From Britten’s enchanted dreamscape, the Festival moves to the realm of overwhelming passion with a new production of Richard Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde. The premiere of this masterpiece - described by the Superintendent as a true “monument of European culture” - is scheduled for 20 May at 7 p.m., with further performances on 23 May at 3.30 p.m., 26 May at 7 p.m., and 29 May at 3.30 p.m On the podium is Alexander Soddy, winner of the 2025 Abbiati Prize for Best Conductor for his acclaimed direction of Macbeth at the Maggio in October 2025. The production is directed by Keith Warner. The all-star cast brings together some of today’s foremost Wagnerian singers, each with extensive experience in this repertoire, including Simon O’Neill, Anja Kampe, Okka von der Damerau, and Iain Paterson.

New staging

Synopsis

Act 1

Isolde, promised to King Marke in marriage, and her handmaid, Brangäne, are quartered aboard Marke's nephew Tristan's ship, being transported to Marke's lands in Cornwall. A young sailor sings of a "wild Irish maid" ("Westwärts schweift der Blick"), which Isolde construes as a mocking reference to herself. In a furious outburst, she wishes the seas to rise up and sink the ship, killing herself and all on board ("Erwache mir wieder, kühne Gewalt"). Her scorn and rage are directed particularly at Tristan, the knight responsible for taking her to Marke, and Isolde sends Brangäne to command Tristan to appear before her ("Befehlen liess' dem Eigenholde"). Tristan refuses the request, claiming that his place is at the helm. His henchman, Kurwenal, answers more brusquely, saying that Isolde is in no position to command Tristan and reminding Brangäne that Isolde's fiancé, Morold, was killed by Tristan ("Herr Morold zog zu Meere her").

Brangäne returns to Isolde to relate these events, and Isolde, in what is termed the "narrative and curse", sadly tells her of how, after Morold died, she happened upon a stranger who called himself Tantris. Tantris was found mortally wounded in a barge ("von einem Kahn, der klein und arm") and Isolde used her healing powers to restore him to health. But she discovered during Tantris's recovery that he was actually Tristan, Morold's murderer. Isolde attempted to kill Tristan with his own sword as he lay helpless before her, but he looked not at the sword or her hand but into her eyes ("Er sah' mir in die Augen"). His gaze pierced her heart and she was unable to slay him. Tristan was allowed to leave on the condition that he never return, but he came back with the intention to make Isolde King Marke's bride. Furious at Tristan's betrayal, Isolde insists that he drink atonement to her, and from her medicine chest produces a vial to make the drink. Brangäne is shocked to see that it is a lethal poison.

Kurwenal appears in the women's quarters ("Auf auf! Ihr Frauen!") and announces that the voyage is coming to an end. Isolde warns Kurwenal that she will not appear before Marke if Tristan does not come before her as she previously asked and drink atonement to her. When Tristan arrives, Isolde reproaches him for his conduct and tells him that he owes her his life and that his actions have undermined her honour, since she blessed Morold's weapons before battle and therefore swore revenge. Tristan first offers his sword but Isolde refuses, saying they must drink atonement. Brangäne brings in the potion that will seal their pardon; Tristan knows it may kill him, since he knows Isolde's magic powers ("Wohl kenn' ich Irlands Königin"). With the journey almost at its end, Tristan drinks and Isolde takes half the potion for herself. Instead of death, the potion brings relentless love ("Tristan!" "Isolde!"). Kurwenal, who announces King Marke's imminent arrival aboard, interrupts their rapture. Isolde asks Brangäne which potion she prepared and Brangäne replies, as the sailors hail Marke's arrival, that it was not poison; rather, she substituted a love potion to save Isolde and Tristan.

Act 2

King Marke leads a hunting party out into the night, leaving Isolde and Brangäne alone in the castle. A torch is burning at the open door of Isolde's apartments. Listening to the hunting horns, Isolde believes the hunting party is far enough away to warrant extinguishing the torch – the prearranged signal for Tristan to join her ("Nicht Hörnerschall tönt so hold"). Brangäne warns Isolde that Melot, one of Marke's knights, has seen the amorous looks Tristan and Isolde have exchanged and suspects their passion ("Ein Einz'ger war's, ich achtet' es wohl"). But Isolde believes Melot to be Tristan's most loyal friend and, in a frenzy of desire, extinguishes the flame. Brangäne retires to the ramparts to keep watch as Tristan arrives.

The lovers, at last alone and freed from the constraints of courtly life, declare their passion for each other. Tristan decries the realm of daylight as false and unreal, keeping them apart. Only at night, he claims, can they truly be together, and only in the long night of death can they be eternally united ("O sink' hernieder, Nacht der Liebe"). During their tryst, Brangäne repeatedly warns that the night is ending ("Einsam wachend in der Nacht"), but her cries fall upon deaf ears. The day breaks in on the lovers as Melot leads Marke and his men to find Tristan and Isolde in each other's arms. Marke is heartbroken, not only because of Tristan's betrayal but because Melot betrayed Tristan to Marke ("Mir – dies? Dies, Tristan – mir?").

Tristan says he cannot tell Marke why he betrayed him because Marke wouldn't understand. He turns to Isolde, who agrees to accompany him into the realm of night. Tristan further reveals that Melot has also fallen in love with Isolde. A fight ensues between Melot and Tristan, but at a critical moment, Tristan deliberately throws his sword aside, allowing Melot to stab him.

Act 3

Kurwenal has brought Tristan home to his castle at Kareol in Brittany. A shepherd pipes a mournful tune and asks whether Tristan is awake. Kurwenal replies that only Isolde's arrival can save Tristan, and the shepherd offers to keep watch and says he will pipe a joyful tune to mark the arrival of any ship. Tristan awakes ("Die alte Weise – was weckt sie mich?") and laments his fate – to be, once again, in the false realm of daylight, once more driven by unceasing unquenchable yearning ("Wo ich erwacht' weilt ich nicht"). Tristan's sorrow ends when Kurwenal tells him that Isolde is on her way. Overjoyed, Tristan asks whether her ship is in sight, but only a sorrowful tune from the shepherd's pipe is heard.

Tristan relapses and recalls that the shepherd's mournful tune is the one played when he was told of the deaths of his father and mother ("Muss ich dich so versteh'n, du alte, ernst Weise"). He rails once again against his desires and the love potion ("verflucht sei, furchtbarer Trank!") until, exhausted, he collapses in delirium. The shepherd is heard piping the arrival of Isolde's ship, and, as Kurwenal rushes to meet her, Tristan tears the bandages from his wounds in his excitement ("Hahei! Mein Blut, lustig nun fliesse!"). As Isolde arrives at his side, Tristan dies with her name on his lips.

Isolde collapses beside her deceased lover just as the appearance of another ship is announced. Kurwenal sees Melot, Marke, and Brangäne arriving ("Tod und Hölle! Alles zur Hand!") and believes they have come to kill Tristan. In an attempt to avenge him, he furiously attacks Melot. Marke tries to stop the fight to no avail. Both Melot and Kurwenal are killed in the fight. Marke and Brangäne finally reach Tristan and Isolde. Grieving over the body of his "truest friend" ("Tot denn alles!"), Marke explains that Brangäne told him about the love potion and that he has come not to part the lovers, but to unite them ("Warum Isolde, warum mir das?"). Isolde appears to wake at this and, in a final aria describing her vision of Tristan risen again (the "Liebestod", "love death"), dies ("Mild und leise wie er lächelt").