Tristan and Isolde - Premiere - Schedule, Program & Tickets
Tristan and Isolde - Premiere
Date:
Time:
Location:
01.11.2025 , Saturday
16:00
Deutsche Oper, Bismarckstraße 35, 10627 Berlin, Germany
Seating plan
A story in three acts
World premiere on June 10, 1865 in Munich
Premiere at the Grand Théâtre de Genève on September 16, 2024
Premiere at the Deutsche Oper Berlin on November 1, 2025
5 hours / Two intervals
In German with German and English surtitles
Introduction: 45 minutes before the performance in the right-hand foyer
Recommended for ages 16 and up
Richard Wagner described TRISTAN AND ISOLDE as a "story in three acts," thus marking the radical break that separates his seventh stage work from the great Romantic operas LOHENGRIN and TANNHÄUSER. At the same time, with this choice of words, Wagner also drew attention to the fact that in TRISTAN UND ISOLDE, his concern was no longer to stage opulent crowd scenes in the style of French grand opera, but rather to find a language for the inner turmoil of the characters. This inextricable complex of conscious and unconscious, which determines the fate of this pair of lovers, is the true theme of TRISTAN UND ISOLDE; its "plot" is a course whose course is determined by the poles of Eros and Thanatos. Revealing the characters' psychology while simultaneously maintaining scenic minimalism is also the hallmark of the work of Berlin director Michael Thalheimer. His acclaimed production of TRISTAN UND ISOLDE is a co-production with the Grand Théàtre de Gènève and was shown there in September 2024.
Musically, the new production at the Deutsche Oper Berlin joins a more than 100-year-old performance tradition shaped by great performers. This includes names such as Max Lorenz, René Kollo, and Peter Seiffert as Tristan, Caterina Ligendza, and Nina Stemme as Isolde, as well as conductors such as Ferenc Fricsay, Christian Thielemann, and Sir Donald Runnicles, who also conducted the last new production of the work under Sir Graham Vick. This time, the lovers will once again be portrayed by two of the leading Wagner interpreters of the younger generation: American tenor Clay Hilley and Norwegian soprano Elisabeth Teige.
Spotlight
It was certainly love at first sight: When Elisabeth Teige first appeared at the Deutsche Oper Berlin in 2017 as a last-minute stand-in in THE FLYING DUTCHMAN, the audience immediately embraced the young Norwegian. Here, we experienced a singer-actress who not only possessed the necessary charisma for the great Wagner roles, but also captivatingly embodied the unconditional devotion that characterizes these female roles. Teige is now sought after worldwide as one of the great Wagner interpreters, but has remained loyal to the Deutsche Oper Berlin, where she has also performed Elisabeth in TANNHÄUSER and Sieglinde in DIE WALKÜRE. She now continues a successful streak with Brünnhilde in SIEGFRIED and her first Wagner premiere role at the opera, Isolde.
Subject to change.
World premiere on June 10, 1865 in Munich
Premiere at the Grand Théâtre de Genève on September 16, 2024
Premiere at the Deutsche Oper Berlin on November 1, 2025
5 hours / Two intervals
In German with German and English surtitles
Introduction: 45 minutes before the performance in the right-hand foyer
Recommended for ages 16 and up
Richard Wagner described TRISTAN AND ISOLDE as a "story in three acts," thus marking the radical break that separates his seventh stage work from the great Romantic operas LOHENGRIN and TANNHÄUSER. At the same time, with this choice of words, Wagner also drew attention to the fact that in TRISTAN UND ISOLDE, his concern was no longer to stage opulent crowd scenes in the style of French grand opera, but rather to find a language for the inner turmoil of the characters. This inextricable complex of conscious and unconscious, which determines the fate of this pair of lovers, is the true theme of TRISTAN UND ISOLDE; its "plot" is a course whose course is determined by the poles of Eros and Thanatos. Revealing the characters' psychology while simultaneously maintaining scenic minimalism is also the hallmark of the work of Berlin director Michael Thalheimer. His acclaimed production of TRISTAN UND ISOLDE is a co-production with the Grand Théàtre de Gènève and was shown there in September 2024.
Musically, the new production at the Deutsche Oper Berlin joins a more than 100-year-old performance tradition shaped by great performers. This includes names such as Max Lorenz, René Kollo, and Peter Seiffert as Tristan, Caterina Ligendza, and Nina Stemme as Isolde, as well as conductors such as Ferenc Fricsay, Christian Thielemann, and Sir Donald Runnicles, who also conducted the last new production of the work under Sir Graham Vick. This time, the lovers will once again be portrayed by two of the leading Wagner interpreters of the younger generation: American tenor Clay Hilley and Norwegian soprano Elisabeth Teige.
Spotlight
It was certainly love at first sight: When Elisabeth Teige first appeared at the Deutsche Oper Berlin in 2017 as a last-minute stand-in in THE FLYING DUTCHMAN, the audience immediately embraced the young Norwegian. Here, we experienced a singer-actress who not only possessed the necessary charisma for the great Wagner roles, but also captivatingly embodied the unconditional devotion that characterizes these female roles. Teige is now sought after worldwide as one of the great Wagner interpreters, but has remained loyal to the Deutsche Oper Berlin, where she has also performed Elisabeth in TANNHÄUSER and Sieglinde in DIE WALKÜRE. She now continues a successful streak with Brünnhilde in SIEGFRIED and her first Wagner premiere role at the opera, Isolde.
Subject to change.