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Tristan And Isolda - Act I Scene 1 Lyrics by Richard Wagner

Tristan and Isolde

1865

A pavilion erected on the deck of a ship, richly hung with tapestry, quite closed in at back at first. A narrow hatchway at one side leads below into the cabin.
Scene I
ISOLDA on a couch, her face buried in the cushions.— BRANGÆNA holding open a curtain, looks over the side of the vessel.
THE VOICE OF A YOUNG SAILOR from above as if at the mast-head.
West-ward surges slip,
Eastward speeds the ship.
The wind so wild blows homeward now;
My Irish child, where waitest thou?
Say, must our sails be weighted,
Fill’d by thy sighs unbated?
Waft us, wind strong and wild!
Woe, ah, woe for my child!
O Irish maid!
My winsome, marvelous maid!
ISOLDA starting up suddenly.
What wight dares insult me?
She looks round in agitation.
Brangæna, ho!
Say, where sail we?
BRANGÆNA at the opening.
Bluish stripes are stretching along the west;
swiftly sails the ship to shore;
if restful the sea by eve,
we shall readily set foot on land.
ISOLDA
What land?
BRANGÆNA
Cornwall's verdant strand.
ISOLDA
Never more!
To-day nor to-morrow!
BRANGÆNA
What mean you, mistress? say!
She lets the curtain fall and hastens to ISOLDA.
ISOLDA with wild gaze
O fainthearted child,
false to thy fathers!
Ah, where, mother,
hast given thy might
that commands the wave and the tempest?
O subtle art
of sorcery,
for mere leech-craft followed too long!
Awake in me once more,
power of will!
Arise from thy hiding
within my breast!
Hark to my bidding,
fluttering breezes!
Arise and storm
in boisterous strife!
With furious rage
and hurricane's hurdle
waken the sea
from slumbering calm;
rouse up the deep
to its devilish deeds!
Shew it the prey
which gladly I proffer!
Let it shatter this too daring ship
and enshrine in ocean each shred!
And woe to the lives!
Their wavering death-sighs
I leave to ye, winds, as your lot.
BRANGÆNA in extreme alarm and concern for ISOLDA
Out, alas!
Ah, woe!
I've ever dreaded some ill!—
Isolda! mistress!
Heart of mine!
What secret dost thou hide?
Without a tear
thou'st quitted thy father and mother,
and scarce a word
of farewell to friends thou gavest;
leaving home thou stood'st,
how cold and still!
pale and speechless
on the way,
food rejecting,
rest of sleep,
stern and wretched,
wild, disturbed;
how it pains me
so to see thee!
Friends no more we seem,
being thus estranged.
Make me partner
in thy pain!
Tell me freely
all thy fears!
Lady, thou hearest,
sweetest and dearest;
if for true friend you take me,
your confidant O make me!
ISOLDA
Air! air!
or my heart will choke!
Open! open there wide!
BRANGÆNA hastily draws the centre curtains apart.
Credits
Richard Wagner

Richard Wagner

About “Tristan And Isolda - Act I Scene 1” by Richard Wagner

Read the complete lyrics to "Tristan And Isolda - Act I Scene 1" by Richard Wagner from the album "Tristan and Isolde" in 1865. On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Non-Music, Opera, Literature.

"Tristan And Isolda - Act I Scene 1" is performed by Richard Wagner. from the album "Tristan and Isolde" in 1865 This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "Tristan And Isolda - Act I Scene 1", explore more songs by Richard Wagner using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

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"Tristan And Isolda - Act I Scene 1" is credited to Richard Wagner. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Tristan And Isolda - Act I Scene 1" appears on "Tristan and Isolde" in 1865.

Visit the Richard Wagner artist page at /artist/richard-wagner for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.