Following Der fliegende Holländer, Tannhäuser, which premiered in 1845, is acclaimed as Richard Wagner’s second mature opera and, set in thirteenth century Germany, tells of the eponymous minstrel-knight. Feeling that the world does not understand his art as a singer, he has fled to Venusberg where he enjoys the love of Venus. After being there for a while, however, he becomes restless and longs for his former life, and especially Elisabeth who he left behind. A...