Einsam wachend in der Nacht

Carlos Kleiber, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra
(Recorded 30th July, 1976, Bayreuth Festival Theatre)

Tristan — Spas Wenkoff
Isolde — Catarina Ligendza
Brangäne — Yvonne Minton
Kurwenal — Donald McIntyre
Marke — Karl Ridderbusch
Melot — Herbert Steinbach

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It turns out that this “Dirigentenkamera” footage, which has been around for a while now, is actually from the same performance that was broadcast by Bavarian Radio on 30th July, 1976. I have therefore taken the superior audio from the radio broadcast and synchronised it with the existing video from Youtube.

Original videos: Complete recording:
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The pianist Sviatoslav Richter, who attended one of Kleiber’s performances at Bayreuth in 1976, wrote in his private notebooks:

“I fear that as long as I live I shall never hear another “Tristan” like this one. This was the real thing. Carlos Kleiber brought the music to a boiling point, and kept it there throughout the whole evening, unleashing an interminable ovation at the end. There’s no doubt he’s the greatest conductor of our day.”

After the performance Richter sought him out backstage:

“He seemed rather depressed and displeased with himself. I told him what I thought and he suddenly leapt into the air with joy, like a child. “Also wirklich gut?” he asked (“So it was really good?”). Such a titan, and so unsure of himself.”

Kleiber would not allow anyone to watch his rehearsals. Reportedly, Pierre Boulez — who was conducting the Centenary Ring Cycle that year — would conceal himself backstage just to watch the black-and-white monitor feed of Kleiber working in the pit.

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ACT 2:

00:00​ — Scene 2: “O sink’ hernieder, Nacht der Liebe”
05:59​ — Scene 2: “Einsam wachend in der Nacht”
08:37​ — Scene 2: “Lausch’, Geliebter!”
13:14​ — Scene 2: “Doch uns’re Liebe”
15:43​ — Scene 2: “So starben wir, um ungetrennt”
20:07​ — Scene 2: “O ew’ge Nacht, süße Nacht!”
23:08​ — Scene 3: “Rette dich, Tristan!”

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Tristan und Isolde is an opera, or music drama, in three acts by Richard Wagner to a German libretto by the composer, based largely on the romance by Gottfried von Strassburg. It was composed between 1857 and 1859 and premiered in Munich on 10th June, 1865.