Five-Part Course: Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde
February 10, 2026 @ 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm
In the spring of 2026, the Metropolitan Opera will unveil a new production of Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde. Since its premiere in 1865, Tristan has exerted an overwhelming impact on audiences. After hearing Tristan for the first time, Bruno Walter wrote, “Wagner was my God, and I wanted to become his prophet.” To understand Wagner’s world of longing, night, and death, we explore Tristan in a variety of ways, starting with the sources, the creation of the libretto, and the genesis of the work. The primary focus of the course is on Wagner’s use of erotically-charged chromatic harmonies, an orchestral web of leitmotifs, and subtle orchestration to embody the inner, psychological world of his characters and the overall musical drama. The reception of this challenging work is studied, along with its extraordinary influence on later composers. We also consider approaches to staging Tristan, a work in which almost nothing happens on the stage. Classes are illustrated with a variety of recordings and videos demonstrating different interpretive approaches to the work by renowned artists.
This course is offered in collaboration with Juilliard Extension.
Five sessions: Tuesdays 6:00 – 7:30pm, February 3 – March 10, (no session March 3); in-person only
About the instructor: John J. H. Muller IV is professor emeritus in the Music Department at The Juilliard School and has given independent courses on Wagner and other composers. He presented the Society’s Bayreuth lecture series from 2010 to 2019.
Pricing: Regularly $280, 50% discount for WSNY members ($140) – see email for discount code