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 mythologized 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.

Librettist Richard Wagner (Based on the two German legends of Tannhäuser and the song contest at Wartburg.)
Date of composition 1845
Premiered 1845, October 19th in Dresden, Germany
Type Opera
Catalogue WWV 70
Approx. duration 200 minutes
Spoken language German
Instruments Voice (Bass) - Hermann Landgraf von Thüringen (Landgrave of Thuringia)
Voice (Tenor) - Tannhäuser (a Minnesinger)
Voice (Baritone) - Wolfram von Eschinbach (a Minnesinger)
Voice (Tenor) - Walther von der Vogelweide (a Minnesinger)
Voice (Bass) - Biterolf (a Minnesinger)
Voice (Tenor) - Heinrich der Schreiber (a Minnesinger)
Voice (Bass) - Reinmar von Zweter (a Minnesinger)
Voice (Soprano) - Elisabeth Nichte des Landgrafen (the Landgrave's niece)
Voice (Soprano) - Venus
Voice (Soprano) - Ein junger Hirt (A young shepherd)
Voice (Alto) - Vier Edelknaben (Four noble pages)
Chorus/Choir - Bacchantinnen, Thüringischer Adel, Pilger (Nobles, knights, ladies, pilgrims, sirens, naiads, nymphs, bacchants; In Paris version, also the Three Graces, youths, cupids, satyrs, and fauns)
Orchestra
Arrangements Franz Liszt: Ouvertüre zu Tannhäuser, S. 442
Franz Liszt: Pilgerchor aus Tannhäuser, S. 443
Franz Liszt: O du mein holder Abendstern (Rezitativ und Romanze aus der Oper Tannhäuser), S. 444
In listings Famous Works
Links
Autotranslations beta Richard Wagner: Tannhäuser, WWV 70
Richard Wagner: Tannhäuser, WWV 70
Richard Wagner: Tannhäuser, WWV 70