Rating: 
Summary: Masterful, Fantastic picture, good sound
Review: ...If you want the good old fashioned solid, helmet, breastplate, horns Wagner, this is not the DVD to buy.The picture quality of this anamorphically enhanced for 16x9 tv's dvd is very good. It has some minor motion artifacts, I assume this is due to a PAL NTSC (50Hz -> 60Hz ) conversion, and the fact that deinterlacing video sources is just extremely hard. It would have been nice to not have these, but why complain: this is by far the best looking opera DVD to date! I watched this on a 64" HDTV (Pioneer 710HD) with a progressive scan DVD player (Toshiba SD-9200) and it just blew me away. The sound is very good too. It's 5.1 Dolby digital, but seems to mastered from a dolby surround matrix encoded sound track. It has good spacial envelopment and sounds very good, for DVD standards, though not as good as a CD (example Bernstein's Tristan with Hildegard Behrens) Performance: Waltraut Meyer is (as expected) FENOMINAL! enough said. Kurt Moll SAME!, Mehta's orchestration is also beautifully done. The rest of the cast is defintely good to great, so we don't have any weaknesses there. As far as the 'optimistic' end. I don't see the problem here. One reviewer thought both Tristan & Isolde are still alive.... Excuse me?????? It is OBVIOUS, they are both DEAD. I have always interpreted Isolde's singing about Tristan waking up, as an indication she is dying herself. Her 'mild und leise' just brings shivers down my spine. Buy this set. Darken the room. Crank up the volume and enjoy.
Rating: 
Summary: Visually Ridiculous but a Delight for the Heart and Ears
Review: After the prelude (beautifully conducted by Zubin Mehta) the drama begins on a ship of no known vintage, earthly design or even any concept of anything that might float. The young seaman looks as if he stole his uniform from Little Lord Fauntleroy. The ravishing Waltraud Meier is first seen wearing a dress that belongs in "Bride of Bozo". Tristan shaves incessantly. This is just the beginning of the optical assault. The second act features a "torch" that looks like a dandelion after an overdose of steroids. The great love duet from Act II is played out on an ugly yellow couch that looks as if someone painted it. Act III begins with a slideshow that's supposed to be symbolic but feels meaningless. The only good thing is that it gives Tristan something to do besides shave. That's not to say this production should be avoided-it shouldn't be. The onslaught of visual weirdness aside, it's well acted, well played, well sung and the sound quality is good. As a conductor Mehta works for balance and feeling, something which serves the enormity and passion inherent in Wagner's works well. His orchestra is never too heavy or light in any area. His tempo is graceful but never too fast or slow. The cast is solid. Bernd Weikl and Marjana Lipovsek are solid in their roles as friends and confidantes to the cursed lovers. Kurt Moll brings warmth and compassion to each scene he's part of and Claes Ahnsjö is convincingly despicable as Melot. John Frederic West is an excellent actor and a decent singer. His voice isn't always quite strong enough for the role of Tristan. In the music's highest ranges his strain shows but he more than compensates with the intelligence he gives to the role and through the chemistry he shares with the production's Isolde, Waltraud Meier. The truth is that when these two play out their great love scene there's enough sparks between them for me to forget about the ugly couch. Waltraud Meier is an Isolde to marvel at! Her performance alone should make this DVD a "must have". As an actress she's fabulous. She doesn't waste movements or gestures but instead conveys meaning with each and every one. She's among the most acclaimed mezzo-sopranos of her generation and this performance shows why. Her range is phenomenal-there's not an instant where her voice shows a sign of strain (incredible given the demands of the music for Isolde). As all the great ones can she colors her voice with an infinite number of subtle and powerful shadings which give greater emotional depth to any area her voice touches. This may be what sets her so far beyond the rest. When the drama closes with Isolde's Liebestod she still sounds fresh, vibrant and alive. The Liebestod is one of those pieces of music good enough to warrant fame for its composer even if he or she hadn't written anything else of value. There are a lot of recordings of it but never enough good ones. This isn't just one of the good ones-it's one of the great ones.
Rating:
Summary: YELLOW SOFA TRISTAN
Review: Everything Peter Konwitschny does is at least controversial. So, is this Tristan. I think that Konwitschny's basic idea was to cleanse Tristan of its mythic quality and put the tragic into perspective. In act I, we have a transatlantic ship with Brangäne reclined on the deck reading a magazine and the cup where the love potion is is in fact a cocktail glass. More than that - in this production, we have the impression that Isolde and Tristan cannot wait to make love! Isolde uses the whole idea of making Tristan to see her before they arrive in Cornwall as an excuse and they don't really need to drink the potion.
Act II has a forest that looks like a Münch painting. Tristan arrives carrying a yellow flowery sofa and they sing the Liebesnacht carrying candles. Basically, everybody had a problem about Tristan arriving in the forest with a yellow sofa... and I guess that there was not a great idea behind all that - it seems he wanted things to look quite in a more "ordinary" perspective. I understood that Konwitschny clearly doesn't believe that Tristan and Isolde's relationship was merely spiritual and the reason why they are not so urgent in this duet would probably be that they are beyond this initial more physical stage (as shown in act I). Therefore, the yellow sofa to show a more "homely" atmosphere. I don't know if I agree with all that, but that's a different perspective. Act III seemed to be the most interesting to me. We have Tristan seeing some slides with images of a childhood he never had. Then, Isolde arrives and sees Tristan dies, but - for her - he doesn't die. They just leave the stage where the main action takes place. Then we have Brangäne braking a window to get in the room and lots of fighting between Kurwenal's men and Marke's men. I thought that the scene was well done and quite believable. To say the truth, even if some ideas are more than exaggerated or whimsical, Konwitschny knows how to direct actors and the jeu de rôle is really natural and convincing. Moreover in the case of the ladies, for they are naturally talented actresses. Waltraud Meier looks beautiful and acts with enormous conviction. She is simply magnetic even in close up. Marjana Lipovsek and her interact wonderfully and their scenes are always the best ones. Jon Frideric West, alas, is far from this level. I think that he was extremely well directed. Otherwise, he would have been really akward. Here, he's only unconvincing - until act III, for which he seemed to have been saving himself during the whole evening. Bernd Weikl and Kurt Moll are a bit old for their roles, however.
Musically, this is a 5-star performance. Waltraud Meier is not a natural Isolde - she's really a mezzo stretched up, but the tone is warm and she gives real weight to the text. With the help of image, she's perfect. Without it, she's still expressive, although the voice itself is not exceptional. Marjana Lipovsek is in fabulous voice and her pianissimi in act II are exquisite. Jon Frideric West has a metallic voice in the style of Vickers' (but really not in the Vickers standard...). He is functional in acts I and II, but gives it all in act III and sings with power and conviction. Moreover, he's one of the only guys these days who reaches the end of the opera alive... Bernd Weikl is not in his freshest anymore, but shows years of experience and the pleasing tone of his voice throughout. Kurt Moll's best days are definitely over - the voice is in the dry side and legato is more difficult, but he knows how to create a grand impression, especially in low notes. The Bavarian Opera Orchestra offers lush sound and is becomingly recorded. Mehta's conducting is very warm and romantic, but keeping the necessary clarity and theatrical relevance.
Rating: 
Summary: Perplexing production
Review: I found this production of Wagner's great music drama to be perplexing to the extreme. The direction is really obscure, and it does nothing to highlight the emotion of the drama or the subtleties of the plot. The staging is also unatmospheric and confusing. Meier is a good but slightly under-powered Isolde. West's Tristan is not on the same level, his singing often off-pitch and ugly. Lipvosek is miscast as Brangaene. The other roles are merely adequately taken. The orchestral playing is rather lifeless, too. A rather disappointing production.
Rating:
Summary: Wagner would roll in his grave!
Review: I have been all of my adult life involved in the production of Grand Opera and therefore am qualified to make this statement....
In regard to this production...BUY a CD instead....The whole scenic concept of Tristan is destroyed like an atomic bomb was dropped on it....To be very kind....For those of us, who have over the years, seen the romantic productions...This one is a waste of money and time....The works were written to fit within a time epoch...The music, Libretto, and the presentation were outlined by the composers as to production values as well as musical values ( especially this composer ), The set designer must be one of the young brats that wouldn't know romanticism if he were clobbered over the head with it...There's more to Opera than just singing and orchestra music... Here's good advice......Steer Clear of This Production if Eye Candy is as important to you as well sung portrayals of characters and good orchestral presentation....
Rating:
Summary: Intensly moving production.
Review: I have to say this is the first production of T&I I saw. The first act dissapointed me very much. I wasn't very happy with the cast either, espesially Jon West. This all faded away as soon as I saw act II, which moved me to tears: The yellow sofa, as if they were sitting in front of the tv. Waltraud's white dress with the red balls, I actually liked it in the second act. Jon West turned out to be a very sympathetic Tristan. And the candles scene took my breath away. I think the black clothing. revealed at the end of the act, and also the T&I stepping of the stage when K. Marke enters the scene are an incredible invention. At the end of Act III they do something similar. I had never percieved the true greatness of Waltraud Meier in the Daniel Barenboim recording, but now it came through laud and clear. She is, to me, the greatest Isolde ever. Better than Birgit Nilsson for Bohm or Martha Modl for Karajan. Offcourse it might also be the supurb quality of DVD video.
Rating:
Summary: fascinating production
Review: I loved it. This is not a traditional production, but, it's not modern, either. It is as if it's set in the end of the 19th century. I find the huge ship in the first act very impressive. It moves forward and backward to change the scenes and it suits the music dramatically. So much things happen on this vassal! Everyone acts convincingly, especially Isolde and Brangaene, maybe some will find West's approach as Tristan in this act a bit "different" than the usual, though, it makes all sense as the story goes on.
The second act is the most innovative of all. I thought the "controversial" sofa was alright. They are noble, they won't just sit down on the ground to spend limited time with each other in a hidden place! Here they sit on the sofa confortably and talk about love at ease. Tristan is a big and strong man, he can carry a sofa anywhere he wants. The scene with the candles is really moving. This scene was never better presented before. Waltraud Meier is especially beautiful in this act, and she is such a natural actress.
The third act is really great. West's acting/singing is stunning. I had no problem with the slide show on the wall as someone criticized before. The slides were already invented in the late 19th century, right? The pictures are nostalgically in sepia and they show the castle, Tristan's childhood and most importantly his pregnant mother. You see the closeup of her as Tristan sings about her dead mother. It's such a powerful moment.
The last scene is electrifying. Meir's interpretation of Mild und Leise is to die for, and her facial expression is something you won't forget. Stunning! The video is so clear and the sound is Dolby Digital 5.1, it's as if she is right in front of you singing this most beautiful song ever written in history.
Rating:
Summary: for the love of the work...
Review: i was very blessed to have seen this work live - in fact, the very performance here on DVD. Having hitherto never seen T&I before, i was a clean slate, i knew by beloved old teacher and mentor in opera-tickets strongly reacted against it, thought it to be trivializing... but then: epiphany and revelation. of the almost 50 operas i have seen live (not bad for a young chap), this would be the single most worthy event so far! Nevermind that the singing, save for J.F.West, who is trying his best, is the best in modern-day Wagner (Meier, perhaps the greatest Kundry of all times, makes Isolde her unlikely best role), with support from the great Moll(!), Weikl(!) and Lipovsek(!)). Mr. Konwitschny, not a young rebell rouser as some reviewers had suspected, but Germany's currently most respected Wagner-expert for the stagings, on par with David Alden, for sure, creates a wonderful, wonderful first act (immediately connecting, perhaps a little to 'cheap' upon digestion? - i still love it), a witty second act (which did not impress me when i saw it, but now i do appreciate it a bit more) and a SUBLIME third act. never have the EXACT feelings and intangible flavours of the setting been better and LESS obstrusively and intrusively been told, than in this production. Surprise? perhaps... but if one does not EXPECT a certain set, it is extremely subtle, because it is so effective. psychologically a masterpiece. Imagine the Castle of Tristan, kept together as best as the townspeople could, in honour of their beloved but long-gone king... and now he was returned to the existent, if slightly run-down home: over the corner you see the inside of a pale gray barren room. a window, underneath a heating unit and a bucket. language could not say more.
Tristan languishes, ill, in memories of his childhood: on a lazy-boy of sorts, reclined, in his right hand the button for the: SLIDE projector, projecting unto the wall: pictures of his childhood. Tristan with family dog at the sea, tristan with mother and aunt etc.... - brilliant underscoring the story-line in a meaningful way. it was a joy!
to be sure, the staging is subject to lively debate, my old professor who helped bring me to opera as much as anyone, for example, hates it. the first act features a white cruise-liner, isolde and brangaene are sipping cocktails on their yellow-white lined lounge chairs. tristan does not offer his sword later in that act, but, while shaving, places his shaving knive in her hand. purists might balk... but i found it missing nothing and supplying everything. but even if staging is secondary - and you don't mind the less than brilliant conducting by reliable zubin mehta, this set is worth getting for the voice of waltraud meier as isolde alone. it shan't be regretted. i'd even go so far as to say that to me this is the vision of wagner exactly: the perfect GESAMTKUNSTWERK.
Rating:
Summary: Meier's Transcendent Isolde
Review: My first reaction to viewing this remains the same: "Wow!"
Some will immediately be put off by Peter Konwitschny's production, but if you give it a chance, it works as complete musical theatre. (A few touches could've been left out, e.g., Tristan's face half covered in shaving cream for most of Act I.)
Act I finds Isolde and Brangane on the deck of a faux post-modernish luxury liner, Isolde distraught in a wedding gown and veil, Brangane reclining on a yellow and white chaise lounge sipping cocktails from frosted glass with a crazy straw. Somehow, it all makes sense.
Waltraud Meier is an Isolde of such intensity that I doubt the role has ever been more completely "felt" by any singer. We know this singer has some strain at the top of her voice yet, here, it serves to match the expressivity and intensity of her face and action. Thus, we are treated to an Isolde of such sensuality and grief, one who's entire body registers every note of rage, despair, revenge and longing. When
One of my favorite few seconds in all of opera is the closing of Act I from the moment Kurwenal belts out "Heil, Tristan" and the sailors are "heil"ing all over the place. Bernd Weikl's Kurwenal makes this moment one of the most magical musical highlights of this production. As Tristan and Isolde are separated, Tristan marches on to meet his King, as Brangane pushes her Mistress on, Meier's arm raises to shield her eyes from the vision of her new life. Musically and visually this is tremendous.
Jon Frederic West has some tough moments as Tristan, more often than not we find him barking and at times he looks and sounds like he's going to explode. Nonetheless, he gets most of the notes and at times, especially in the Act II Liebesnacht can sound lovely.
Act II is staged in a modernist rendition of a forest to which Tristan drags a bright yellow, flowered sofa(!) where most of the Liebesnacht is sung, each lover holding a burning candle in the palm of their hand. Some of the most beautifully sung music occurs here as Brangane sings her watch/warning. Marjana Lipovsek, who sounded a little strained in Act I, here is mindboggingly radiant as she pulls votive candles from her robe, lighting one from another and setting them about the stage. At the climax of the duet, Konwitschny has every stage light and house light come on in less time than it takes to blink and we realize the stage is filled with Marke's soldiers and the scheming Melot. It is an audible gasp inducing moment of theatre.
As Marke, Kurt Moll's famous resonant bass is breathtakingly secure, still firm and the man knows how to command a stage like few others. That voice is a miracle of sound combining power and beauty.
Act III is magnificently staged and acted, once you get past the dirty room, with a dirty white radiator, and large dirty French windows. We find Tristan slumped in an arm chair - everyone's entrances are made through a back door. Brangane appears at the window, but the loyal Kurwenal bars her entrance by locking the windows as soldiers come in and at the height of the musical frenzy Brangane violently smashes the windows and climbs into the room. Tristan and Isolde have fled the stage down the ever present central steps leading to a level below a false proscenium. Here they remain each on opposite sides of the stage as they slowly, despite the imploring of Marke and Brangane, pull the stage curtain closed, closing themselves off from the rest of the world. In front of the curtain, Meier begins perhaps the slowest Liebestode, maintaining the line impressively and builds it into an ecstatic, transcendent experience that mere words cannot begin to do justice to. The camera remains fixed on that glowing, expressive face and I felt as though Isolde was singing to me alone. At its conclusion Tristan and she smile and embrace as she slowly leads him into the darkness, his face beaming with love at her. As they disappear the curtain slowly opens and the opera's final image is of King Marke and Brangane standing beside two white tombs surrounded by white flowers; breathtaking causing my tear ducts to let loose. It is perhaps the most satisfying and strikingly beautiful ending I've seen to this great opera.
After the final curtain and the final notes have faded it is a full 10 seconds of complete silence before the house erupts into a frenzy.
Zuben Mehta conducts the Munich forces with control and restrained passion and the orchestra responds with playing of ravishing beauty. In particular the Act III prelude which is so gorgeously played I had to repeat it before continuing with the act.
Even the curtain calls here are thrilling, and after the final solo bow, for Meier, the curtain opens to reveal the orchestra who have magically appeared on the stage, as Mehta leads the entire orchestra en masse down to the footlights to the wild cheering of the crowd. It too is a magnificent moment.
This DVD probably is not for everyone but if you're one of those who can get past some of the small bizarre touches (admittedly, several of my friends could not), this Tristan will prove to be a profoundly moving experience.
p.
Rating:
Summary: An Intense,Transcendental Isolde
Review: Nothing offensive in this production,at most some
odd costumes,even to the most puristic wagnerian.
The candles idea on actII is very elegant instead of
to watch the performers at the floor,beneath a tree for
so much time.Slides on act III fit well on methaphysical
aspects of the Tristan's death.Due I'm a professional
musician,some West's inaccurate tunning troubles me.
Furthermore he is a feeble actor and insecure in "O
sink hernieder" but,above all problems,this is a very
high performance by Mehta and his orchestra,an astonishing
Isolde by Meier,even better that one under Barenboim.
Her "Liebestod"(only she on stage,close curtains back)
comes completely intense,transcendental and audience in
Munich gives an outstanding ovation to her.I think
Lipvosek' harsh voice suitable to shrew parts like Fricka
and the nursemaid in "Frau ohne Schatten" but I didn't
like her Brangaene here and with Barenboim in spite of
she is a fine actress.Moll sings Marke emotionaly;he
understand this complex character(just forget a lot of
foolishness relating his age).A jubilant Melot by Claes
Ahnsjo and maybe,some apathy over Weikl.Nearly impossible
is perfection in a live Wagner,nevertheless this team
was so near.
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