Wagner Tristan und Isolde

Glyndebournes celebrated production of Nikolaus Lehnhoffs Tristan und Isolde is a supremely intelligent achievement gravely beautiful haunting and meditative it is deeply reflective rather than visceral fortified by Roland Aeschlimanns stunningly effective set a womblike space through which the protagonists move like gods Conductor Jiří Bělohlávek mirrors Lehnhoffs approach in his sophisticated plumbing of the scores depths with every shift in texture carefully laid bare by an inspired London Philharmonic Orchestra Nina Stemmes Isolde and Robert Gambills Tristan both gloriously lyrical are matched by superb performances from René Pape as the betrayed and vulnerable King Marke and Bo Skovhus as Kurwenal deeply touching in his helpless devotion to Tristan This High Definition recording of a production of uncommon intimacy reveals the operas music and drama in a new light