In the Venusberg by John Collier, 1901: a gilded setting that is distinctly Italian quattrocento for soft-core High Culture.

Tannhäuser in a figure in German legend and the title of an opera by Richard Wagner. Download high resolution version (490x700, 150 KB) This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Download high resolution version (490x700, 150 KB) This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Quattrocento is the shortened form of mille quattrocento (1400, XV centure), a term used in history of arts describing early Italian renaissance. ... The word culture comes from the Latin root colere (to inhabit, to cultivate, or to honor). ... Richard Wagner Wilhelm Richard Wagner (May 22, 1813 – February 13, 1883) was an influential German composer, music theorist, and essayist, primarily known for his groundbreaking symphonic-operas (or music dramas). His compositions are notable for their continuous contrapuntal texture, rich harmonies and orchestration, and elaborate use of leitmotifs: themes associated...

Legend

According to German legend, Tannhäuser was a knight and poet, who found the Venusburg, or subterranean home of Venus. He spent a year there worshipping Venus. Venus is the Roman goddess of love, equivalent to Greek Aphrodite and Etruscan Turan. ...

After leaving the Venusburg, Tannhäuser became filled with remorse. He travelled to Rome asking Pope Urban if it would be possible to be absolved of his sins. Urban replied that it was just as impossible for his papal staff to blossom. Three days after Tannhäuser returned to Vienna, Urban's staff supposedly bloomed with flowers. Pope Urban may refer to one of several people: Pope Urban I, 222/223 to 230 - a Saint Pope Urban II, 12 March 1088 to 29 July 1099 - the Blessed Pope Urban Pope Urban III, 25 November 1185 to 19 October 1187 Pope Urban IV, 29 August 1261 to 2...

Algernon Swinburne's poem Laus Veneris published in 1866 explores the destructive power of Venus' love: Algernon Charles Swinburne ( April 5, 1837 - April 10, 1909) was a Victorian era English poet. ...

'Her little chambers drip with flower-like red, ...

Her gateways smoke with fume of flowers and fire,

With loves burnt out and unassuaged desires

Between her lips the steam of them is sweet

The languor in her eyes of many lyres... ...

Her beds are full of perfumes and sad sound,

Her doors are made with music, and barred round

With sighing and with laughter and with tears,

With tears whereby strong souls of men are bound.'

Opera

The legend of Tannhäuser was made famous by Richard Wagner's three act opera. Text by the composer. The poet composer characterises this work not as an opera, but as a "drama". Premiered at the Semper Oper in Dresden, 1845. Richard Wagner Wilhelm Richard Wagner (May 22, 1813 – February 13, 1883) was an influential German composer, music theorist, and essayist, primarily known for his groundbreaking symphonic-operas (or music dramas). His compositions are notable for their continuous contrapuntal texture, rich harmonies and orchestration, and elaborate use of leitmotifs: themes associated... The foyer of Charles Garniers Opéra, Paris, opened 1875 Opera is an art form consisting of a dramatic stage performance set to music. ... Semper Oper in Dresden Semper Oper (or Semperoper or Dresden Royal Opera House or Dresden State Opera House) is an opera house in Dresden, Germany, and is one of the most famous in Europe. ... Brühls Terrace and the Frauenkirche Dresden [ˈdreːsdn̩] (Sorbian/Lusatian Drježdźany), the capital city of the German federal state of Saxony, is situated in a valley on the river Elbe. ... 1845 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ...

Plot

Place: Thuringia and the Wartburg.

Time: the thirteenth century.

The Free State of Thuringia (German Freistaat Thüringen) lies in central Germany and is among the smaller of the countrys sixteen Bundesländer (federal states), with an area of 16,200 sq. ... Wartburg in Eisenach Wartburg Castle is situated on a 1230-foot (410 m) precipitous hill to the southwest of and overlooking the town of Eisenach in Thuringia. ...

Act I

The Venusberg (the Hörselberg of "Frau Holda" in Thüringia, in the vicinity of Eisenach.) Tannhäuser is held there a willing captive through his love for Venus. The goddess has won the dreaming Tannhäuser by her fascinations. His head is pillowed in her lap. (Ballet scene; bacchanalian music.) Tannhäuser's desires are satiated, and he longs for freedom, spring and the sound of church bells. Once again he grasps his harp and pays homage to the goddess in a passionate song of love, which he ends with an earnest plea to be allowed to depart. When Venus again tries to charm him he declares: "My salvation rests in Mary, the mother of God." These words break the unholy spell. Venus and her attendants disappear, and he suddenly finds himself just below the Wartburg. It is springtime; a young shepherd sits upon a rock and pipes an ode to spring; pilgrims in procession pass Tannhäuser as he stands motionless, and stricken with remorse he sobbingly sinks to his knees. Thus he is found by the landgrave and his companions in the chase, Wolfram, Walter, Biterolf, Reimar and Heinrich. They joyfully welcome the sorely missed singer, who has fled from them because he was unsuccessful in the prize singing. He refuses to join them, but when Wolfram informs him that his song had gained for him the heart of Elizabeth, he follows the landgrave and the singers to the Wartburg.

Act II

The Wartburg in Eisenach

Hall of the Wartburg. Elizabeth has been living retired from the world since Tannhäuser's disappearance. When she hears of his return she joyfully agrees to be present at a prize contest of song, and enters the hail. Wolfram leads Tannhäuser to her; he loves her, but dares not tell her the evil he has done. The landgrave and Elizabeth receive the guests who assemble for the contest, the noblemen of the neighbourhood, who appear in rich attire. (March and chorus.) The landgrave announces the subject of the day to be "Love's Awakening." Elizabeth is to grant a wish to the victor whatever it may be. Wolfram begins; he declares that love is like a pure stream, which should never be troubled. Tannhäuser replies hotly that he finds the highest love only in the pleasure of the senses. The other singers uphold Wolfram. Tannhäuser replies to each separately, and at last in growing excitement he answers Wolfram with a love song to Venus, and declares that if the knights wish to know love as it is they should repair to the Venusberg. The women, with the exception of Elizabeth, leave the hall in horror, and the knights draw swords upon Tannhäuser. Elizabeth protects him, and since he expresses his penitence, the landgrave allows him to join a band of pilgrims bound for Rome, where he may perhaps obtain forgiveness from the pope. Download high resolution version (900x675, 112 KB)Wartburg in Eisenach File links The following pages link to this file: Martin Luther Tannhäuser Wartburg Castle Images of castles Categories: GFDL images ... Download high resolution version (900x675, 112 KB)Wartburg in Eisenach File links The following pages link to this file: Martin Luther Tannhäuser Wartburg Castle Images of castles Categories: GFDL images ... Wartburg in Eisenach Wartburg Castle is situated on a 1230-foot (410 m) precipitous hill to the southwest of and overlooking the town of Eisenach in Thuringia. ...

Act III

The valley of the Wartburg. An autumn scene. Orchestral music describes the pilgrimage of Tannhäuser. Elizabeth, accompanied by Wolfram, falls on her knees in prayer. She asks the returning pilgrims for news of Tannhäuser, but in vain. Once again she prays earnestly and returns broken-hearted to the Wartburg. Wolfram, who loves her with faithful devotion, has a presentiment of her death. (Wolfram: "Song to the evening star.") He sees before him a tottering pilgrim in torn garments. It is Tannhäuser, who in despair is seeking the path to the Venusberg. The pope has not forgiven him, but has cursed him irrevocably; he, therefore, calls for Venus, who appears and bids him welcome to her cavern. Wolfram points upward to a funeral procession, which now slowly descends the hill, carrying on a bier the corpse of Elizabeth. Tannhäuser throws himself upon the body, and dies with the words, "Holy Elizabeth, pray for me" upon his lips. The younger pilgrims enter and announce that the staff of Tannhäuser, which the pope had ordered to be erected as a token of his damnation, had sprouted with young leaves in sign of the forgiveness of God. (In 1875 Wagner made some changes in this opera, and in this form it was first produced at Vienna in November, 1875.)

Reference

Plot taken from The Opera Goer's Complete Guide by Leo Melitz, 1921 version.

Other

In the Japanese animation sci-fi series, Kidou Senshi Gundam SEED Destiny, or Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny, Tannhäuser is the name used to refer to powerful positron cannon deployed by the Zodiac Alliance of Freedom Treaty on their next-generation battleship, the Minerva. This cannon was developed in response to positron cannons used by the Earth Alliance which go by the name Lohengrin, a reference to another of Richard Wagner's operas. Title of the series Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny is the second TV series set in the Cosmic Era universe of Gundam. ... Lohengrin is a romantic opera in three acts by Richard Wagner. ...