Tristan and Isolde WWV 90

Wilhelm Richard Wagner (1813–83) is arguably the most influential composer of the modern era, who revolutionized opera by not only writing both the libretto and music, but through his concept of a Gesamtkunstwerk or “total work of art”. He did this by synthesizing of various arts comprising not only music but poetry, drama, visual arts in dazzling stage productions and often found inspiration in Norse myths and Arthurian legends. Wagner’s creations distinguish themselves not only through their refinement and complexity but through their raw, powerful emotionality. He is a major figure in the history of Romanticism and his opera Tristan and Isolde is regarded as the dawn of modern music. That being said, Wagner lamented of the composition’s inadequacy and difficulties with staging the work caused him to believe in its inevitable failure.

Patronized by the King of Bavaria

Wagner eventually found a patron willing to provide the kind of generous support that the production required in King Ludwig II of Bavaria (1845–86), and it finally premiered in Munich on June 10th, 1865. It has enjoyed continuous popularity over the last 150 years. This is the original manuscript composed in Wagner’s own beautiful handwriting and stored under the shelf mark WWV 90 in the National Archives of the Richard Wagner Foundation in Bayreuth. The score is a witness to Wagner’s creative process, tracing the work in progress. The complete score is accompanied by an autographed document with the concerto from the end of the prelude as well as three sheets, which Wagner separated from the manuscript and used for sketches.