Richard Wagner - Tannhäuser 2 DVD 2006 / The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, Chorus and Ballet / Conducted by James Levine / Richard Cassilly, Eva Marton, Tatiana Troyanos, Bernd Weikl, John Macurdy / Directed for video by Brian Large

UPC 044007341711

REGION 0 NTSC DVD (All regions)

MADE IN THE EU

AUDIO: GERMAN 2.0, German 5.1

SUBTITLES: English, French, Spanish, Chinese

Total Runtime: 189 minutes

Tannhäuser (German: [ˈtanˌhɔʏ̯zɐ]; full title Tannhäuser und der Sängerkrieg auf Wartburg, "Tannhäuser and the Minnesingers' Contest at Wartburg"), is an 1845 opera in three acts, music and text by Richard Wagner, (WWV 70 in the catalogue of the composer's works) based on two German legends: Tannhäuser, the legendary medieval German Minnesänger and poet, and the tale of the Wartburg Song Contest. The story centers on the struggle between sacred and profane love, and redemption through love, a theme running through much of Wagner's mature work.

Wagner made a number of revisions of the opera throughout his life and was still unsatisfied with its format when he died. The most significant revision was made for the opera's premiere in Paris in 1861; the production there was however a failure, partly for political reasons.

The opera remains a staple of major opera house repertoire in the 21st century.