News and Features

What you thought of: Tristan und Isolde

Read a selection of press reviews and audience reactions for the Festival 2021 semi-staged production of Tristan und Isolde.

The curtain has now gone up on the festival 2021 semi-staged production of Tristan und Isolde.

Bound in marriage against her will, princess Isolde resolves to end her life along with that of her enemy, the knight Tristan. But when a love potion is substituted for poison, the two are drawn into an all-consuming, obsessive love affair that destroys everything – and everyone – in its unstoppable path.

Robin Ticciati conducts a semi-staged performance of Wagner’s great love story, with a full orchestra on stage.

Read what the audience and critics had to say about the performance.

Audience Reaction

To @Glyndebourne for an incandescent Tristan und Isolde. In floods of tears at the end of Act I ~ two long, barren years since I was last here. The music simply overwhelming pic.twitter.com/mPFvXsLkhe

— Peter Bradley (@PeterIntheswim) August 13, 2021

At Glyndebourne for a semi- staged performance of Tristan und Isolde. Well matched singers, most of whom were Wagner specialists new to Glyndebourne.The London Philharmonic Orchestra were on stage and played with great clarity under Robin Ticciati. pic.twitter.com/dRHdJxVbuT

— Cllr Peter Carpenter (@WestHillCllr) August 15, 2021

Lovely to be at @glyndebourne today with @RoseoftheSun101 for an absolutely brilliant Tristan und Isolde. #opera #wagner #glyndebourne pic.twitter.com/VbesmUyfZE

— Peter Dutton (@PeterDutton81) August 13, 2021

🎼Masks on for 5 hours but last night’s performance of #tristanandisolde @glyndebourne was absolutely worth it https://t.co/ROy8gmfzTw

— Patricia Davidson 🥳🍷🍇🍾 (@glamoursleuth1) August 14, 2021

What the critics are saying

‘As Tristan, Simon O’Neill was inexhaustible. He rose unflinchingly to the wild challenges of Tristan’s third act ravings’

– The Guardian

‘It’s hard to believe that Robin Ticciati is conducting his first complete Wagner opera, so thoroughly has he thought the piece through, and so impeccable a rapport does he achieve with his back to the singers.’

– The Times

‘Miina-Liisa Värelä, [was] one of the evening’s vocal revelations. She is matched by the characterful Brangäne of Karen Cargill, who allows panic and fury to colour her sound, as well as floating a mournful warning from the upper circle.’

– The Stage

‘the lighting work…is beautifully sympathetic to both score and libretto, giving as much weight here as a fuller staging.’

– Bachtrack

‘A wonderful final production for Glyndebourne’s 2021 season that has been blessed by a very serious concentration on the music and singing, as it should be.’

– The Article