An Introduction To Tristan und Isolde

Regular readers may have noticed that we like Tristan und Isolde - just a little. Frequent visitors may have also read and listened to the feature "Sex and the Married Wagnerian" which featured two parts of WNYC's 2007 documentry series The Tristan Mysteries. Well, below is part one, which discusses and introduces Tristan. We believe the way, WNYC's podcasts work, it may also continue to play the rest also. Have fun and when its finished pop on Furtwangler's classic recording. It is now copyright free so you should be able to pick-up a copy for a "song"

Love it or hate it (and there are plenty of people on both sides), Wagner's Tristan und Isolde has generated heat since bursting onto the stage in 1865. In this installment of The Tristan Mysteries, Amy O'Leary gives us an introductory overview of Wagner's opera—and examines the mythic side of Tristan's timeless story. We also assemble a roundtable of opera enthusiasts in the studio to duke it out over which recording of Tristan is the best.

Contributors to The Mythic Mystery include:
Perry Lorenzo, Education Director, Seattle Opera
John Rockwell, Author & Critic
Ben Heppner, Wagnerian Tenor
Cori Ellison, Dramaturg, New York City Opera
Peter Sellars, Director, The Tristan Project