‘Tristan und Isolde’, a Five-hours Long Trial by Fire

Tristan and Isolde. “I know of some, and have heard of many, who could not sleep after it, but cried the night away.” Mark Twain, after watching the performance.  He couldn’t be accused of being an overly sentimental person. French composer Emmanuel Chabrier heard it in Munich in 1880 and broke down during the prelude, sobbing […]