This influence, together with his discovery of the philosophy of Arthur Schopenhauer in October 1854, led Wagner to find himself in a "serious mood created by Schopenhauer, which was trying to find ecstatic expression. It was some such mood that inspired the conception of a Tristan und Isolde." [6] Upon being resurrected a second time, Isolde pitied at what Viego had become: an bitter obsession that ignored everything and everyone else, one that would not let go of what must be lost. On-line catalogue entry Tristan und Isolde DVD conducted by James Levine". Deutsche Grammophon . Retrieved 1 December 2010.

The re-discovery of medieval Germanic poetry, including Gottfried von Strassburg's version of Tristan [ de], the Nibelungenlied and Wolfram von Eschenbach's Parzival, left a large impact on the German Romantic movements during the mid-19th century. The story of Tristan and Isolde is a quintessential romance of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Several versions of the story exist, the earliest dating to the middle of the 12th century. Gottfried's version, part of the "courtly" branch of the legend, had a huge influence on later German literature. [4] Wagner would later describe his last days in Zurich as "a veritable Hell". Minna wrote to Mathilde before departing for Dresden: Fabinger, Carollina (2009). Tristano e Isotta. Una piccola storia sul destino e sull'amore eterno (illustrated version, in Italian). Milan: Nuages. ISBN 978-88-86178-90-7. So there I sat in the topmost gallery of the Berlin Opera House, and from the first sound of the cellos my heart contracted spasmodically.... Never before has my soul been deluged with such floods of sound and passion, never had my heart been consumed by such yearning and sublime bliss... A new epoch had begun: Wagner was my god, and I wanted to become his prophet. [36]Schott Aktuell Archived 14 May 2016 at the Portuguese Web Archive. January/February 2012, pp. 10–12, accessed 3 March 2012 Hubbard, Tom (1998). Isolde's Luve-Daith: Poems in Scots and English (Pamphlet Poets Series No.8ed.). Kirkcaldy: Akros. pp.3–7. ISBN 0-86142-095-0.

Wagner, Richard (1911). My Life ((2 volumes; authorized English translation)). New York: Dodd, Mead. ( Volume 1 and 2 at Google Books) Friedrich Nietzsche, who in his younger years was one of Wagner's staunchest allies, wrote that, for him, " Tristan and Isolde is the real opus metaphysicum of all art... insatiable and sweet craving for the secrets of night and death... it is overpowering in its simple grandeur". In a letter to his friend Erwin Rohde in October 1868, Nietzsche described his reaction to Tristan's prelude: "I simply cannot bring myself to remain critically aloof from this music; every nerve in me is atwitch, and it has been a long time since I had such a lasting sense of ecstasy as with this overture". Even after his break with Wagner, Nietzsche continued to consider Tristan a masterpiece: "Even now I am still in search of a work which exercises such a dangerous fascination, such a spine-tingling and blissful infinity as Tristan – I have sought in vain, in every art." [37]Tristan relapses and recalls that the shepherd's mournful tune is the same as was played when he was told of the deaths of his father and mother ("Muss ich dich so versteh'n, du alte, ernst Weise"). He rails once again against his desires and against the fateful love potion ("verflucht sei, furchtbarer Trank!") until, exhausted, he collapses in delirium. After his collapse, the shepherd is heard piping the arrival of Isolde's ship, and, as Kurwenal rushes to meet her, Tristan tears the bandages from his wounds in his excitement ("Hahei! Mein Blut, lustig nun fliesse!"). As Isolde arrives at his side, Tristan dies with her name on his lips. Clara Schumann wrote that Tristan und Isolde was "the most repugnant thing I have ever seen or heard in all my life". [33] San Francisco Symphony – Wagner: Prelude and Liebestod from Tristan und Isolde". San Francisco Symphony . Retrieved 31 October 2020. The score calls for a soprano, and Brangäne was sung by one in the original production; however, the role has been generally sung by a mezzo-soprano ( Jander, Steane & Forbes 1992, vol. 3, p. 372). Almost all available recordings feature a mezzo-soprano as Brangäne (see Tristan und Isolde discography). Isolde has arranged an assignation with Tristan while her husband is hunting. Brangäne warns Isolde that Melot, Tristan’s supposed friend, has laid a trap;