Wagner: Tristan und Isolde (Bayreuth, 2015)

Festival director Katharina Wagner presents an interpretation of Tristan und Isolde at the 2015 Bayreuth Festival that is fascinating in its somberness. Wagner's granddaughter places the lovers in a threatening, monitored environment and in the fever dreams of the third act, Isolde appears to Tristan as surrealistic holograms. The title roles are cast with the inspiring singing actress Evelyn Herlitzius and Stephen Gould, one of the pivotal heroic tenors of our time. Christian Thielemann leads the musical direction. Der Spiegel awarded "full marks" for the pair's performance and attested to Thielemann's conducting a "meticulous[...] elegance that no one can probably top at present."

Soloists: 

Tansel Akzeybek (Tenor), Stephen Gould (Tenor), Evelyn Herlitzius (Soprano), Christa Mayer (Mezzo-Soprano), Raimund Nolte (Bass-Baritone), Iain Paterson (Bass-Baritone), Kay Stiefermann (Baritone), Georg Zeppenfeld (Bass)

Ensembles: 

Bayreuth Festival Chorus, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra

Conductor: 

Christian Thielemann