin, was ihr wünscht14:05
• 8Tristan und Isolde, WWV 90, Act I: Mein Herr und Ohm04:43
• 9Tristan und Isolde, WWV 90, Act I: Tristan!... Isolde! - Treuloser Holder!06:50
• Tristan und Isolde, WWV 90, Act II:
• 10Tristan und Isolde, WWV 90, Act II: Einleitung01:34
• 11Tristan und Isolde, WWV 90, Act II: Hörst du sie noch? - Dein Werk? O tör' ge Magd!13:53
• 12Tristan und Isolde, WWV 90, Act II: Isolde! Geliebte! - Tristan! Geliebter!15:54
• 13Tristan und Isolde, WWV 90, Act II: O sink hernieder, Nacht der Liebe04:43
• 14Tristan und Isolde, WWV 90, Act II: Einsam wachend in der Nacht02:32
• 15Tristan und Isolde, WWV 90, Act II: Lausch, Geliebter!06:05
• 16Tristan und Isolde, WWV 90, Act II: So starben wir, um ungetrennt - O ew'ge Nacht, süße Nacht!07:56
• 17Tristan und Isolde, WWV 90, Act II: Rette dich, Tristan!01:56
• 18Tristan und Isolde, WWV 90, Act II: Tatest du's wirklich? Wähnst du das?11:56
• 19Tristan und Isolde, WWV 90, Act II: O König, das kann ich dir nicht sagen04:45
• 20Tristan und Isolde, WWV 90, Act II: Als für ein fremdes Land04:02
• Tristan und Isolde, WWV 90, Act III:
• 21Tristan und Isolde, WWV 90, Act III: Einleitung07:13
• 22Tristan und Isolde, WWV 90, Act III: Kurwenal! He! Sag, Kurwenal! - Die alte Weise; was weckt sie mich?08:13
• 23Tristan und Isolde, WWV 90, Act III: Hei nun! Wie du kamst?09:49
• 24Tristan und Isolde, WWV 90, Act III: Noch losch das Licht nicht aus11:08
• 25Tristan und Isolde, WWV 90, Act III: Sterbend lag ich stumm im Kahn08:18
• 26Tristan und Isolde, WWV 90, Act III: Wie sie selig, hehr und milde - O Wonne! Freude!06:11
• 27Tristan und Isolde, WWV 90, Act III: O diese Sonne! Ha, dieser Tag! - Ich bin's, ich bin's, süßester Freund!08:59
• 28Tristan und Isolde, WWV 90, Act III: Kurwenal! Hör'! Ein zweites Schiff!03:41
• 29Tristan und Isolde, WWV 90, Act III: Tot denn alles! Alles tot!04:25
• 30Tristan und Isolde, WWV 90, Act III: Mild und leise wie er lächelt07:03
• Total Runtime03:49:50

Info for Wagner: Tristan und Isolde, WWV 90

A vocal quality to die for: There are few artists who have dominated a particular vocal field of highly challenging roles unrivalled for so many years as the Swedish soprano Birgit Nilsson in her highly dramatic roles in the operas of Richard Wagner and Richard Strauss. That dominance has continued to resonate in the decades since her retirement in 1984 and the years since her death in 2005; indeed, it has been reinforced – one could even say her reputation has been immortalized – by numerous benchmark recordings.

In her witty memoirs Nilsson recalled how, after her first audition in Bayreuth, Wieland Wagner knelt before her in his office and, to her great astonishment, offered her any role she wanted – amusingly adding “but never Isolde or Brünhilde”. As history recalls, things turned out differently in the end. There are several things that are remarkable about this Tristan performance released here officially for the first time. It documents her Bayreuth debut in one of the aforementioned roles in which she was to shine, one which she embodied to such an extent that until 1970 she was effectively Isolde. Her initial success in Bayreuth – as we can hear on this recording – came in productions under Wolfgang Wagner, before her now legendary collaboration with Wieland. Musical direction in this case was in the hands of the young Wolfgang Sawallisch, whom Nilsson admired greatly. Surprisingly, the production was not a great success until its second year, from which this recording derives. Alongside great singers like Wolfgang Windgassen, Grace Hoffman, Josef Greindl and Fritz Uhl, who would later frequently partner her, fellow Swede Erik Saedén gave a convincing reading of Kurwenal, though only in that year.

Wolfgang Windgassen, Tenor (Tristan)
Josef Greindl, Bass (König Marke)
Birgit Nilsson, Sopran (Isolde)
Erik Saedén, Bariton (Kurwenal)
Fritz Uhl, Tenor (Melot)
Grace Hoffmann, Mezzosopran (Brangäne)
Hermann Winkler, Tenor (Ein Hirte)
Egmont Koch, Tenor (Steuermann)
Josef Traxel, Tenor (Ein junger Seemann)
Chor der Bayreuther Festspiele
Orchester der Bayreuther Festspiele
Wolfgang Sawallisch, Dirigent

No biography found.

Booklet for Wagner: Tristan und Isolde, WWV 90