| Richard Wagner's opera "Tristan And Isolde" | | | | his life but in to her very being through her own |
| begins with a wonderful overture. This being the | | | | eyes. Tristan's gaze coming with such adoration |
| case with most operas yet it is in this particular | | | | that she could not do away with him even though |
| opera in which Wagner makes special use of | | | | his life had been in her power. It being then that |
| motifs which define every character. As for the | | | | Isolde goes in to rage, as if reliving the moment |
| story itself, it is basically that of the Celtic legend | | | | again as she ponders how they loved each other |
| of "Tristan And Isolde" which in Wagner's story | | | | yet Tristan was now handing her over to his |
| begins on a ship that is transporting Isolde to King | | | | uncle which makes her feel like one who has been |
| Marke of Cornwall. Naturally as can be expected | | | | cheated and has played the fool. |
| Tristan is also on this ship as to protect the one | | | | For me, personally this act is one of the greatest |
| he has won for his king. | | | | ever created as it captures through Isolde and its |
| It however is as Isolde is traveling on this ship | | | | music the essence of this tragic love story. As |
| which she solemnly detests, as to wish it to sink | | | | one moment Isolde is as if falling in love again with |
| that she tells Brangane of how it came to be that | | | | Tristan in those fond tender memories yet only |
| she was betrayed by Tristan; the one she loved | | | | to return to the present which finds her on a ship |
| who ended up giving her away to his king. This as | | | | taking her to another man than the one she truly |
| if she were a prize to be done with as its victor | | | | desires. It is these precise changes in mood which |
| willed. Isolde, recants the tale most of us know of | | | | Isolde explains that range from bitter hatred of all, |
| Tristan, who first killed her beloved and then | | | | specially Tristan to those moments when she and |
| ended up in her care by some strange twist of | | | | he were living in their own world of adoration for |
| fate and how it was that she nursed back to | | | | the other that Wagner's music captures with so |
| health the one who was so near death. It | | | | much passion. As this in fact is the suffering |
| however being when Isolde found out that Tristan | | | | Isolde is under going as she explains all to her lady |
| was the man who had killed the one she loved | | | | in waiting, Brangane; while Wagner makes full use |
| that she opted to take revenge in his name by | | | | of all the drama this moment offers to add so |
| killing the one she had saved from death. Isolde | | | | much life to this traditional tale in what the great |
| however being unable to perform her deed of | | | | maestro himself dubbed "total art". It also being in |
| revenge as when she found herself holding a | | | | the opera "Tristan And Isolde" that Wagner |
| sword ready to avenge her loved one, she was | | | | composes music which is capable of standing on |
| met with the most tender eyes of love which | | | | its own and is for the most part considered the |
| gazed not at the hands eager to do away with | | | | first of his great works. |