Wagner: Tristan und Isolde (Rome Opera)

Composers: Wagner
Compositions: Tristan und Isolde
Performers: Andreas Schager t, Rachel Nicholls s,
Catalogue Number: C Major 752208 (2DVD)

With its static stretches of music Tristan und Isolde has always responded well to a minimalist approach. Pierre Audi’s Rome Opera staging, filmed here in 2016, harks back to Wieland Wagner’s post-WWII productions with Christof Hetzer’s monolithic sets suggesting rather than depicting. Audi makes the occasional odd choice (why are the potions lumps of rock? And does Kurwenal really need to knife Brangäne?) but while close camerawork misses elements one suspects are crucial to Audi’s vision, it’s well-thought through and meticulously acted,...