he ambassador of his uncle, her love changed to indignation
that he who had won her heart should dare to woo her for another. The
scene of the first act is laid on board the vessel which is conveying
her to Cornwall. She vows never to become the bride of Marke, and
opening a casket of magic vials, bids Brangaene, her attendant, pour one
which contains a deadly poison into a goblet. Then she summons Tristan
from his place at the helm, and bids him share the draught with her.
Tristan gladly obeys, for he loves Isolde passionately, and prefers
death to a life of hopeless yearning. But Brangaene has substituted a
love philtre for the poison, and the lovers, instead of the pangs of
death, feel themselves over-mastered by an irresistible wave of passion.
As the shouts of the sailors announce the arrival of the ship, Tristan
and Isolde meet in a long embrace.

The second act is practically one vast love duet. Isolde is waiting in
the castle garden, listening to the distant horns of the King's
hunting-party, and longing for the approach of night, when she may meet
her lover. In spite of the entreaties of Brangaene, she extinguishes the
torch which is to be the signal to Tristan, and soon she is in his arms.
In a tender embrace they sink down among the flowers of the garden,
murmuring their passion in strains of enchanting loveliness. Brangaene's
warning voice falls upon unheeding ears. The King, followed by his
attendants, rushes in, and overwhelmed with sorrow and shame, reproaches
his nephew for his treachery. Tristan can only answer by calling upon
Isolde to follow him to death, whereupon Melot, one of the King's men,
rushes forward, crying treason, and stabs him in the breast.

In the last act Tristan is lying wounded and unconscious in his castle
in Brittany, tended by Kurwenal, his faithful squire. He is roused by
the news of Isolde's approach, and as her ship comes in sight he rises
from his couch and in wild delirium tears the bandages from his wounds.
Isolde rushes in in time to receive his parting sigh. As she bends over
his lifeless body, another ship is seen approaching. It is the King,
come not to chide but to pardon. Kurwenal, however, does not know this,
and defends his master's castle with the last drop of his blood, dying
at last at Tristan's feet, while Isolde chants her death-song over the
fallen hero in strains of celestial loveliness.

'Tristan und Isolde' is the 'Romeo and Juliet' of music. Never has the