Carlos Kleiber Conducts Tristan und Isolde: Love Duet; Bayreuth (1976) [Improved Sound]

Carlos Kleiber, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra
(Recorded 30th July, 1976, Bayreuth Festival Theatre)

Tristan — Spas Wenkoff
King Marke — Karl Ridderbusch
Isolde — Catarina Ligendza
Kurwenal — Donald McIntyre
Melot — Herbert Steinbach
Brangäne — Yvonne Minton

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I have synchronised this well-known "Dirigentenkamera" footage with a superior audio source.

The original video(s) can be found here:
   • carlos kleiber tristan & isolde  

The complete performance can be found here:
   • Wagner; Tristan und Isolde; Carlos Kl...  

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The pianist Sviatoslav Richter, who attended one of Kleiber's performances at Bayreuth in 1976, wrote in his private notebooks:

"I fear that as long as I live I shall never hear another "Tristan" like this one. This was the real thing. Carlos Kleiber brought the music to a boiling point, and kept it there throughout the whole evening, unleashing an interminable ovation at the end. There's no doubt he's the greatest conductor of our day."

After the performance Richter sought him out backstage:

"He seemed rather depressed and displeased with himself. I told him what I thought and he suddenly leapt into the air with joy, like a child. "Also wirklich gut?" he asked ("So it was really good?"). Such a titan, and so unsure of himself."

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00:00​ — "O sink' hernieder, Nacht der Liebe"
05:58​ — "Einsam wachend in der Nacht"
08:37​ — "Lausch', Geliebter!"
15:43​ — "So starben wir, um ungetrennt"
23:07​ — "Rette dich, Tristan!"

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"Tristan und Isolde" ("Tristan and Isolde") is an opera in three acts by Richard Wagner, with a German libretto by the composer. The libretto is based on the medieval romance "Tristan" by Gottfried von Strassburg. It was first performed at the Royal Court and National Theatre in Munich on 10th June, 1865.