Glorious Tristan und Isolde at Longborough

This revival of Longborough's 2015 production of Wagner's great Romantic opera is well deserved, as it is inspired and succeeds in illuminating the work, as well as being profoundly moving and thrilling.

 Directed by Carmen Jacobi and conducted by devout Wagnerian Anthony Negus, it involves us in the drama more intensely than any other production I have ever attended. 

In the hugely demanding lead rôle of Isolde, Catherine Woodward [https://lfo.org.uk/profile/catharine-woodward] was powerful, passionate and moving, the golden threads of her voice quivering in anger, defiance, tenderness, despair, compassion and finally, triumph, as she willingly joins Tristan in death, the ultimate consummation of their love. The queenly dignity and sustained, expressive phrasing of her performance of that great Love-Death was superb. 

   She was well supported by Brangäne, sung by Catherine Carby, [https://lfo.org.uk/profile/catherine-carby] who brought a lot of insight to the rôle. The love-draught she administers only reveals the truth that was there already, the mutual passion that had existed ever since Isolde nursed Tristan and spared his life, in Ireland, before the story begins. Branganë ruefully says that she has only spared them for a slower ordeal, but the potion enables them to experience the rapturous union of Act II, when they secretly meet in King Mark's castle.

   As Tristan, Peter Wedd (https://lfo.org.uk/profile/peter-wedd) has almost everything we could hope for - a fine voice, a tall, lean, active figure, a commanding manner and plenty of acting ability. He took the rôle in both of Longborough's previous stagings of this opera, but while he is not at all bad looking, isn't he getting a little old for the part? He is meant to be King Mark's nephew, and it makes little sense for Isolde to rage against being taken by Tristan to be married to an old man, if Tristan has thinning white hair and looks as old as the king. I suggest he wears a wig or, if that impairs his singing, how about dying his hair light brown or blonde? 

   Never forget that there is an Œdipal dimension to this plot, as Tristan is his uncle's heir, standing almost in the place of a son, and when Isolde marries King Mark she becomes Tristan's step-mother, making their love all the more strictly forbidden. All this is lost if Tristan doesnt look young enough to be King Mark's son.

    The production completely transcends the limits of the relatively small stage at Longborough, by using backdrops that are symbolic and evocative, creating an imaginative space where the erotic psycho-drama can take place. The surtitles in English ensure that everybody can follow what is being sung and fully appreciate how perfectly the music expresses the meaning of every word.

   All who took part - the singers, including the chorus, the Longborough Festival Orchestra, and the production team - deserve the highest accolades.

   If I had my way, not only would this country give far more public money to the arts and a fat subsidy to Longborough Opera, but every school pupil of suitable age would be brought, at the expense of the Arts Council, to attend a performance of Tristan and Isolde. It is one of the very greatest (allow me to say, iconic) celebrations of Love in the fullest sense: erotic, spiritual, ideal, and glorious even when tragic, something that renders life meaningful and worthwhile. Having experienced it, Tristan and Isolde feel that they have lived to the full and therefore need not fear death, or "To drown in the surging tide of the cosmic breath"...

Cast

• Tristan

  Peter Wedd

• Isolde

  Catharine Woodward

• Brangane

  Catherine Carby

• Marke

  Alastair Miles

• Kurwenal

  Robert Hayward

• Melot

  Brian Smith Walters

• Shepherd

  Peter Bronder

• Sailor

  Tobias Campos (Emerging Artist)

• Helmsman

  Fraser Robinson (Emerging Artist)

Longborough Festival Opera website:- lfo.org.uk  Telephone 01451 830292.

Dress rehearsal photograph by Matthew Williams-Ellis.