“Tannhäuser” by Richard Wagner ♡

Paperback libretto with side-by-side translation

Wagner’s tale of love, desire, and redemption — now in a precise German–English side-by-side format.

See on Amazon – $13.99 → 📄 Preview sample (PDF)

Premiere / date of written: 19 October 1845

“The Pilgrim's Choruses from Tannhäuser exude a certain ecstasy and the confidential effusive bliss of a feeling of remorse.” Franz Liszt

The first performance was given in the Royal Theater in Dresden on 19 October 1845.

Libretti

German–English side-by-side translation

#	Language	Authors
1	German	Richard Wagner
2	English

original libretto
line-by-line of the original libretto

History

• 1845 April 13 — The premiere of Wagner's "Tannhäuser" took place at the Königliches Hoftheater in Dresden.

Images

Printed Editions

Year	Edition	Publisher	Buy
2026	Tannhäuser: German–English Side-by-Side Opera Libretto	DM’s Opera Series

Audio recordings

Year	Cast	Conductor, Opera chorus and orchestra	Label, Comment	Buy
1954	Tannhäuser — Ramon Vinay, Elisabeth — Margaret Harshaw, Venus — Astrid Varnay, Wolfram — George London, Hermann Landgrave — Jerome Hines, Walther — Brian Sullivan	George Szell Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Chorus	Audio CD: Sony Classical, Cat: 886443900868
1955	Tannhäuser — Wolfgang Windgassen, Elisabeth — Gré Brouwenstijn, Venus — Herta Wilfert, Wolfram — Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Hermann Landgrave — Josef Greindl, Walther — Josef Traxel	André Cluytens Bayreuth Festival Orchestra and Chorus	Audio CD: Orfeo d'Or, Cat: C 643043D	$35.69
1960	Tannhäuser — Hans Hopf, Elisabeth — Elisabeth Grümmer, Venus — Marianne Schech, Wolfram — Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Hermann Landgrave — Gottlob Frick, Walther — Fritz Wunderlich	Franz Konwitschny Berlin State Opera Chorus and Orchestra	Audio CD: EMI, Cat: CMS 7 63214 2	$22.49
1962	Tannhäuser — Wolfgang Windgassen, Elisabeth — Anja Silja, Venus — Grace Bumbry, Wolfram — Eberhard Wächter, Hermann Landgrave — Josef Greindl, Walther — Gerhard Stolze	Wolfgang Sawallisch Bayreuth Festival Orchestra and Chorus	Audio CD: Philips, Cat: 434 607-2	$13.98
1970	Tannhäuser — René Kollo, Elisabeth — Helga Dernesch, Venus — Christa Ludwig, Wolfram — Victor Braun, Hermann Landgrave — Hans Sotin, Walther — Werner Hollweg	Sir Georg Solti Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Vienna State Opera Chorus	Audio CD: Decca, Cat: 470 810-2	$34.70
1988	Tannhäuser — Plácido Domingo, Elisabeth — Cheryl Studer, Venus — Agnes Baltsa, Wolfram — Andreas Schmidt, Hermann Landgrave — Matti Salminen, Walther — William Pell	Giuseppe Sinopoli Royal Opera House Covent Garden Chorus, Philharmonia Orchestra	Audio CD: Deutsche Grammophon, Cat: 427 625-2	$23.99
2001	Tannhäuser — Peter Seiffert, Elisabeth — Jane Eaglen, Venus — Waltraud Meier, Wolfram — Thomas Hampson, Hermann Landgrave — René Pape, Walther — Gunnar Gudbjörnsson	Daniel Barenboim Berlin Staatskapelle Orchestra, Berlin State Opera Chorus	Audio CD: Teldec, Cat: 8573 88064-2	$20.71

Video recordings

Year	Cast	Conductor, Opera chorus and orchestra, Director	Label, Comment	Buy
1978	Tannhäuser — Spas Wenkoff, Elisabeth — Dame Gwyneth Jones, Venus — Dame Gwyneth Jones, Wolfram — Bernd Weikl, Hermann Landgrave — Hans Sotin, Walther — Robert Schunk	Sir Colin Davis Choir and Orchestra of the Bayreuth Festival Götz Friedrich	Deutsche Grammophon Cat: 073 4446	$29.93
1982	Tannhäuser — Richard Cassilly, Elisabeth — Éva Marton, Venus — Tatiana Troyanos, Wolfram — Bernd Weikl, Hermann Landgrave — John Macurdy, Walther — Robert Nagy	James Levine New York Metropolitan Opera Chorus and Orchestra Otto Schenk	Deutsche Grammophon	$16.85

External links

• Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia