Tristan and The Ring
Each Weeknight at 9pm, Join Evening Music and Terrance McKnight For a Week of Wagnerian Proportions
Monday, August 10, 2009
We speak of Wagnerian excesses, proportions and grandeur while knowing still little about his music. We brush against the timeless epics of his operas, Tristan und Isolde and The Ring Cylce, in countless ways of which we're probably never aware. The time for that has come to an end! With conductor Leon Botstein leading an ambitious Wagner and His World festival on consecutive weekends at Bard College, Evening Music will be airing its probing Tristan Mysteries series and the award-winning The Ring and I: The Passion, The Myth, The Mania hosted by Jad Abumrad all this week.
Keep reading for a 24/7 streaming audio and complete schedule of broadcasts / Every night at 9pm from Monday, August 10 through Friday, August 14.
The Mythic Mysteries
Monday / August 10, 2009
Many thought it was an indecent subject with corrosive music; others found it rocking their bodies, shaking their nerves, and keeping them up all night, crying, and standing "in wonder and terror." In this episode of The Tristan Mysteries, we examine the mythic power of Richard Wagner's Tristan und Isolde—with contributions from both sides of the aisle.
The Sonic Mysteries
Tuesday / August 11, 2009
What's that famous "Tristan Chord" all about, anyways? We hear from composer Danny Felsenfeld, who takes a look under the hood to reveal the power, beauty and "game" of Wagner's astonishing music—and illustrates how those few simple notes have become part of the musical collective unconscious.
The 5 Hour Mysteries
Wednesday / August 12, 2009
A lot of people are afraid to attend a five-hour opera. It sounds too long, too boring, and what if you fall asleep? Won't people think you're rude? As it turns out, lots of people fall asleep during Tristan, sometimes at the most inconvenient moments. Even opera star Ben Heppner once fell asleep during Tristan—while performing it, no less.
The Sexual Mysteries
Thursday / August 13, 2009
In this episode of The Tristan Mysteries, we investigate multiple instances where Tristan und Isolde has elicited more than just applause—and discover why Tristan may well have been the world's first pornographic opera.
The Ring and I: The Passion, The Myth, The Mania
Friday August 14, 2009
It might seem hyperbole to claim, as many Wagnerites do, that The Ring Cycle is "The Greatest Work of Art Ever." But the grandeur and power of this monumental work have permeated our culture from Star Wars to Bugs Bunny to J.R.R. Tolkien. Listen for commentary in this rollicking hour-long journey hosted by Jad Abumrad from critics Alex Ross and John Rockwell, playwright Tony Kushner, composer Howard Shore and many more.
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