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Overview

Synopsis

Having been led astray by the goddess Venus, Tannhäuser is desperate to return to his beloved Elisabeth. He begs Venus to let him go, and she abandons him on a hillside near the Wartburg castle, a place he used to think of as home. As he hears the chants of a group of pilgrims, Tannhäuser considers joining them to repent of the sins he has committed by giving in to Venus� temptations, but his pious thoughts do not last long when he hears the call of the hunting horn. The local Landgrave and his men come across Tannhäuser on the hillside, and recognise him as their friend that went missing all those years ago. They recall that Elisabeth was beside herself when he did not return, and Tannhäuser rejoices at the name of his beloved.

A great tournament of song is held, like the ones in which Tannhäuser used to compete, and won Elisabeth’s heart. The men each sing of love, but Tannhäuser cannot listen to their insipid poetry: he has experienced love for real with Venus and their words pale in comparison. In his boasting, Tannhäuser goes too far. As soon as he reveals the truth about his where he has been, his fate is sealed. This is the greatest sin, and for this Tannhäuser must be executed. Summoning all her strength, Elisabeth stands up for him. She asks them instead to send him with the pilgrims to Rome where the Pope might decide if Tannhäuser’s sin can be forgiven.

Elisabeth waits patiently for the returning pilgrims, praying devoutly to a shrine on the path where they might return. But, when the pilgrims pass her and Tannhäuser is not among them, she prays only for death, walking up the mountain to meet her end. After she leaves, a broken and defeated Tannhäuser limps past, barely able to stand. He asked for forgiveness and did his penance, but the Pope himself told him that he was already destined for hell for his actions. As he searches for a way to return to Venus’s bower, a great light appears, and a funeral procession comes down from the mountain; Elisabeth has bought Tannhäuser’s pardon.

Show Information

Music
Richard Wagner
Libretto
Richard Wagner
Category
Opera
Age Guidance
Thirteen Plus (PG-13)
Number of Acts
3
First Produced
1845
Genres
Fairy Tale/Fantasy, Historical/Biographical, Tragedy
Settings
Period, Fantasy/Imaginary, Multiple Settings
Time & Place
Eisenach, Germany, early 13th century, medieval
Cast Size
medium
Orchestra Size
Large
Dancing
None
Licensor
None/royalty-free
Ideal For
Professional Opera, Star Vehicle Male, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Mature Adult, Adult, Young Adult, Elderly, Late Teen Characters, Medium Cast

Context


Plot


Characters

Name Part Size Gender Vocal Part

Heinrich Tannhäuser

Lead

Male

Tenor

Elisabeth

Lead

Female

Soprano

Walter von der Vogelweide

Supporting

Male

Tenor

Wolfram von Eschenbach

Supporting

Male

Baritone

Biterolf

Supporting

Male

Bass

Venus

Supporting

Female

Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano

Hermann

Supporting

Male

Bass

Young Shepherd (Hirt)

Featured

Either Gender

Soprano, Treble/Boy Soprano

Heinrich der Schreiber

Ensemble

Male

Tenor

Reinmar von Zweter

Ensemble

Male

Bass

Chorus

Ensemble

Either Gender

Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Tenor, Baritone, Bass, Contralto

Songs

Act One

Overture

Scene One - The Hill of Venus

  • 'Naht euch dem Strande!' - Sirens

Scene Two

  • 'Geliebter, sag! Wo weilt dein Sinn?' - Venus, Sirens
  • 'Dir töne Lob' - Tannhäuser, Venus
  • 'Dank deine Huld, gepriesen sei dein Leben!' - Tannhäuser, Venus
  • 'Geliebter! Komm, sieh dort die Grotte' - Venus, Sirens
  • 'Stets soll nur dir mein Lied ertönen' - Tannhäuser
  • 'Zieh hin, Wahnbetörter!' - Venus
  • 'Nein, mein Stolz soll dir den Jammer sparen' - Tannhäuser, Venus

Scene Three

  • 'Frau Holda kam aus dem Berg hervor' - Shepherd
  • 'Zu dir wall ich, mein Jesus Christ' - Pilgrims, Shepherd, Tannhäuser

Scene Four

  • 'Wer ist dort im brünstigem Gebet?' - Landgrave, Walter, Biterolf, Wolfram, Heinrich, Reinmar, Tannhäuser
  • 'Als du im kühnen Sange uns bestrittetst' - Wolfram, Walter, Heinrich, Biterolf, Reinmar, Tannhäuser, Landgrave

Act Two

Scene One

Scene Two

  • 'Dort ist sie, nahe dich ihr ungestört' - Wolfram, Tannhäuser, Elisabeth
  • 'Den Gott der Liebe sollst du preisen' - Tannhäuser, Elisabeth, Wolfram

Scene Three

  • 'Dich treff ich hier in dieser Halle' - Landgrave, Elisabeth

Scene Four - The Tournament of song (Der Sängerkrieg)

Entrance of the Guests (Einzug der Gäste)

  • 'Freudig begrüssen wir die edlen Halle' - Chorus, Pages
  • 'Gar viel und schön ward hier in dieser Halle' - Landgrave, Chorus
  • 'Blick ich umher in diesem edlen Kreise' - Wolfram, Chorus
  • 'Auch ich darf mich so glücklich nennen' - Tannhäuser
  • 'Den Bronnen, den uns Wolfram nannte' - Walter, Chorus
  • 'O Walter, der du also sangest' - Tannhäuser
  • 'Heraus zum Kampfe mit uns Allen' - Biterolf, Chorus, Tannhäuser, Landgrave
  • 'O Himmel! Laß dich jetzt erflehen!' - Wolfram, Tannhäuser
  • 'Ha! Der Verruchte!' - Wolfram, Walter, Heinrich, Biterolf, Reinmar, Landgrave, Chorus, Elisabeth
  • 'Der Unglückselge, den gefangen' - Elisabeth
  • 'Weh! Weh mir Unglückselger' - Tannhäuser, Landgrave, Walter, Heinrich, Wolfram, Biterolf, Reinmar, Elisabeth, Chorus
  • 'Ein furchtbares Verbrechen ward begangen' - Landgrave
  • 'Versammelt sind aus meinen Landen' - Landgrave, Walter, Heinrich, Wolfram, Biterolf, Reinmar, Elisabeth, Tannhäuser, Chorus

Act Three

Prelude - Tannhäuser’s Pilgrimage

Scene One

  • 'Wohl wußt' ich hier sie im Gebet zu finden' - Wolfram
  • 'Beglückt darf nun dich, o Heimat ich schauen' - Pilger, Elisabeth, Wolfram
  • 'Allmächt'ge Jungfrau! Hör mein Flechen!' - Elisabeth, Wolfram

Scene Two

Scene Three

  • 'Ich hörte Harfeschlag' - Tannhäuser, Wolfram
  • 'Innbrunst im Herzen' - Tannhäuser
  • 'Dahin zog's mich, wo ich der Wonn und Lust' - Tannhäuser, Wolfram
  • 'Willkommen, ungetreuer Mann!' - Venus, Tannhäuser, Wolfram, Walter, Heinrich, Biterolf, Reinmar, Landgrave
  • 'Heil! Heil! Der Gnade Wunder Heil!' - Pilger, Walter, Heinrich, Wolfram, Biterolf, Reinmar, Landgrave

A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.

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Scenes

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Guide Written By:

Wendy Silvester

Wendy Silvester

Singer and vocal coach based in the UK.