Act One

A great feast is being celebrated in the Venusberg. The singer Tannhäuser, who has escaped

there from the confines of the Wartburg and the Landgrave Hermann’s circle, which is governed

by rigid conventions, abandons himself entirely to the exhilaration of sensual love. However, he

soon yearns to return to the real world, the changeable feelings and life of a mortal. Venus, who

accuses him of faithlessness, attempts in vain to calm his troubled spirit; Tannhäuser invokes the

Virgin Mary and thus wards off the goddess’s charms.

A shepherd boy extols the spring; his melody is drowned out by the song of pilgrims passing by

on their journey of penance to Rome. Tannhäuser is moved. Landgrave Hermann and his retinue

come across him. Since they parted in conflict, they approach him with suspicion. Wolfram, ho-

wever, recognises the desolate state of his former friend and invites him to return to the circle of

minstrels. Although the others join Wolfram in his request, Tannhäuser refuses. Only when Wol-

fram reminds him of Elisabeth, the Landgrave’s niece, and candidly describes how very much

she has suffered fromhis absence – although in love with her himself – does Tannhäuser reflect

on the past and insist on returning to the Wartburg.

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Act Two

Elisabeth and Tannhäuser see each other again for the first time after a lengthy period of se-

paration. Elisabeth reveals her deepest feelings to Tannhäuser: his songs have aroused a hit-

herto unknown longing within her. Declaring their mutual love, Elisabeth and Tannhäuser for-

get the world around them.

Knowing of his niece’s feelings for Tannhäuser, the Landgrave Hermann has announced a

special singing competition; the prospect of obtaining Elisabeth’s hand in marriage is the

prize. As a theme, he sets the minstrels the task of fathoming the essence of love.

Wolfram opens the competition with a hymn that exalts love as a purely spiritual value. Chal-

lenged by such a concept, which denies all sensuality, Tannhäuser, disregarding the ceremo-

nial procedure, opposes this unrealistic ideal with a provocative song about love involving

sensual pleasures. Walther von der Vogelweide calms the unsettled audience, but his de-

fence of lofty love garners nothing but ridicule from Tannhäuser. When the last performer, Bi-

terolf, attempts to impose the idea of moral decency on Tannhäuser, the latter feels provoked

and extols the sensual delights of Venus. Furthermore, he even confesses to having lingered

in her realm. The men throw themselves on Tannhäuser in order to kill him. At that moment,

Elisabeth, although deeply hurt by Tannhäuser’s outburst, rises in his defence and asks for

mercy: God alone is entitled to pass judgement over him.

The Landgrave pronounces sentence: Tannhäuser will be banished from society. However,

he is permitted to join the pilgrims about to set off for Rome to beg for absolution from the

Pope.

Act Three

Elisabeth’s life revolves around waiting for Tannhäuser’s return. Wolfram observes her anxio-

usly.

The pilgrims who have obtained absolution return from Rome. Tannhäuser is not among

them. Elisabeth asks the Virgin Mary to atone for him in his stead, and renounces life. Power-

less to dissuade her,Wolfram stays behind. Only in his singing does he find comfort. Another

pilgrim approaches: it is Tannhäuser. At Wolfram’s request he relates his harsh journey of

penance to Rome and the devastating judgement of the Pope, who declared that just as the

staff in his handwould never again be adornedwith fresh greenery, Tannhäuser would never

be able to attain redemption. Now Tannhäuser again wants to escape to Venus. To no avail

does Wolfram assure Tannhäuser that an angel has atoned on his behalf. Only when he men-

tions her name – Elisabeth – is Tannhäuser liberated from his delirium, but collapses, dead.

The Wartburg circle celebrates the miracle of the verdant staff over his corpse.

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