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''Tannhäuser'' (; full title , "Tannhäuser and the Minnesängers' Contest at
Wartburg The Wartburg () is a castle originally built in the Middle Ages. It is situated on a precipice of to the southwest of and overlooking the town of Eisenach, in the state of Thuringia, Germany. It was the home of St. Elisabeth of Hungary, the ...
") is an 1845
opera Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a libr ...
in three acts, with music and text by
Richard Wagner Wilhelm Richard Wagner ( ; ; 22 May 181313 February 1883) was a German composer, theatre director, polemicist, and conductor who is chiefly known for his operas (or, as some of his mature works were later known, "music dramas"). Unlike most op ...
( WWV 70 in the catalogue of the composer's works). It is based on two German legends: Tannhäuser, the mythologized medieval German
Minnesänger (; "love song") was a tradition of lyric- and song-writing in Germany and Austria that flourished in the Middle High German period. This period of medieval German literature began in the 12th century and continued into the 14th. People who wr ...
and poet, and the tale of the
Wartburg The Wartburg () is a castle originally built in the Middle Ages. It is situated on a precipice of to the southwest of and overlooking the town of Eisenach, in the state of Thuringia, Germany. It was the home of St. Elisabeth of Hungary, the ...
Song Contest. The story centres on the struggle between sacred and profane love, as well as redemption through love, a theme running through most of Wagner's work. The opera remains a staple of major opera house repertoire in the 21st century.


Composition history


Sources

The libretto of ''Tannhäuser'' combines mythological elements characteristic of German '' Romantische Oper'' (Romantic opera) and the medieval setting typical of many French Grand Operas. Wagner brings these two together by constructing a plot involving the 14th-century Minnesingers and the myth of
Venus Venus is the second planet from the Sun. It is sometimes called Earth's "sister" or "twin" planet as it is almost as large and has a similar composition. As an interior planet to Earth, Venus (like Mercury) appears in Earth's sky never f ...
and her subterranean realm of Venusberg. Both the historical and the mythological are united in Tannhäuser's personality; although he is a historical poet composer, little is known about him other than myths that surround him. Wagner wove a variety of sources into the opera narrative. According to his autobiography, he was inspired by finding the story in "a ''Volksbuch'' (popular book) about the Venusberg", which he claimed "fell into his hands", although he admits knowing of the story from the ''Phantasus'' of Ludwig Tieck and
E. T. A. Hoffmann Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffmann (born Ernst Theodor Wilhelm Hoffmann; 24 January 1776 – 25 June 1822) was a German Romantic author of fantasy and Gothic horror, a jurist, composer, music critic and artist. Penrith Goff, "E.T.A. Hoffmann" in ...
's story, ''Der Kampf der Sänger'' (The Singers' Contest). Tieck's tale, which names the hero "Tannenhäuser", tells of the minnesinger-knight's amorous adventures in the Venusberg, his travels to Rome as a Pilgrim, and his repudiation by the pope. To this Wagner added material from Hoffmann's story, from ''Serapions-Brüder'' (1819), describing a song contest at the
Wartburg The Wartburg () is a castle originally built in the Middle Ages. It is situated on a precipice of to the southwest of and overlooking the town of Eisenach, in the state of Thuringia, Germany. It was the home of St. Elisabeth of Hungary, the ...
castle, a castle which featured prominently in Thuringian history.
Heinrich Heine Christian Johann Heinrich Heine (; born Harry Heine; 13 December 1797 – 17 February 1856) was a German poet, writer and literary critic. He is best known outside Germany for his early lyric poetry, which was set to music in the form of '' Lied ...
had provided Wagner with the inspiration for '' Der fliegende Holländer'' and Wagner again drew on Heine for Tannhäuser. In Heine's sardonic essay ''Elementargeister'' (Elemental spirits), there appears a poem about Tannhäuser and the lure of the grotto of
Venus Venus is the second planet from the Sun. It is sometimes called Earth's "sister" or "twin" planet as it is almost as large and has a similar composition. As an interior planet to Earth, Venus (like Mercury) appears in Earth's sky never f ...
, published in 1837 in the third volume of ''Der Salon''. Other possible sources include Friedrich de la Motte Fouqué's play ''Der Sängerkrieg auf der Wartburg'' and Eichendorff's '' Das Marmorbild'' (The Marble Statue, 1818). The legend of Tannhäuser, the amorous crusading
Franconia Franconia (german: Franken, ; Franconian dialect: ''Franggn'' ; bar, Frankn) is a region of Germany, characterised by its culture and Franconian dialect (German: ''Fränkisch''). The three administrative regions of Lower, Middle and Upper ...
n knight, and that of the song contest on the Wartburg (which did not involve Tannhäuser, but the semi-mythical minnesinger Heinrich von Ofterdingen), came from quite separate traditions. Ludwig Bechstein wove together the two legends in the first volume of his collection of Thuringian legends, ''Der Sagenschatz und die Sagenkreise des Thüringerlandes'' (A treasury of the tales of Thuringian legends and legend cycles, 1835), which was probably the ''Volksbuch'' to which Wagner refers in his autobiography. Wagner also knew of the work of another contemporary,
Christian Theodor Ludwig Lucas Christian Theodor Ludwig Lucas, also known as Ludwig Lucas or C.T.L. Lucas (born 1796 in Petrikau, South Prussia — d. 1854 in Schrimm, Posen Province) was a German writer and pedagogue. Life Lucas enrolled to study, first Protestant Theology ...
, whose ''Über den Krieg von Wartburg'' of 1838 also conflated the two legends. This confusion (which explains why Tannhäuser is referred to as 'Heinrich' in the opera) does not fit with the historical timeline of the events in the opera, since the Singers' Contest involving von Ofterdingen is said to have taken place around 1207, while Tannhäuser's poetry appeared much later (1245–1265). The sources used by Wagner therefore reflected a nineteenth century romantic view of the medieval period, with concerns about artistic freedom and the constraints of organised religion typical of the period of
Romanticism Romanticism (also known as the Romantic movement or Romantic era) was an artistic, literary, musical, and intellectual movement that originated in Europe towards the end of the 18th century, and in most areas was at its peak in the approximate ...
. During Wagner's first stay in Paris (1839–1842) he read a paper by Ludwig Lucas on the '' Sängerkrieg'' which sparked his imagination, and encouraged him to return to Germany, which he reached on 7 April 1842. Having crossed the Rhine, the Wagners drove towards Thuringia, and saw the early rays of sun striking the Wartburg; Wagner immediately began to sketch the scenery that would become the stage sets. Wagner wrote the prose draft of ''Tannhäuser'' between June and July 1842 and the
libretto A libretto (Italian for "booklet") is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or musical. The term ''libretto'' is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major li ...
in April 1843.


Composition

Wagner began composing the music during a vacation in
Teplitz Teplice () (until 1948 Teplice-Šanov; german: Teplitz-Schönau or ''Teplitz'') is a city in the Ústí nad Labem Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 49,000 inhabitants. It is the second largest Czech spa town, after Karlovy Vary. The hist ...
in the summer of 1843 and completed the full score on 13 April 1845; the opera's famous
overture Overture (from French language, French ''ouverture'', "opening") in music was originally the instrumental introduction to a ballet, opera, or oratorio in the 17th century. During the early Romantic era, composers such as Ludwig van Beethoven, Be ...
, often played separately as a concert piece, was written last. While composing the music for the Venusberg grotto, Wagner grew so impassioned that he made himself ill; in his autobiography, he wrote, "With much pain and toil I sketched the first outlines of my music for the ''Venusberg''.... Meanwhile, I was very much troubled by excitability and rushes of blood to the brain. I imagined I was ill and lay for whole days in bed...." The instrumentation also shows signs of borrowing from French operatic style. The score includes parts for on-stage brass; however, rather than using French brass instruments, Wagner uses 12 German waldhorns. Wagner also makes use of the harp, another commonplace of French opera. Wagner made a number of revisions of the opera throughout his life, and was still dissatisfied with its format when he died. The most significant revision was made for the opera's première in Paris in 1861.


Performance history


Dresden version (1845)

The first performance was given in the Königliches Hoftheater Dresden on 19 October 1845. The composer Ferdinand Hiller, at that time a friend of the composer, assisted in the musical preparations for the production. The part of Elisabeth was sung by Wagner's niece Johanna Wagner. Wagner had intended to premiere the opera on 13 October, Johanna's 19th birthday, but she was ill, so it was postponed by six days. Venus was sung by Wilhelmine Schröder-Devrient, and the title role of Tannhäuser by Josef Tichatschek. The performance was conducted by the composer. ''Tannhäuser'' was not the success that ''
Rienzi ' (''Rienzi, the last of the tribunes''; WWV 49) is an early opera by Richard Wagner in five acts, with the libretto written by the composer after Edward Bulwer-Lytton's novel of the same name (1835). The title is commonly shortened to ''Ri ...
'' had been, and Wagner almost immediately set to modifying the ending, adjusting the score through 1846 and 1847. For the first Dresden revival (1847) he clarified the representation of Venus's temptation of Tannhäuser in the final act, and added vocal presentation of the pilgrim's chorus in this act (where it had previously been represented by orchestra alone). This version of the opera, as revised for publication in 1860, is generally known as the "Dresden" version. After
Franz Liszt Franz Liszt, in modern usage ''Liszt Ferenc'' . Liszt's Hungarian passport spelled his given name as "Ferencz". An orthographic reform of the Hungarian language in 1922 (which was 36 years after Liszt's death) changed the letter "cz" to simpl ...
produced the opera at
Weimar Weimar is a city in the state of Thuringia, Germany. It is located in Central Germany between Erfurt in the west and Jena in the east, approximately southwest of Leipzig, north of Nuremberg and west of Dresden. Together with the neighbouri ...
Court Theatre in 1849, there were further performances between 1852 and 1856 in (amongst other locations)
Schwerin Schwerin (; Mecklenburgian Low German: ''Swerin''; Latin: ''Suerina'', ''Suerinum'') is the capital and second-largest city of the northeastern German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern as well as of the region of Mecklenburg, after Rostock. It ...
, Kassel,
Poznań Poznań () is a city on the River Warta in west-central Poland, within the Greater Poland region. The city is an important cultural and business centre, and one of Poland's most populous regions with many regional customs such as Saint Joh ...
,
Wiesbaden Wiesbaden () is a city in central western Germany and the capital of the state of Hesse. , it had 290,955 inhabitants, plus approximately 21,000 United States citizens (mostly associated with the United States Army). The Wiesbaden urban area ...
, Hanover, Munich, and Berlin. The Dresden version was used for initial productions outside Germany, notably at
Riga Riga (; lv, Rīga , liv, Rīgõ) is the capital and largest city of Latvia and is home to 605,802 inhabitants which is a third of Latvia's population. The city lies on the Gulf of Riga at the mouth of the Daugava river where it meets the ...
on 18 January 1853; at Tallinn on 10 January 1854; at
Prague Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 million people. The city has a temperate ...
on 25 November 1854 at Theatre of the Estates; at
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
on 4 April 1859 at the Stadt Theatre; and in
London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
on 6 May 1876 at the
Royal Opera House The Royal Opera House (ROH) is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply Covent Garden, after a previous use of the site. It is the home of The Royal ...
, Covent Garden (when it was sung in Italian).


Paris version (1861)

Wagner substantially amended the opera for a special 1861 performance by the Paris Opéra. This had been requested by Emperor
Napoleon III Napoleon III (Charles Louis Napoléon Bonaparte; 20 April 18089 January 1873) was the first President of France (as Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte) from 1848 to 1852 and the last monarch of France as Emperor of the French from 1852 to 1870. A neph ...
at the suggestion of Princess
Pauline von Metternich Pauline Clémentine Marie Walburga, Princess of Metternich-Winneburg zu Beilstein (''née'' Countess Pauline Sándor de Szlavnicza; 25 February 1836 – 28 September 1921) was a famous Austrian socialite, mainly active in Vienna and Paris. Known ...
, wife of the
Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
n ambassador to France. This revision forms the basis of what is now known as the "Paris version" of ''Tannhäuser''. The venue meant that the composer had to insert a
ballet Ballet () is a type of performance dance that originated during the Italian Renaissance in the fifteenth century and later developed into a concert dance form in France and Russia. It has since become a widespread and highly technical form ...
into the score, according to the traditions of the house. Wagner agreed to this condition since he believed that a success at the Opéra represented his most significant opportunity to re-establish himself following his exile from Germany. However, rather than put the ballet in its traditional place in Act II, he chose to place it in Act I, in the form of a bacchanale, where it could make dramatic sense by representing the sensual world of Venus's realm. There were further extensive changes. The text was translated into French (by
Charles-Louis-Étienne Nuitter Charles-Louis-Étienne Nuitter was a French librettist, translator, writer and librarian born in Paris, France, on 24 April 1828. He died there on 23 February 1899 after suffering a stroke a few days before.Cooper J: Nuitter, Charles-Louis-Étien ...
and others). Venus, a role that in the Dresden version was considered a soprano, was rewritten as for mezzo-soprano. Venus' aria "Geliebter, komm!" was transposed down by a semitone, and its latter part was completely rewritten. A solo for Walther was removed from Act II. Extra lines for Venus following Tannhäuser's "Hymn to Love" were added. The orchestral introduction to Act III was shortened. The end of the opera was reworked to include Venus on stage, where before the audience only heard the Venus motif, in an attempt to clarify the action. ''Tannhäuser''s first performance in Paris was given on 13 March 1861 at the
Salle Le Peletier The Salle Le Peletier or Lepeletier (sometimes referred to as the Salle de la rue Le Peletier or the Opéra Le Peletier) was the home of the Paris Opera from 1821 until the building was destroyed by fire in 1873. The theatre was designed and con ...
of the Paris Opéra. The composer had been closely involved in its preparation and there had been 164 rehearsals. The costumes were designed by Alfred Albert, the sets by
Charles-Antoine Cambon Charles-Antoine Cambon (21 April 1802 – 22 October 1875) was a French scenographer, theatrical production designer, who acquired international renown in the Romantic Era. Career Little biographical information exists on Cambon's early year ...
and Joseph Thierry (Act I, Scene 1), Édouard Desplechin (Act I, Scene 2 and Act III), and Joseph Nolau and Auguste Alfred Rubé (Act II). At the first performance the opera was initially well-received, with disturbances including whistling and cat-calls beginning to appear in Act II, and becoming prominent by the end of the third act. For the second performance much of the new ballet music was removed, together with some actions that had specifically provoked mockery, such as the piping of the shepherd in Act I. At this performance however the audience disturbances were increased. This was partly due to members of the wealthy and aristocratic Jockey Club, who objected to the ballet coming in Act I, since this meant they would have to be present from the beginning of the performance (disrupting their dining schedule). It was alleged that they distributed whistles to the audience. A further incentive to disruption was the unpopularity of Princess von Metternich and of her native country of Austria. At the third performance on 24 March (which Wagner did not attend) uproar caused several interruptions of up to fifteen minutes at a time. As a consequence, Wagner withdrew the opera after the third performance. This marked the end to Wagner's hopes of establishing himself in Paris. The first performance outside France of the "Paris" version was given in
Bologna Bologna (, , ; egl, label= Emilian, Bulåggna ; lat, Bononia) is the capital and largest city of the Emilia-Romagna region in Northern Italy. It is the seventh most populous city in Italy with about 400,000 inhabitants and 150 different na ...
on 7 November 1872 at the Teatro Comunale, (the first performance of the opera in
Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
). The American and British premieres of this version were respectively in New York at the
Metropolitan Opera The Metropolitan Opera (commonly known as the Met) is an American opera company based in New York City, resident at the Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center, currently situated on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. The company is opera ...
on 30 January 1889, and at London's Royal Opera House on 15 July 1895 .


Vienna version (1875)

A few further changes to ''Tannhäuser'' were made for an 1875 performance of the opera in
Vienna en, Viennese , iso_code = AT-9 , registration_plate = W , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = , timezone = CET , utc_offset = +1 , timezone_DST ...
, the last production carried out under Wagner's own supervision. These included the opera being sung in German (rather than in French, as in Paris) and linking the end of the overture to the start of the opera proper. The 1875 Vienna version is that normally used in modern productions of the "Paris" version, often with the reinstatement of Walther's Act II solo. Wagner remained dissatisfied with the opera. Cosima Wagner noted in her diary on 23 January 1883 (three weeks before he died) "He says he still owes the world ''Tannhäuser''."


Roles

Although the libretto and the score always use the single name ''Tannhäuser'' in stage directions involving the title character or in indicating which passages are sung by him, that name never appears in the libretto. Rather, each character who addresses Tannhäuser by name uses his given name '' Heinrich'' ( Heinrich von Ofterdingen). The distinct character Heinrich der Schreiber sings many melodies distinct from all other named characters, and occasionally unique lyrics. However, in the libretto he finds individual mention only in the list of characters, with the ensemble numbers that include him being labelled for the ''Ritter'' (i.e., "knights", referring to the ''Minnesinger'', who all share knightly rank). The score in the Schirmer edition labels his melody line simply "Schreiber".


Instrumentation

''Tannhäuser'' is scored for the following instruments: * 3
flute The flute is a family of classical music instrument in the woodwind group. Like all woodwinds, flutes are aerophones, meaning they make sound by vibrating a column of air. However, unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is a reedles ...
s (one doubles
piccolo The piccolo ( ; Italian for 'small') is a half-size flute and a member of the woodwind family of musical instruments. Sometimes referred to as a "baby flute" the modern piccolo has similar fingerings as the standard transverse flute, but the s ...
), 2
oboe The oboe ( ) is a type of double reed woodwind instrument. Oboes are usually made of wood, but may also be made of synthetic materials, such as plastic, resin, or hybrid composites. The most common oboe plays in the treble or soprano range. ...
s, 2
clarinet The clarinet is a musical instrument in the woodwind family. The instrument has a nearly cylindrical bore and a flared bell, and uses a single reed to produce sound. Clarinets comprise a family of instruments of differing sizes and pitch ...
s, bass clarinet, 2
bassoon The bassoon is a woodwind instrument in the double reed family, which plays in the tenor and bass ranges. It is composed of six pieces, and is usually made of wood. It is known for its distinctive tone color, wide range, versatility, and virtuos ...
s * 4 horns, 3
trumpet The trumpet is a brass instrument commonly used in classical and jazz ensembles. The trumpet group ranges from the piccolo trumpet—with the highest register in the brass family—to the bass trumpet, pitched one octave below the standard ...
s, 3
trombone The trombone (german: Posaune, Italian, French: ''trombone'') is a musical instrument in the brass family. As with all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player's vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate ...
s, bass tuba *
timpani Timpani (; ) or kettledrums (also informally called timps) are musical instruments in the percussion family. A type of drum categorised as a hemispherical drum, they consist of a membrane called a head stretched over a large bowl traditionall ...
,
bass drum The bass drum is a large drum that produces a note of low definite or indefinite pitch. The instrument is typically cylindrical, with the drum's diameter much greater than the drum's depth, with a struck head at both ends of the cylinder. Th ...
, cymbals,
triangle A triangle is a polygon with three edges and three vertices. It is one of the basic shapes in geometry. A triangle with vertices ''A'', ''B'', and ''C'' is denoted \triangle ABC. In Euclidean geometry, any three points, when non- colline ...
,
tambourine The tambourine is a musical instrument in the percussion family consisting of a frame, often of wood or plastic, with pairs of small metal jingles, called " zills". Classically the term tambourine denotes an instrument with a drumhead, tho ...
, castanets * harp * 1st and 2nd
violin The violin, sometimes known as a '' fiddle'', is a wooden chordophone ( string instrument) in the violin family. Most violins have a hollow wooden body. It is the smallest and thus highest-pitched instrument ( soprano) in the family in regu ...
s,
viola ; german: Bratsche , alt=Viola shown from the front and the side , image=Bratsche.jpg , caption= , background=string , hornbostel_sachs=321.322-71 , hornbostel_sachs_desc=Composite chordophone sounded by a bow , range= , related= *Violin family ...
s, violoncellos, and
double bass The double bass (), also known simply as the bass () (or #Terminology, by other names), is the largest and lowest-pitched Bow (music), bowed (or plucked) string instrument in the modern orchestra, symphony orchestra (excluding unorthodox addit ...
es ''off-stage'' *
cor anglais The cor anglais (, or original ; plural: ''cors anglais''), or English horn in North America, is a double-reed woodwind instrument in the oboe family. It is approximately one and a half times the length of an oboe, making it essentially an al ...
, 4
oboe The oboe ( ) is a type of double reed woodwind instrument. Oboes are usually made of wood, but may also be made of synthetic materials, such as plastic, resin, or hybrid composites. The most common oboe plays in the treble or soprano range. ...
s, 6
clarinet The clarinet is a musical instrument in the woodwind family. The instrument has a nearly cylindrical bore and a flared bell, and uses a single reed to produce sound. Clarinets comprise a family of instruments of differing sizes and pitch ...
s, 4
bassoon The bassoon is a woodwind instrument in the double reed family, which plays in the tenor and bass ranges. It is composed of six pieces, and is usually made of wood. It is known for its distinctive tone color, wide range, versatility, and virtuos ...
s, 12 horns, 12
trumpet The trumpet is a brass instrument commonly used in classical and jazz ensembles. The trumpet group ranges from the piccolo trumpet—with the highest register in the brass family—to the bass trumpet, pitched one octave below the standard ...
s, 4
trombone The trombone (german: Posaune, Italian, French: ''trombone'') is a musical instrument in the brass family. As with all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player's vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate ...
s,
snare drum The snare (or side drum) is a percussion instrument that produces a sharp staccato sound when the head is struck with a drum stick, due to the use of a series of stiff wires held under tension against the lower skin. Snare drums are often used ...
, cymbals,
tambourine The tambourine is a musical instrument in the percussion family consisting of a frame, often of wood or plastic, with pairs of small metal jingles, called " zills". Classically the term tambourine denotes an instrument with a drumhead, tho ...


Synopsis


Background

In Eisenach, Germany, in the early 13th century, the landgraves of the Thuringian Valley ruled the area of Germany around the Wartburg. They were great patrons of the arts, particularly music and poetry, holding contests between the Minnesingers at the Wartburg. Across the valley towered the Venusberg, in whose interior, according to legend, dwelt
Holda "Frau Holle" ( ; also known as "Mother Holle", "Mother Hulda" or "Old Mother Frost") is a German fairy tale collected by the Brothers Grimm in ''Children's and Household Tales'' in 1812 (KHM 24). It is of Aarne-Thompson type 480. Frau Holle (al ...
, the Goddess of Spring. In time, Holda became identified with
Venus Venus is the second planet from the Sun. It is sometimes called Earth's "sister" or "twin" planet as it is almost as large and has a similar composition. As an interior planet to Earth, Venus (like Mercury) appears in Earth's sky never f ...
, the pagan Goddess of Love, whose grotto was the home of
siren Siren or sirens may refer to: Common meanings * Siren (alarm), a loud acoustic alarm used to alert people to emergencies * Siren (mythology), an enchanting but dangerous monster in Greek mythology Places * Siren (town), Wisconsin * Siren, Wiscon ...
s and
nymph A nymph ( grc, νύμφη, nýmphē, el, script=Latn, nímfi, label=Modern Greek; , ) in ancient Greek folklore is a minor female nature deity. Different from Greek goddesses, nymphs are generally regarded as personifications of nature, are ...
s. It was said that the goddess would lure the Wartburg minnesinger-knights to her lair where her beauty would captivate them. The minnesinger-knight Heinrich von Ofterdingen, known as Tannhäuser, left the court of the Landgrave of Thuringia a year ago after a disagreement with his fellow knights. Since then he has been held as a willing captive through his love for Venus, in her grotto in the Venusberg.


Act I

The Venusberg, (the
Hörselberg Hörselberg is a former municipality in the Wartburgkreis district of Thuringia, Germany. Since 1 December 2007, it is part of the municipality Hörselberg-Hainich Hörselberg-Hainich is a municipality in the Wartburgkreis district of Thuringia ...
of " Frau Holda" in Thuringia, in the vicinity of Eisenach), and a valley between the Venusberg and Wartburg Overture The substantial overture commences with the theme of the 'Pilgrim's Chorus' from Act III, Scene 1, and also includes elements of the 'Venusberg' music from Act I, Scene 1. The overture is frequently performed as a separate item in orchestral concerts, the first such performance having been given by
Felix Mendelssohn Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (3 February 18094 November 1847), born and widely known as Felix Mendelssohn, was a German composer, pianist, organist and conductor of the early Romantic period. Mendelssohn's compositions include sym ...
conducting the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra in February 1846. Wagner later gave the opinion that perhaps it would be better to cut the overture at opera performances to the Pilgrim's Chorus alone – "the remainder – in the fortunate event of its being understood – is, as a prelude to the drama, too much; in the opposite event, too little." In the original, "Dresden" version, the overture comes to a traditional concert close (the version heard in concert performances). For the "Paris" version the music leads directly into the first scene, without pausing.


Scene 1

Wagner's stage directions state: "The stage represents the interior of the Venusberg...In the distant background is a bluish lake; in it one sees the bathing figures of
naiad In Greek mythology, the naiads (; grc-gre, ναϊάδες, naïádes) are a type of female spirit, or nymph, presiding over fountains, wells, springs, streams, brooks and other bodies of fresh water. They are distinct from river gods, who ...
s; on its elevated banks are sirens. In the extreme left foreground lies Venus bearing the head of the half kneeling Tannhäuser in her lap. The whole cave is illuminated by rosy light. – A group of dancing nymphs appears, joined gradually by members of loving couples from the cave. – A train of Bacchantes comes from the background in wild dance... – The ever-wilder dance answers as in echo the Chorus of Sirens": ''"Naht euch dem Strande"'' (''Come to the shore''). In the "Paris" version this orgiastic ballet is greatly extended.


Scene 2

Following the orgy of the ballet, Tannhäuser's desires are finally satiated, and he longs for freedom, spring and the sound of church bells. He takes up his harp and pays homage to the goddess in a passionate love song, ''"Dir töne Lob!"'' (''Let your praises be heard''), which he ends with an earnest plea to be allowed to depart, ''"Aus deinem Reiche, muss ich fliehn! O Königin! Göttin! Lass mich ziehn!"'' (''From your kingdom must I flee! O Queen! O Goddess, set me free''). Surprised, Venus offers him further charms, but eventually his repeated pleas arouse her fury and she curses his desire for salvation. (In the "Paris" version Venus's inveighing against Tannhäuser is significantly expanded). Eventually Tannhäuser declares: ''"Mein Heil ruht in Maria"'' (''My salvation rests in Mary''). These words break the unholy spell. Venus and the Venusberg disappear.


Scene 3

According to Wagner's stage directions, "Tannhäuser...finds himself a beautiful valley… To the left one sees the Hörselberg. To the right...a mountain path from the direction of the Wartburg ...; in the foreground, led to by a low promontory, an image of the Virgin Mary – From above left one hears the ringing of herder’s bells; on a high projection sits a young shepherd with pipes facing the valley". It is May. The shepherd sings an ode to the pagan goddess
Holda "Frau Holle" ( ; also known as "Mother Holle", "Mother Hulda" or "Old Mother Frost") is a German fairy tale collected by the Brothers Grimm in ''Children's and Household Tales'' in 1812 (KHM 24). It is of Aarne-Thompson type 480. Frau Holle (al ...
, ''"Frau Holda kam aus dem Berg hervor"'' (''Lady Holda, come forth from the hill''). A hymn ''"Zu dir wall ich, mein Jesus Christ"'' (''To thee I turn, my Jesus Christ'') can be heard, as Pilgrims are seen approaching from the Wartburg, and the shepherd stops playing. The pilgrims pass Tannhäuser as he stands motionless, and then, praising God, (''"Allmächt'ger, dir sei Preis!"'' (''Almighty God, to you be praise!'')) he sinks to his knees, overcome with gratitude. At that moment the sound of hunting-horns can be heard, drawing ever nearer.


Scene 4

The Landgrave's hunting party appears. The minnesingers (Wolfram, Walther, Biterolf, Reinmar, and Heinrich) recognise Tannhäuser, still deep in prayer, and greet him (''"Heinrich! Heinrich! Seh ich recht?"'' (''Heinrich! Heinrich! Do I see right?'')) cautiously, recalling past feuds. They question him about his recent whereabouts, to which he gives vague answers. The minnesingers urge Tannhäuser to rejoin them, which he declines until Wolfram mentions Elisabeth, the Landgrave's niece, ''"Bleib bei Elisabeth!"'' (''Stay, for Elisabeth!''). Tannhäuser is visibly moved, ''"Elisabeth! O Macht des Himmels, rufst du den süssen Namen mir?"'' (''Elisabeth! O might of heaven, do you cry out the sweet name to me?''). The minnesingers explain to Tannhäuser how he had enchanted Elisabeth, but when he had left she withdrew from their company and lost interest in music, expressing the hope that his return will also bring her back, ''"Auf's Neue leuchte uns ihr Stern!"'' (''Let her star once more shine upon us''). Tannhäuser begs them to lead him to her, ''"Zu ihr! Zu ihr!"'' (''To her! To her!''). The rest of the hunting party gathers, blowing horns.


Act II

The Minnesingers' Hall in the Wartburg castle Prelude to Act II


Scene 1

Elisabeth enters, joyfully. She sings, to the hall, of how she has been beset by sadness since Tannhäuser's departure but now lives in hope that his songs will revive both of them, ''"Dich, teure Halle, grüss ich wieder"'' (''Dear hall, I greet thee once again''). Wolfram leads Tannhäuser into the hall.


Scene 2

Tannhäuser flings himself at Elisabeth's feet. He exclaims ''"O Fürstin!"'' (''O Princess!''). At first, seemingly confused, she questions him about where he has been, which he avoids answering. She then greets him joyfully (''"Ich preise dieses Wunder aus meines Herzens Tiefe!"'' (''I praise this miracle from my heart's depths!'')), and they join in ''a duet, "Gepriesen sei die Stunde"'' (''Praise be to this hour''). Tannhäuser then leaves with Wolfram.


Scene 3

The Landgrave enters, and he and Elisabeth embrace. The Landgrave sings of his joy, ''"Dich treff ich hier in dieser Halle"'' (''Do I find you in this hall'') at her recovery and announces the upcoming song contest, at which she will preside, ''"dass du des Festes Fürstin seist"'' (''that you will be the Princess of the Festival'').


Scene 4 and ''Sängerkrieg'' (''Song Contest'')

Elisabeth and the Landgrave watch the guests arrive. The guests assemble greeting the Landgrave and singing ''"Freudig begrüssen wir edle Halle"'' (''With joy we greet the noble hall''), take their places in a semicircle, with Elisabeth and the Landgrave in the seats of honour in the foreground. The Landgrave announces the contest and the theme, which shall be ''"Könnt ihr der Liebe Wesen mir ergründen?"'' (''Can you explain the nature of Love?''), and that the prize will be whatever the winner asks of Elisabeth. The knights place their names in a cup from which Elisabeth draws the first singer, Wolfram. Wolfram sings a song of
courtly love Courtly love ( oc, fin'amor ; french: amour courtois ) was a medieval European literary conception of love that emphasized nobility and chivalry. Medieval literature is filled with examples of knights setting out on adventures and performing var ...
and is applauded, but Tannhäuser chides him for his lack of passion. There is consternation, and once again Elisabeth appears confused, torn between rapture and anxiety. Biterolf accuses him of blasphemy and speaks of ''"Frauenehr und hohe Tugend"'' (''women's virtue and honour''). The knights draw their swords as Tannhäuser mocks Biterolf, but the Landgrave intervenes to restore order. However, Tannhäuser, as if in a trance, rises to his feet and sings a song of ecstatic love to Venus, ''"Dir Göttin der Liebe, soll mein Lied ertönen"'' (''To thee, Goddess of Love, should my song resound''). There is general horror as it is realised he has been in the Venusberg; the women, apart from Elisabeth, flee. She appears pale and shocked, while the knights and the Landgrave gather together and condemn Tannhäuser to death. Only Elisabeth, shielding him with her body, saves him, ''"Haltet ein!"'' (''Stop!''). She states that God's will is that a sinner shall achieve salvation through atonement. Tannhäuser collapses as all hail Elisabeth as an angel, ''"Ein Engel stieg aus lichtem Äther"'' (''An angel rose out of the bright ether''). He promises to seek atonement, the Landgrave exiles him and orders him to join another younger band of pilgrims then assembling. All depart, crying ''"Nach Rom!"'' (''To Rome!'').


Act III

The valley of the Wartburg, in autumn. Elisabeth is kneeling, praying before the Virgin as Wolfram comes down the path and notices her Prelude to Act III - ''Tannhäusers Pilgerfahrt'' (''Tannhäusers Pilgrimage'')


Scene 1

Orchestral music describes the pilgrimage of Tannhäuser. It is evening. Wolfram muses on Elisabeth's sorrow during Tannhäuser's second absence, ''"Wohl wusst' ich hier sie im Gebet zu finden"'' (''I knew well I might find her here in prayer'') and her longing for the return of the pilgrims, and expresses concerns that he may not have been absolved. As he does so he hears a pilgrims' prayer in the distance, "''Beglückt darf nun dich, O Heimat, ich schauen''" (''Joyfully may I now you, O homeland, behold''). Elisabeth rises and she and Wolfram listen to the hymn, watching the pilgrims approach and pass by. She anxiously searches the procession, but in vain, realising sorrowfully he is not amongst them, "''Er kehret nicht züruck!''" (''He has not returned''). She again kneels with a prayer to the Virgin that appears to foretell her death, "''Allmächt'ge Jungfrau! Hör mein Flehen''" (''Almighty Virgin, hear my plea!''). On rising she sees Wolfram but motions him not to speak. He offers to escort her back to the Wartburg, but she again motions him to be still, and gestures that she is grateful for his devotion but her path leads to heaven. She slowly makes her way up the path alone.


Scene 2

Wolfram, left alone as darkness draws on and the stars appear, begins to play and sings a hymn to the evening star that also hints at Elisabeth's approaching death, ''"Wie Todesahnung Dämmrung deckt die Lande... O du mein holder Abendstern"'' (''Like a premonition of death the twilight shrouds the earth... O thou my fair evening star'').


Scene 3

It is now night. Tannhäuser appears, ragged, pale and haggard, walking feebly leaning on his staff. Wolfram suddenly recognises Tannhäuser and, startled, challenges him, since he is exiled. To Wolfram's horror, Tannhäuser explains he is once again seeking the company of Venus. Wolfram tries to restrain him, at the same time expressing compassion and begging him to tell the story of his pilgrimage. Tannhäuser urges Wolfram to listen to his story, ''"Nun denn, hör an! Du, Wolfram, du sollst es erfahren"'' (''Now then, listen! You, Wolfram, shall learn all that has passed''). Tannhäuser sings of his penitence and suffering, all the time thinking of Elisabeth's gesture and pain, ''"Inbrunst im Herzen, wie kein Büsser noch"'' (''With a flame in my heart, such as no penitent has known''). He explains how he reached Rome, and the ''"Heiligtumes Schwelle"'' (''Holy shrine''), and witnessed thousands of pilgrims being absolved. Finally he approaches ''"ihn, durch den sich Gott verkündigt"'' (''he, through whom God speaks'') and tells his story. However, rather than finding absolution, he is cursed, ''"bist nun ewig du verdammt!"'' (''you are forever damned!''), and is told by the pope that ''"Wie dieser Stab in meiner Hand, nie mehr sich schmückt mit frischem Grün, kann aus der Hölle heissem Brand, Erlösung nimmer dir erblühn!"'' (''As this staff in my hand, no more shall bear fresh leaves, from the hot fires of hell, salvation never shall bloom for thee''). Whereupon, absolutely crushed, he fled, seeking his former source of bliss. Having completed his tale, Tannhäuser calls out to Venus to take him back, ''"Zu dir, Frau Venus, kehr ich wieder"'' (''To you, Lady Venus, I return''). The two men struggle as a faint image of dancing becomes apparent. As Tannhäuser repeatedly calls on Venus, she suddenly appears and welcomes him back, ''"Willkommen, ungetreuer Mann!"'' (''Welcome, faithless man!''). As Venus continues to beckon, ''"Zu mir! Zu mir!"'' (''To me!, To me!''), in desperation, Wolfram suddenly remembers there is one word that can change Tannhäuser's heart, and exclaims ''"Elisabeth!"'' Tannhäuser, as if frozen in time, repeats the name. As he does so, torches are seen, and a funeral hymn is heard approaching, ''"Der Seele Heil, die nun entflohn"'' (''Hail, the soul that now is flown''). Wolfram realises it must be Elisabeth's body that is being borne, and that in her death lies Tannhäuser's redemption, ''"Heinrich, du bist erlöst!"'' (''Heinrich, you are saved''). Venus cries out, ''"Weh! Mir verloren"'' (''Alas! Lost to me!'') and vanishes with her kingdom. As dawn breaks the procession appears bearing Elisabeth's body on a bier. Wolfram beckons to them to set it down, and as Tannhäuser bends over the body uttering, ''"Heilige Elisabeth, bitte für mich!"'' (''Holy Elisabeth!, pray for me!'') he dies. As the growing light bathes the scene the younger pilgrims arrive bearing the pope's staff sprouting new leaves, and proclaiming a miracle, ''"Heil! Heil! Der Gnade Wunder Heil!"'' (''Hail!, Hail! To this miracle of grace, Hail!''). All then sing ''"Der Gnade Heil ist dem Büsser beschieden, er geht nun ein in der Seligen Frieden!"'' (''The Holy Grace of God is to the penitent given, who now enters into the joy of Heaven!'').


After Wagner


Productions

Wagner died in 1883. The first production of the opera at Wagner's Bayreuth Festspielhaus (originally constructed for the performance of his Ring Cycle), was undertaken under the supervision of Cosima Wagner in 1891, and adhered closely to the 'Vienna' version. Later performances at Bayreuth included one conducted by
Richard Strauss Richard Georg Strauss (; 11 June 1864 – 8 September 1949) was a German composer, conductor, pianist, and violinist. Considered a leading composer of the late Romantic and early modern eras, he has been described as a successor of Richard Wag ...
(1894), and one where the Bacchanal was choreographed by Isadora Duncan (1904). Duncan envisaged the Bacchanal as a fantasy of Tannhäuser's fevered brain, as Wagner had written to
Mathilde Wesendonck Agnes Mathilde Wesendonck (née Luckemeyer; 23 December 182831 August 1902) was a German poet and author. The words of five of her verses were the basis of Richard Wagner's '' Wesendonck Lieder''; the composer was infatuated with her, and his ...
in 1860.
Arturo Toscanini Arturo Toscanini (; ; March 25, 1867January 16, 1957) was an Italian conductor. He was one of the most acclaimed and influential musicians of the late 19th and early 20th century, renowned for his intensity, his perfectionism, his ear for orch ...
conducted the opera at Bayreuth in the 1930/31 season. In the words of the Wagner scholar Thomas S. Grey, "The Bacchanal remained a defining focus of many ...productions, as a proving ground for changing conceptions of the psychosexual symbolism of the Venusberg." Productions including those of
Götz Friedrich Götz Friedrich (4 August 1930 in Naumburg, Germany – 12 December 2000 in Berlin, Germany) was a German opera and theatre director. He was a student and assistant of Walter Felsenstein at the Komische Oper Berlin in (East) Berlin, where he ...
at Bayreuth (1972) and Otto Schenk at the Metropolitan Opera, New York, (1977) "routinely offer quantities of simulated copulation and post-coital langour, for which the Paris score offers ample encouragement". A Munich production (1994) included as part of Tannhäuser's fantasies "creatures out of Hieronymus Bosch crawl ngaround the oblivious protagonist". A production mounted in 2013 at the Deutsche Oper am Rhein, Düsseldorf, was withdrawn after angry protests and reports of distressed audience members seeking medical help. Directed by , the production incorporated characters dressed as Nazis; a realistic depiction of a death by shooting; and a setting within a Holocaust-era concentration camp. After the first night, the opera's run continued in the form of unstaged concert performances only.


Literature

Many scholars and writers on opera have advanced theories to explain the motives and behaviour of the characters, including Jungian psychoanalysis, in particular as regards Tannhäuser's apparently self-destructive behaviour. In 2014 an analysis suggested that his apparently inconsistent behaviour, when analysed by
game theory Game theory is the study of mathematical models of strategic interactions among rational agents. Myerson, Roger B. (1991). ''Game Theory: Analysis of Conflict,'' Harvard University Press, p.&nbs1 Chapter-preview links, ppvii–xi It has appli ...
, is actually consistent with a redemption strategy. Only by public disclosure can Tannhäuser force a resolution of his inner conflict.


Recordings


Notes


References


Citations


Sources

* * * * , in * , in * * * * , in * * * * * * * * * , in * * * * * * * *


Further reading

* , accessed 3 November 2015 *


External links


Richard Wagner – Tannhäuser
A gallery of historic postcards with motives from Richard Wagner's operas.
'Venusberg music' (finale) from "Tannhauser", Audio/Visual
* * Visual evidence of the Parisian premiere o
Gallica
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tannhauser (Opera) Operas 1845 operas Operas by Richard Wagner German-language operas Romantische Opern Germany in fiction Operas set in Germany Art works that caused riots Music controversies Opera controversies