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One of the cultural references of the Middle Ages and, in Wagner's hands, a cultural revolution.
"To this day, I continue searching for a work of equally dangerous fascination, of an infinitely trembling and sweet equal, like Tristan, and I search in all the arts, in vain..."
Friedrich Nietzsche
Tristan und Isolde is an immense dramatic-musical poem; an infinite song of love and death inspired by the medieval Celtic legend from the 12th century, compiled by Gottfried von Strassburg, which became one of the cultural references of the Middle Ages and, in Wagner's hands, a cultural revolution.
The first scene takes place on the ship in which Tristan is taking Isolde to Cornwall to meet her betrothed, King Marke. The death potion that the princess has brought to carry out her revenge on Tristan for causing the death of her fiancé, Morold, is unexpectedly swapped by the servant Brangäne for a love potion, triggering the repressed passion of the protagonists, who, in the second act, present one of the most extraordinary scenes of ecstatic love in opera history. Fatality leads the lovers to reveal their impossible love. After Tristan's death, only her Transfiguration (Verklärung) remains for Isolde: a death of love (Liebestod) that occurs both musically and existentially, resulting in one of the most sublime moments.
Written between 1857 and 1859 and premiered in Munich in 1865, the opera starts with the tragic love story of Tristan and Isolde. With a libretto by Wagner himself, it serves as the most powerful expression of passionate love that asserts itself, uncontrollable, against one’s own will, moral norms, and divine laws, and, as Denis de Rougemont describes in Love and Western Culture, only finds its fulfillment in death.
Structured around a rich constellation of references ranging from Buddhism to the theater of Calderón de la Barca and the philosophy of Schopenhauer, Wagner places in tension a series of opposing binomials: eros/death, duty/instinct, or consciousness/subconscious, proposing a dramatic framework that anticipates modern psychology.
Wagner presents new ideas that would represent a turning point in the evolution of music: rich chromaticism, a wide palette of orchestral colors, bold harmonic suspension, irresistible climaxes, overlapping rhythms... Following her success with Puccini’s Il trittico, Finnish conductor Susanna Mälkki will lead the musical ensembles of the Gran Teatre del Liceu to decipher the mysteries of this score: one of the five most influential operas of all time.
In the new production by Bárbara Lluch, Tristan and Isolde, with an inaccessible desire, are two people who try to escape the vital roles that have been assigned to them, who wish to flee from daily lies. They are two people who suffer and find in love the repair and restoration of their lives. They rise and challenge the status quo, but by losing their connection with reality, they ultimately fail.
It is a great pleasure to announce that one of the queens of our stage, Lise Davidsen, will debut in the role of Isolde at the Liceu. Undoubtedly, this is one of the roles the operatic world has been dreaming of, and it will mark a before and after in the global opera scene. Alongside her, heldentenor Clay Hilley will embody the character of Tristan, one of the most challenging yet fascinating roles in the repertoire. The promise of these unforgettable performances underscores the Liceu as the quintessential Wagnerian temple.
Musical drama in three acts.
Libretto by Richard Wagner based on Tristan and Iseult by Gottfried von Strassburg.
- World premiere: 10/06/1865 at the Königliches Hoftheater und Nationaltheater in Munich.
- Premiere in Barcelona: 08/11/1899 at the Gran Teatre del Liceu (in Italian).
- Last performance at the Liceu: 15/12/2017.
- Total performances at the Liceu: 178.
With the collaboration of:
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Special sessions
January 23: 'Breathing Opera' – Mindfulness session
15 February: Digital premiere on the Liceu OPERA+ platform
January 31: Live audio description service
- First Act 81 min
- Pause 30 min
- Second Act 65 min
- Pause 25 min
- Third act 74 min
Artistic profile
- Stage direction
- Bárbara Lluch
- Set designer and lighting design
- Urs Schönebaum
- Costumes
- Clara Peluffo
- Dramaturg
- Yvonne Gebauer
- Assistant to the stage direction
- Anna Ponces, Inés García-Pertierra
- Set design assistant
- Sarah Bernardy
- Costume assistant
- Agnès Costa Olivé
- Assistant to the musical direction
- Pedro Sotelo
- Assistant music masters
- Véronique Werklé, Vanessa García, Rodrigo de Vera, David-Huy NguyenPhung, Jaume Tribó, Jennifer Michelle Condon
- Set construction
- Allestimenti Arianese Srl
- Costume production
- Maribel RH Realización de Vestuario SL
- Language Advisor
- Roksane Taghikhani
- Choir of the Gran Teatre del Liceu
- Conductor Pablo Assante
- Orquestra Simfònica del Gran Teatre del Liceu
- Conductor Susanna Mälkki
- Production
- Gran Teatre del Liceu
Cast
Cast changes
- Mezzo-soprano Ekaterina Gubanova will take on the role of Brangäne in the upcoming premiere of Tristan und Isolde. Iréne Theorin must withdraw from the production due to a recent illness that will prevent her from performing the role. We thank Gubanova for her availability and willingness to join the Liceu’s new production.
Get ready for “Tristan und Isolde”
Special sessions
Breathing the Opera
Breathing the Opera is a 30-minute guided session led by coach Mònica Arús, with a soundscape by music therapist Núria Andorrà, where we will practise simple breathing, relaxation and mindfulness exercises to enter a state of calm and openness that will help us enjoy the performance with presence and awareness.
Friday, January 23
5:15 pm
Buy the full experience here: mindfulness session + opera performance.
Liceu OPERA+
Subscribers to Liceu OPERA+ will be able to enjoy the live broadcast of Tristan und Isolde by Richard Wagner at the Liceu, with stage direction by Bárbara Lluch and conducted by maestro Susanna Mälkki.
Once edited, it will be available on-demand for subscribers.
Sunday, 15 February: Digital premiere
Audiodescripció
Live audio description service during one performance of each staged opera, providing narration about key visual elements for the benefit of blind and visually impaired spectators. The service consists of two parts: an audio introduction fifteen minutes before the performance starts, and simultaneous audio description during the show.
LifeVoice app
To listen to the audio description, just click on Audio Description at the Liceu, or enter the LiveVoice app and enter the code: 075177.
Saturday, January 31
7:00 pm
