She directs Brangoena to mix a death-potion and invites him to drink with her, but without her knowledge Brangoena has prepared a love-potion, which inflames their passions beyond power of restraint.  Oblivious of the landing, the approach of the royal train, and all that is going on about them, they remain folded in mutual embrace.

The second act opens in Cornwall, in a garden which leads to Isolde’s chamber, she being already wedded to King Mark.  With Brangoena she is waiting for Tristan.  The King goes out upon a night hunt, and no sooner has he disappeared than Isolde gives the signal for his approach, while Brangoena goes to her station to watch.  The second scene is a most elaborate love-duet between the guilty pair, the two voices at first joining ("Bist du mein?  Hab’ich dich wieder?").  A passionate dialogue ensues, and then the two voices join again ("O sink’ hernieder, Nacht der Liebe").  After a brief dialogue Brangoena’s warning voice is heard.  Absorbed in each other, they pay no heed, and once more they join in the very ecstasy of passion, so far as it can be given musical form, in the finale of the duet, “O suesse Nacht!  Ew’ge Nacht!  Hehr erhabne Liebes-Nacht.”  The treachery of Sir Melot, Tristan’s pretended friend, betrays the lovers to the King.  Tristan offers no explanations, but touched by the King’s bitter reproaches provokes Sir Melot to combat and allows himself to be mortally wounded.

The third act opens in Brittany, whither Kurwenal, Tristan’s faithful henchman, has taken him.  A shepherd lad watches from a neighboring height to announce the appearance of a vessel, for Kurwenal has sent for Isolde to heal his master’s wound.  At last the stirring strains of the shepherd’s pipe signal her coming.  In his delirious joy Tristan tears the bandages from his wounds, and has only strength enough left to call Isolde by name and die in her arms.  Now a second vessel is seen approaching, bearing King Mark and his men.  Thinking that his design is hostile, Kurwenal attempts to defend the castle, but is soon forced to yield, and dies at the feet of his master.  The King exclaims against his rashness, for since he had heard Brangoena’s story of the love-potion he had come to give his consent to the union of the lovers.  Isolde, transfigured with grief, sings her last farewell to her lover ("Mild und leise wie er laechelt"), and expires on his body.  The dying song is one of great beauty and pathos, and sadly recalls the passion of the duet in the second act, as Isolde’s mournful strains are accompanied in the orchestra by the sweetly melodious motives which had been heard in it, the interweaving of the two also suggesting that in death the lovers have been reunited.

THE MASTERSINGERS.

“Die Meistersinger von Nuernberg,” a comic opera in three acts, words by the composer, was first produced at Munich, June 21, 1868, under the direction of Hans von Buelow, with the following cast: