What is Tristan und Isolde?
'''''Tristan und Isolde''''' (''Tristan and Isolde'') is an [[opera]] in three acts by [[Richard Wagner]]. As always, Wagner wrote the words for the opera himself. He took the famous old [[legend]] which had been told by the [[Germany|German]] [[poet]] [[Gottfried von Strassburg]] Wagner composed the opera between 1857 and 1859. It was first performed, with [[Hans von Bülow]] conducting, in [[Munich]] on 10 June 1865. Many [[musician]]s think it is the greatest opera of the [[19th century]]. Wagner’s dramatic handling of the story had enormous [[influence]] on many [[composer]]s of the time. His [[harmony|harmonies]] were also an extremely important development in the language of [[Romantic music]]. Not everybody liked it. In particular, the [[music critic]] [[Eduard Hanslick]] said that he could not understand it. The story of Tristan and Isolde was one of the great [[Chivalric romance|romances]] of the [[Middle Ages]] and the [[Renaissance]]. Several poets told the story, and each told it slightly differently. The themes of [[chivalry]] and [[courtly love]] are always there. ==The story of the opera== ===Act I=== Isolde, an [[Ireland|Irish]] [[princess]], and her [[maid]], [[Brangaene]] are on Tristan’s [[ship]], being taken to [[King Mark]]e’s lands in [[Cornwall]] where Isolde is to be married to the King. The opera opens with a young [[sailor]] singing about a “wild Irish maid”. Isolde thinks he is singing about her. She is furious and wishes the [[sea]] would rise up and sink the ship, killing all on board. She is particularly furious with Tristan, the [[knight]] who is taking her to the king. She asks her maid to get Tristan, but he will not come because he is steering the ship. His [[henchman]], Kurwenal, speaks crossly to Brangaene, reminding her that Isolde’s previous [[fiancé]], [[Morholt|Morold]], had been killed by Tristan and his head sent back to Ireland. Brangaene returns to Isolde to tell her about what was said. Isolde sadly tells her how, after Morold had died, a man called Tantris