How did I live before this. How will I live after this.

I was listening to this on the subway and had to put my sunglasses on so no one would see my eyes watering and think I was a crazy person. What a perfect and moving performance of this already devastating piece of music. I can't!

So good she knows what's going on harmonically and she displays it through her character. She actually exhales as the last Tristan chord finally, after four hours, resolves.

I was like, damn this lady sings it as well as Waltraud Meier. Then I realized it was Waltraud Meier. LoL.

Wonderful. My dad passed away in 1993, this was his favourite piece of music, he loved listening to Kirsten Flagstad. The Furtwangler / Flagstad recording was my introduction to Wagner, I was hooked from that moment. My dad would have been blown away by Waltraud Meier.

Absolutely no one on earth sings this aria better than Waltraud Meier. What you just heard is as good as it gets, and that's perfection.

Still after all these years this final act still manages to make me cry. If I am driving and this comes on the radio, here come the tears! I usually only go the Wagner operas , took a bud of mine to see this ( he wanted to see what the big deal was about), asked him to store tissues in his pockets and sure enough, once Isolde starts that first note of this, here come the tears....But I looked over in the dark and there was a tiny tear in his face. He was floored by this whole opera. And like me he never missed a Wagner opera performance whenever it hits town.

"... wafting about me, ... clouds of heavenly fragrance? ... to expire in sweet perfume? ... in the vast wave of the world's breath, to drown, to sink unconscious -- supreme bliss!" HOW GRANDIOSE! HOW AWE-INSPIRING! HOW PASSIONATE! And yet HOW TENDER, all at the same time!! This is my first exposure to an operatic performance of this Wagner "passage"; usually I simply watch an orchestral performance of the piece. THIS IS BEING BOOKMARKED!!! I can hardly see the monitor thru my joyous tears to type this reply. WUNDERBAR!!! DANKE!!! With such a less-than-elaborate backdrop, beautiful in its simplicity!

14:11 - The feeling of complete peace and acceptance that life is over, and know matter how painful it was, it was beautiful.

Barenboim is a genius. His Wagner is so heartfelt, alive, emotional and I always understood why he loved to work with Waltraud Meier and her understanding of the necessity for a warm and touching tone Wagner needs.

Many cannot or will not listen to Wagner for obvious reasons, but once you are exposed to it such as this incredible piece you're hooked. You can't resist Wagner. You can try, but it won't work. Wagner's music reaches out into your very insides and pulls you in, into the "sturm und drang" and into the rapture.

My God these voices! They are incredible!

All the years of rock and roll, THIS is the only time police showed up at my house. Building a Triumph chopper back in the day, 3 AM, 85 degrees out, this opera blasting away. As an album side ended, I slid the trans cluster into the case, great timing. AHEM!!! Ooops... 'Morning Officer, I'll turn it down some...'. He smiles and says I have been to a lot of loud music complaints, but NEVER to an opera! what in hell are you listening to? Any more questions?

What a wonderful power voice! I thought only Jessy Norman's interpretation could give me goosebumps … but goodness me!

The most emotional love song which was ever written.

Lo vi en 1986 en Santiago d E chile en 1986. Inolvidable!!!!!

This piece never gets old. It is forever emotional and moving. It always brings me to tears.

Tristan und Isolde is for me the best opera ever. I love all of the music and the Liebestod (Death Song) is extremely moving, raw and emotional. I have heard many versions of it, including the great Birgit Nielson. This is now my favorite version. The lady singing is beyond compare! I would love to see this opera in person.

Incredible and awe inspiring. It gives me goose bumps every time I hear it.

I have never heard anything in my life more magnificent and enchanting than this opera and Ms. Meier's glorious voice. Brava and bravo.

There are no words adequate enough to do justice to this work of art.

I weep at the ending.. Amazing how music can move one person to such tears.. How hauntingly beautiful..

That resolution is absolutely shattering

Meier here does what Callas did in the Visconti Lucia mad scene. She shows that movement is not necessary if the voice has the true emotive power of the composer within its scope. Less is more is a great principle of architecture that should be applied more often to opera direction/production.

And after 3 hours of drama ans sexual lust and belonging, this musical GOD finally resolves that damn amazing cord at the end of the piece.. what a genius

One of the most glorious experiences in music ruined by the stupid placement of an ad right at the climax! if KZfaq thinks that this is going to make me shell out extra bucks to purchase their ad free version they've got it totally backwards.

If you like Wagner, don't miss this. Unbelievably controlled, resonant and beautiful.

Waltraud Meier ... fantastic! ...After many years attempting to get the tickets, this july I'll be in Bayreuth listening to this live!! Looking forward !!

Outstanding. It's a privilege to listen to this performance

TBH this is the first time my eye filled with tears for over ten years, this is overwhelming

Sublime musique , magistralement interprétée !!!! ..." Isoldes Liebesbestod " est incontestablement l'un des sommets de l'art lyrique !!!! Il y en a bien d'autres chez le génial maître de Bayreuth !!!! "

I hope that when I reach my 60s, I can show my grandchildren and remember my youth.

Took My breath away. Brought me to tears.

Thank you so much for sharing this great video

The ending in this piece is in the movie Shining through and it is so beautiful. People think I'm crazy for enjoying Opera!

Wunderbare Musik! Der Höhepunkt kommt bei 13:56, als die Bläser zu einer wunderbaren Melodie anheben, in welcher soviel Sehnsucht liegt und welche wie aus dem Jenseits klingt. Die Oper endet in einer wunderschönen, friedlichen Harmonie.

This always completely overwhelms me, just so beautiful.

A final resolution after...5 hours! Definitely worth the wait....

SUPERB Performance. Thank you!

I wait for it, I wait for it, I wait for it and then have a freakin' breakdown the last 5 minutes!!!!!

The sound quality is amazing. Thank you

The only music I've every listened to where I feel the need to smoke a cigarette after..:)

Sublime! Perfect! thanks for posting!

Tristan is one Himalaya among human artistic production and this 1995 team belongs to the very happy few who served it best, including Furtwangler, Kleiber and Bohm

Wagner was a genius

Definitely in the top 5 I've ever seen. Brava. Bravi.

supreme bliss! love ever radiant, laughing death! man did this guy know how to end a show!

God, that was phenomenal.

I can's stop playing it! Help!

Terrific - beyond words. The ultimate expression of pure being.

Truly a magnificent performance.

superb, extremely moving ♥

Amazing! thanks for posting this.

wow, i find myself speechless....BRAVO!!!!

Strong. Deep. Great singers. My eyes are watering. The final aria is better than everything was composed in pop music ever! It is a song made by an insane man!

Straordinario, magnifico, eccezionale!

This is an excellent production and portrayal of this thrilling apocolytic love scene. Wudershoen! Molto bene.

What a magnificent voice this lady has. Her voice is natural, sweet and almost girlish in its lack of pretence.

Takes my breath away and fills my lungs with angel dust. The nine muses were fully attendent on wagner from cradle to grave

La meilleure version de Tristan et Isolde pour toujours !

Chills everytime at 12:40

breathtaking, there ist no word more to say.

That resolution... LOVE

Tout simplement magnifique !

Wonderful and tear inducing

Beautiful. Almost otherworldly

Totally moved. I have had to say goodbye to a few loved ones over the years, and just today, I was visiting a beloved family member in hospice. The beautiful pure singing and the aria itself brought tears to my eyes.

Simply glorious.

Isolde’s Verklarung (‘Coming to Clarity’) AKA Liebestod by Wagner Mild und leise Mildly and gently, wie er lächelt, how he smiles, wie das Auge how the eye hold er öffnet ... he opens sweetly ... Seht ihr's, Freunde? Do you see it, friends? Seht ihr's nicht? Don’t you see it? Immer lichter Brighter and brighter wie er leuchtet, how he shines, stern-umstrahlet illuminated by stars hoch sich hebt? rises high? Seht ihr's nicht? Don’t you see it? Wie das Herz ihm How his heart mutig schwillt, boldly swells, voll und hehr fully and nobly im Busen ihm quillt? wells in his breast? Wie den Lippen, How from his lips wonnig mild, delightfully, mildly, süßer Atem sweet breath sanft entweht --- softly wafts --- Freunde! Seht! Friends! Look! Fühlt und seht. Don't you feel ihr's nicht? and see it? Hör ich nur Do I alone diese Weise, hear this melody, die so wundervoll which wonderfully und leise, and softly, Wonne klagend, lamenting delight, alles sagend, telling it all, mild versöhnend mildly reconciling aus ihm tönend, sounds out of him, in mich dringet, invades me, auf sich schwinget, swings upwards, hold erhallend sweetly resonating um mich klinget? rings around me? Heller schallend, Sounding more clearly, mich umwallend --- wafting around me --- Sind es Wellen Are these waves sanfter Lüfte? of soft airs? Sind es Wogen Are these billows wonniger Düfte? of delightful fragrances? Wie sie schwellen, How they swell, mich umrauschen, how they sigh around me, soll ich atmen, shall I breathe, soll ich lauschen? shall I listen? Soll ich schlürfen, Shall I drink, untertauchen? immerse? Süß in Düften Sweetly in fragrances mich verhauchen? melt away? In dem wogenden Schwall, In the billowing torrent, in dem tönenden Schall, in the resonating sound, in des Welt-Atems in the wafting universe wehendem All of the World-Breath ertrinken, drown, versinken --- be engulfed --- unbewußt --- unconscious --- höchste Lust! supreme delight!

Ojos rasados de lágrimas. Belleza plena. Poca más que decir ante la interpretación de Meier

Superb!

Waltraud Meier is in today's Wagnerian Opera world beyond compare. Kirsten Flagstad and Birgit Nilsson, watch out! Waltraud's interpretation is perhaps not as comparable in projection and volume as your own, but I find that her nuanced performance touches more deeply.

OMG! Unfathomably Beautiful.

If nothing else on KZfaq, then this alone! There in Bayreuth in 1999, and still here, the Will overcoming!

I became a mad Dutchman after viewing and hearing this performance. Danke schön.

This music touches the soul of my being. A musical/spiritual orgasm. God!

People who don't know the opera: Do I HAVE TO understand those confusing words? People who know the opera: CAN I understand those confusing words?

Incredible !

Breathtaking.

Holy Fuck... The greatest. I wanna die. Play this until my death.

Love conquers all, the only problem: Listening to this music is more fulfilling than any real love story.😆

wunderbar!!!!!

Bravo!

É maravilhoso! ouvir uma beleza dessa é sensacional! Bravos! !!!

Wonderful.

Goosebumps time.

i really like the audio quality here. don't know if meier is considered the best, but this one is my favorite

13:10...extreme chills, every time.

7:52 Isolde sings her gorgeous aria!

Beautiful

Nicht von dieser Welt ! Wunderschön !

We felt that relief, I am certain

... supreme bliss....

Impresionante.

I cried this time

Muy bueno Wagner la verdad... un capo este Rijardito

I like this greatly but it is anticlimactic to have no audience to respond at the end.

imagine being one the first audiences to hear this piece for the first time, 162 years ago, destroyed! I'm sure, in the very best way though :)

I always get goosebumps when I hear the Liebestod, so intense, so beautiful. BTW this the moment that the saying "It ain't over till the fat lady sings" is based on. Except Waltraud Meier is miscast in this respect, haha.

Shivers up and down my body. Wagner and Marijuana go together immensely well. ;)