TANNHAUSER " Tannhauser," or " The Singer's Contest at the Wart burg," a grand romantic opera in three acts with text and music by Richard Wagner, was first presented at the Royal Opera, Dresden, Oct. 20, 1845.
Hermann, Landgrave of Thuringia.
Tannhauser.
Wolfram von Eschenbach.
Walter von der Vogelweide. minstrels.
Biterolf.
Heinrich der Schreiber. Belmar von Zweter.
Elisabeth, niece of the Landgrave.
Venus.
A young herdsman.
The Thuringian nobility.
Ladies, pages, old and young pilgrims, sirens, naiads, nymphs and bacchantes.
Holda, the Teutonic Venus, makes her abode in a cavern in the mountain Horselberg or Venusberg, where, surrounded by her train, the goddess holds her voluptuous court. She dwells thus near the haunts of men to be better able to lure them into slavery. Among her victims is Tannhauser, one of the most famous of the Thuringian minstrels, who has left the world above to bask in the fatal beauty of the goddess and to enjoy the lustful pleasures of her kingdom. We are afforded in the opera a glimpse of the outer fairness of this sensual monarchy. We see the grotto extending to interminable distances and bathed in rosy light. We behold the form of Venus stretched upon a couch, while Tannhauser reclines beside her, his head reposing in her lap. Lovers idle languidly, half tired of caresses; nymphs sway to voluptuous music; a procession of bacchantes reels through a drunken dance; by the lake are seen the gleaming figures of bathing naiads and from its distant surface floats the invitation of the sirens.
Amid such seductive scenes has the straying minstrel dwelt for many months. But the soul-destroying pleasures afforded by the high priestess of love have not yet brought forgetfulness and Tannhauser now remembers the life in the outer world with its simple but wholesome duties and pleasures. Especially does he recall the fairest and gentlest of maidens, who once thrilled to his songs in the musical tournament, — the Princess Elisabeth, niece of the Land grave.
At the beginning of the action, a longing to return to his own world has awakened in the breast of Tannhauser. Venus, vexed and disappointed to find her influence waning, breaks into impassioned arguments to prove his folly. But the man's human heart speaks conclusively: Alas, 'tis but the gods supernal Find joy and bliss in love eternal; My heart longs not alone for pleasure, Of grief, too, it must have its measure.
At last Venus overwhelms her dissatisfied guest with male dictions and hints that he already has remained too long with her to hope for salvation.
" I shall be saved by the Virgin's grace," he exclaims and at the sound of the holy name which has not crossed his lips for a year, Venus and her kingdom disappear.
Tannhauser finds himself in a quiet green valley near the Castle of the Wartburg, with the blue sky of heaven above him. There is a wayside shrine near by and, in place of bacchanal revels, there comes to his ears the tinkle of the bells of cows and the voice of a herdsman singing on a knoll. He hears in the distance the notes of a hymn issuing from the lips of a party of pilgrims as they move along the mountain path on their way to Rome. The vocal expression of their simple faith awakens in Tannhauser a sincere desire for repentance and forgiveness.
He sinks to his knees before the shrine and is dis covered there by a hunting party, which includes the Land grave and the minstrels, Wolfram von Eschenbach being among the latter. They urge their old comrade to return to the Wartburg. Feeling himself now alien and oppressed by a sense of remorse, he refuses, until the noble Wolfram, who himself loves Elisabeth, speaks her name and tells him that since his disappearance she has grown wan and has sought only seclusion. Tannhauser, deeply moved, embraces his whilom associates and moves on with them to the Wart burg, led by the thought of again seeing Elisabeth.
The second act takes place in the hall of the minstrels in the Wartburg, whose threshold Elisabeth, who has learned of Tannhauser's return, crosses now for the first time in many months. Wolfram and Tannhauser enter and Tann hauser falls at the feet of the agitated princess, who tells him that he should not kneel in a hall which as a singer is his kingdom by right. So pure is her mind and spirit that the possibility that he can be touched with dishonor does not occur to her and she gladly exchanges with him a confession of love, while Wolfram in the background watches what can but mean the death of his own hopes. The knights and ladies assemble and the Landgrave announces as the theme of the song contest, " The nature and power of Love." He hints that the hand of the Princess Elisabeth shall be the prize, for he has fathomed her heart and remembers Tannhauser's former supremacy as a singer.