THE ECSTASY OF TRISTAN AND ISOLDE

In Tristan and Isolde the Franz Welser-Möst talks about Tristan and Isolde, and 19th century’s Romantic era about finding meaning beyond everyday experience . . . reached its climax. Here, Q: Why is the opera Q: Can you talk about how you took the idea of Wagner wrote powerful Tristan and Isolde so ecstasy and created a festival? music of unending longing famous? Franz: Tristan and Isolde, as I have said, is an (and unresolved harmony) Franz: Wagner’s Tristan ecstatic piece. In the ending, in Isolde’s “Love- — of a doomed love that and Isolde is one of the Death” or Liebestod, this woman transcends her reaches its full potential only most important musical own existence and finds a deep understanding, milestones in history. of love and life, in death. For some people, through death. Renowned WELSER-MÖST And for many different ecstasy may be easier to understand through dramatic soprano Nina reasons, musically and the word “transcendence.” Both words have Stemme returns to even philosophically. At one and the same meanings beyond the usual — of “being outside time, it represents the ultimate high point of Cleveland to join a cast of yourself” in ecstasy, or of becoming “more than” musical Romanticism and the launch of modern or transcending beyond the normal. In planning internationally acclaimed music. In this score, Wagner broke apart the the season, and with Tristan and Isolde already singers, together with the harmonic tonal system to reveal something on the calendar, I kept coming back to this idea. I clarity and power of The new. With this opera, Wagner unleashed music became excited at thinking about how much other from the past and announced the start of our music there is that touches around these ideas, Cleveland Orchestra. modern world. of religious ecstasy, becoming one with god, of Fundamentally, for the orchestra and for the personal ecstasy, of coming to understanding and Cleveland audience, I believe that part of enlightenment. I think for many people, musical being a great orchestra includes playing and performances are often a channel to understanding If Beethoven marks experiencing certain pieces. Tristan and Isolde and transcendence, of being more than yourself is one of these. The experience of performing and at peace. And so I worked to develop a festival the start of the musical it — and of hearing it as an audience member — around this idea. Romantic era, which is surely changes your understanding of what music can Adding to Tristan and Isolde, which opens be. It is perfect for the Orchestra’s Centennial the festival, we have a performance of Olivier true, there can also be no season, as we explore how music literally makes Messiaen’s Turangalîla-Symphonie from 1949. This history and at the same time leaves the past is about ecstatic love and directly touches on and arguing that Wagner’s Tristan behind and takes us into the future. re-examines the story of Tristan and Isolde, but Audiences will come away having truly in a very different kind of musical language. It and Isolde represents the experienced a pinnacle in music — almost is like “new age” music, mixing instruments and like climbing Mount Everest in sound. It is sounds from different times and cultures, with ultimate high point of that breathtaking, perhaps literally, in the high many percussionists and solo piano and an early feeling, in the magnificent feelings that it offers. electronic instrument. This music is hypnotic, same Romanticism. In this pre-minimalist, and mesmerizing. There is a slow Q: Isn’t it just a story of star-crossed lovers who movement which portrays Tristan and Isolde’s love score, Wagner broke apart both die in the end? as a garden of delight, as a place of ecstatically Franz: Many operas end in death and tragedy. calming and energizing embrace. In a different the harmonic tonal system The great works provide insight into what movement, Messiaen portrays stars dancing in the it means to be human, to feel and learn and celestial heavens. Throughout all of it, Messiaen to create a sense of longing, grow. Wagner’s genius in Tristan and Isolde was creating a musical celebration of love and life. is in creating a musical language of desire, of The other concert centers on religious or spiritual a search for rest and peace unending longing. The music does not rest, ecstasy. Here we are featuring, of course, some the harmonic key does not find resolution. music by Bach, and by an earlier composer, and home, for the ultimate Even at the very end, when the opera stops, Giovanni Gabrieli. And also more modern works, the music is still unfinished harmonically fulfillment of love. With this including Arvo Pärt’s Magnificat. And organ music — continuing on forever. The philosopher by Franz Liszt, who studied to be a priest, and Friedrich Nietzsche said that Wagner’s music is opera, in so many ways, became a composer and great concert pianist — like a drug. And he was right. The characters and who loved women passionately. I think he want more, you want more. And you hold on Wagner unleashed music from was really someone who burned the candle of life for every phrase, looking for resolution. In a at both ends. He was so often trying new things way, Wagner portrays an emotional addiction, the past and announced the and working to expand the language of music. For a desire that cannot be satisfied except through this concert in particular, we explore music written understanding. And it is much more than start of our modern world. specifically around religious ecstasy, of music that physical, it is a mental state of coming together was created to extend and amplify spiritual or — of ecstasy and transcendence, of finding meditative feelings — of music as a means to lose —FRANZ WELSER-MÖ ST meaning and understanding in life. yourself, and to find your way. THE ECSTASY OF TRISTAN AND ISOLDE A two-week festival featuring Wagner's opera Tristan and Isolde. APRIL 21 -29

FESTIVAL PROGRAMS TRISTAN In a special two-week series of concerts revolving around performances of Wagner’s AND ISOLDE ultra-Romantic opera Tristan and Isolde, Franz Welser-Möst explores the depths and wonder of OPERA IN CONCERT ecstasy in a journey toward transcendence and understanding, through music, art, and belief. APR 21 | SAT 6:00 p.m. APR 26 | THU 6:00 p.m. TURANGALÎLA APR 29 | SUN 3:00 p.m. APR 25 | WED at 7:30 p.m. Franz Welser-Möst, conductor Franz Welser-Möst, conductor Jean-Yves Thibaudet, piano Gerhard Siegel, tenor (Tristan) Cynthia Millar, ondes martenot Nina Stemme, soprano (Isolde) MESSIAEN Turangalîla-Symphonie Okka von der Damerau, (for piano, ondes martenot, orchestra) mezzo-soprano (Brangäne) Sponsor: Squire Patton Boggs (US) LLP Ain Anger, bass (König Marke) Cleveland’s Own Series Alan Held, bass-baritone (Kurwenal) Sean Michael Plumb, baritone (Melot) Matthew Plenk, tenor DIVINE ECSTASY (Young Sailor and Shepherd) APR 28 | SAT 8:00 p.m. Men of the Cleveland Orchestra Chorus Franz Welser-Möst, conductor Vinay Parameswaran, conductor Lisa Wong, conductor WAGNER Tristan and Isolde (Opera in concert) lestyn Davies, countertenor Paul Jacobs, organ Sung in German, with English supertitles Cleveland Orchestra Chorus In Tristan and Isolde the 19th century’s Romantic era GABRIELI Canzon per Sonar Septimi Toni no. 2 GABRIELI Canzon per Sonar in Echo Duodecimi reached its climax. Here, Wagner wrote powerful PÄRT Magnificat music of unending longing (and unresolved GABRIELI O Magnum Mysterium KERNIS “I Cannot Dance, O Lord” harmony) — of a doomed love that reaches its full from Ecstatic Meditations potential only through death. Renowned dramatic GABRIELI Omnes gentes plaudite manibus soprano Nina Stemme returns to Cleveland to BACH Cantata No. 170 (“Vergnügte Ruh’, beliebte Seelenlust”) join a cast of internationally acclaimed singers, LISZT Fantasy and Fugue on the chorale together with the clarity and power of The “Ad nos, ad salutarem undam” (for solo organ) Cleveland Orchestra.

Sponsor: Jones Day SPECIAL FILM PRESENTATION MELANCHOLIA PERFORMANCE AND INTERMISSION SCHEDULES: APR 22 | SUN 6:30 p.m. THU & SAT The Cleveland Institute of Art Cinematheque 6 P.M. Act I Intermission Act II Intermission Act III For more information, go to: cia.edu/cinematheque 80 min 40 min 60 min 20 min 65 min

SUN 3 P.M. LEARNING OPPORTUNITY Act I Intermission Act II Intermission Act III 80 min 20 min 60 min 20 min 65 min CONCERT PREVIEWS

Light food options will be available from bars in Smith Lobby on the street level, APR 17 | 10 a.m. Cleveland Hts. — University Hts. Library in the Grand Foyer, Box Level, and Dress Circle Lobby. APR 17 | 1:15 p.m. Beachwood Branch of C.C. Public Library APR 18 | 1:15 p.m. Fairview Pk. Branch of C.C. Public Library APR 19 | 1:15 p.m. Orange Branch of C.C. Public Library CLEVELANDORCHESTRA.COM Learn about the history of Tristan and Isolde, discuss the life of Richard Wagner, and be guided through musical listening examples with Dr. Rose Breckenridge. Free! Offered as part of The Cleveland Orchestra Music Study Group program. For more information, go to: clevelandorchestra.com/operapreview