Tristan und Isolde discography

Principal Selections

1948, Buenos Aires, public performance

Set Svanholm, Tristan
Ludwig Weber, King Marke
Kirsten Flagstad, Isolde
Hans Hotter, Kurwenal
Viorica Ursuleac, Brangäne
Roberto Maggiola, Shepherd
Colon Theatre Chorus and Orchestra,
Erich Kleiber

a. Act 1, Prelude and Scenes 1 to 3, ending with Isolde's "nun dien' ich dem Versallen" (33' 35")

b. Act 1, Scene 5 complete: that is, from "Herr Tristan trete nah" (Isolde) to the end of the Act, and applause (but with Kurwenal's words not sung) (25' 45")

c. Act 2, Scenes 1 and 2 complete: that is, from orchestral introduction to "höchste Liebes-Lust!" (Tristan, Isolde) (with a cut in the performance from "Dem Tage! Dem Tage!" (Tristan) to "dass nachtsichtig mein Auge wahres zu sehen tauge" (Tristan)) (30' 20")

d. Act 3, Scene 1: from Prelude to "Glückes und Ehren Tristan, mein Held, hehr ertrotzt!" (Kurwenal) (15' 08")

e. Act 3, Scenes 1 and 2: from "Sterbend lag ich stumm im Kahn" (Tristan) (with a cut in the performance from "Wie vom Herz zum Hirn er wütend mir drang!" to "Den furchtbaren Trank, der der Qual mich vertraut, ich selbst, ich selbst" (Tristan)) to Isolde's arrival and Tristan's death "Ha!" (Isolde) (16' 00")

f. Act 3, Scene 3: from "Todt denn Alles!" (King Marke) to the end of the Act, and applause (11' 16")

Recorded 13 August 1948 from a broadcast on Radio Municipal (LS1) of a performance given at the Colon Theatre, Buenos Aires

CD: Melodram MEL 25007 (2 CDs) (1989); Myto 3 CD 993.HO31 (3 CDs) (1999) (complete)

Extract from this performance:

Act 2, Scene 2: Love Duet, from "O sink hernieder" (Tristan, Isolde), including Brangäne's warning, complete
LP: in "Kirsten Flagstad Memorial Album - Tribute to her 80th Birthday": Rococo 5380 (3 LPs)
CD: in "Kirsten Flagstad Volume 3: Live performances 1948-1957": SIMAX PSC 1823 (3 CDs) (1995)

Note: The sound in these excerpts is variable, deteriorating in particular at e., and improving markedly at f. The booklet accompanying the discs gives no name for the singer of King Marke - it appears to be Ludwig Weber - and gives Umberto di Toto as the Steersman, whose lines are not included in the recording.