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Tristan und Isolde
It is truly regrettable that Birgit Nilsson and Jon Vickers did not perform Tristan und Isolde more often. That makes this recording, in pristine sound, an invaluable treasure, capturing the two in a passionate, hot-blooded performance.
Nilsson's singing may lack some of the crystalline clarity of her 1960s recordings, but the trade-off is a deeply vivid interpretation, particularly in the narration and curse, where her dramatic intensity is unmatched. Vickers' Tristan, however, is truly timeless and may well be my favorite. His Act III performance is almost unbearably gut-wrenching, brimming with raw emotion and evoking a profound sense of universal suffering.
They are joined by a superb cast, including Ruth Hesse as Brangäne, Hans Sotin as Marke, and even Anton Dermota lending his artistry as the sailor. Conductor Horst Stein brings extraordinary attention to the details of Wagner's score, revealing orchestral colors I've never heard before.
Track List
Act I
1. Vorspiel
2. Westwärts schweift der Blick
3. Frisch weht der Wind der Heimat zu
4. Hab acht, Tristan! Botschaft von Isolde.
5. Das sage sie der Frau Isold'!
6. Wie lachend sie mir Lieder singen
7. Welcher Wahn! Welch eitles Zürnen!
8. Auf! Auf! Ihr Frauen!
9. Nun leb wohl, Brangäne!
10. Herr Tristan trete nah!
11. War Morold dir so wert
12. Tristan!.. Isolde!.. Treuloser Holder!
2. Westwärts schweift der Blick
3. Frisch weht der Wind der Heimat zu
4. Hab acht, Tristan! Botschaft von Isolde.
5. Das sage sie der Frau Isold'!
6. Wie lachend sie mir Lieder singen
7. Welcher Wahn! Welch eitles Zürnen!
8. Auf! Auf! Ihr Frauen!
9. Nun leb wohl, Brangäne!
10. Herr Tristan trete nah!
11. War Morold dir so wert
12. Tristan!.. Isolde!.. Treuloser Holder!
Act II
13. Hörst du sie noch?
14. Isolde! Tristan! Geliebter!
15. O sink hernieder, Nacht der Liebe
16. Einsam wachend in der Nacht
17. Lausch, Geliebter!
18. Doch unsre Liebe, heisst sie nicht Tristan…
19. So starben wir, um ungetrennt
20. Tatest du's wirklich?
21. O König, das kann ich dir nicht sagen
22. Verräter! Ha! Zur Rache, König!
14. Isolde! Tristan! Geliebter!
15. O sink hernieder, Nacht der Liebe
16. Einsam wachend in der Nacht
17. Lausch, Geliebter!
18. Doch unsre Liebe, heisst sie nicht Tristan…
19. So starben wir, um ungetrennt
20. Tatest du's wirklich?
21. O König, das kann ich dir nicht sagen
22. Verräter! Ha! Zur Rache, König!
Act III
23. Vorspiel
24. Kurwenal! He! Sag, Kurwenal!
25. Die alte Weise; - was weckt sie mich?
26. Dünkt dich das?
27. Isolde kommt! Isolde naht!
28. Noch ist kein Schiff zu sehn!
29. Mein Herre! Tristan! Schrecklicher Zauber!
30. Und drauf Isolde, wie sie winkt
31. O Wonne! Freude!
32. O diese Sonne!
33. Ha! Ich bin's, ich bin's
34. Kurwenal! Hör'! Ein zweites Schiff.
35. Tot denn alles! Alles tot!
36. Mild und leise
24. Kurwenal! He! Sag, Kurwenal!
25. Die alte Weise; - was weckt sie mich?
26. Dünkt dich das?
27. Isolde kommt! Isolde naht!
28. Noch ist kein Schiff zu sehn!
29. Mein Herre! Tristan! Schrecklicher Zauber!
30. Und drauf Isolde, wie sie winkt
31. O Wonne! Freude!
32. O diese Sonne!
33. Ha! Ich bin's, ich bin's
34. Kurwenal! Hör'! Ein zweites Schiff.
35. Tot denn alles! Alles tot!
36. Mild und leise
Customer Reviews
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4.0
Based on 4 reviews
✓ Verified Buyer
United States
Nilsson and Vickers? Must have!
I have to admit, prior to discovering Opera Depot, I did not know of the conductor Horst Stein. I purchased one of the Ring Cycles with Stein conducting and loved the energy he brought to it. So when Opera Depot was having their Birgit Nilsson sale and I saw there was this recording with Birgit Nilsson, Jon Vickers, and Horst Stein there was no doubt I had to order it. I thought the sound was fantastic, my only issues were two very brief moments in I believe the first act and the final act where there was some odd sort of interruption to the sound. Neither instance lasted more than a second or two and these blips certainly did not distract me from the rest of the opera. How could it? Nilsson is one of my favorites and I am very happy with this recording.
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✓ Top Reviewer
David McKee
Whenever Birgit Nilsson and Jon Vickers teamed up for TRISTAN UND ISOLDE it was a special occasion and this Vienna State Opera production was no exception. Even the small parts are cast from strength, with Gerhard Stolze as the Shepherd and Anton Dermota's distinctive lyric tones launching the opera as the Shepherd. Horst Stein's impatient treatment of the Prelude makes one fear the worst but he soon settles into a collaborative spirit with the singers. Nilsson is, as ever, a force of nature and Vickers' highly personal Tristan is arguably the greatest (or one of the two greatest) of the 20th century. Ruth Hesse is a plain Brangaene and Hans-Gunther Noecker provides a spirited, rough-hewn Kurwenal. The biggest drawback, however, was file corruption on the final track of the first CD, ruining the finale to Act I. I've been so spoiled by first-rate productions from Opera Depot that this came as a severe disappointment.
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Joseph Brand
I am very disappointed with this issue. To my ears it is no more than a 3 star recording – the orchestra is fine but the singers are all at a distance and there are long stretches when they are almost inaudible. At no time do the voices stand out so it is very difficult to become engaged with the performance. By the time of the Liebestod it is clear that Nilsson is in very frail voice – unsteady tone, short phrases, extra breaths – sadly just a shadow of her former great self. Having seen both her (earlier in her career) and Vickers on stage as the greatest of Tristan’s this turned out to be a huge let down.
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Francesco
Non mi trovo d’accordo con l’amico audiofilo Joseph. No. Io ho sentito (ed incontrato a fine-concerto) la big-Birgit in estratti dal “Tristan und Isolde” qualche anno più avanti (1983) a Ferrara con l’Orch. Ater diretta da P.Maag nel centenario della morte di Wagner, ed è stata una rivelazione anche allora, così come lo è qui. Guardiamoci attorno e scoviamo un’Isolde migliore oggi, se ne siamo capaci. Questo è dunque un “Tristan und Isolde” a colori a tutti gli effetti, senza dimenticarci che a Wagner, quand’era a Venezia per comporre il II atto, piacevano assai gli effetti di lontananza creati dai gondolieri con le loro voci che si corrispondevano a distanza nella notte. Evviva OperaDEPOT! Grazie.(dr.Francesco Mosca, Cavarzere, Venezia, Italy).
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