Program Notes, ©2013 Lori Newman

Program Notes

Richard Wagner                                                 Overture to Tannhäuser  (1845)
(Born 1813, Leipzig, Germany; died 1883, Venice, Italy)

The inspiration for Wagner’s opera Tannhäuser is that of an actual medieval singing contest held at Wartburg Castle in thirteenth-century Germany.  Wagner weaves a story of lust, love, and redemption around the character of Tannhäuser.  The opera begins on the mythical mountain of Venusberg, said to be home to Venus, the goddess of love.  The knight Tannhäuser has spent a year enjoying the lustful pleasures of Venusberg, but has decided to return to his former life and love.  Venus is reluctant to release him, so to escape he invokes the name of the Virgin Mary and is immediately returned to civilization, to a valley below Wartburg Castle.

Tannhäuser is passed by a group of pilgrims on their way to Rome.  Among the pilgrims is Tannhäuser’s old friend, Wolfram, who recognizes Tannhäuser and tells him how his former love, Elisabeth, has missed and grieved for him since his departure to Venusberg.  Wolfram convinces Tannhäuser to go to Wartburg and rejoin Elisabeth, and to take part in the upcoming singing competition.  Tannhäuser agrees, and is soon reunited with Elisabeth and the couple reaffirms their love for one another.  Their joy is short-lived due to Tannhäuser’s ill-conceived song choice for the singing competition; he sings an ode to Venus and her lustful ways.  The ladies leave, horrified by the lascivious song, and the knights draw their swords on Tannhäuser, but Elisabeth protects him from their violent advances.

Somewhat ashamed, Tannhäuser agrees to join the pilgrims on their journey to Rome where he will seek redemption and atonement from the Pope.  He returns months later and tells Wolfram that the Pope has denied his bid for forgiveness.  The Pope has stated that someone being forgiven for living in Venusberg is about as likely as the Papal staff sprouting leaves.  Tannhäuser considers returning to Venusberg, until Wolfram speaks Elisabeth’s name, reminding Tannhäuser of his love for her.  Sadly, Elisabeth does not hear of Tannhäuser’s return and dies of grief while waiting for him.  Her coffin is carried past Tannhäuser, who upon seeing it, falls to his knees and dies.  The following morning, the pilgrims return from Rome carrying the Papal staff, which has suddenly sprouted leaves, marking Tannhäuser’s ultimate redemption.

The opera’s overture contains many of the most important themes from the opera, including the Pilgrims’ Chorus, written in the chorale style of J.S. Bach, highly chromatic music associated with the sensuous world of Venusberg, and Tannhäuser’s ode to Venus.

Tannhäuser premiered in Dresden, Germany in 1845 and was not the success Wagner had hoped for.  He began revisions to the opera immediately, which resulted in four versions, after further revisions, reduced to two versions:  the Dresden version and the Paris version.  The main difference between the two is the insertion of a ballet to fulfill the conventions of Parisian opera.   Tannhäuser was not successful in Paris either and Wagner continued to be tormented by its failure for the rest of his life.  Weeks before Wagner’s death, his wife Cosima, wrote in her diary that Wagner felt he “still owed Tannhäuser to the world.”