The Lover’s Bane: The story of Tristan and Yseult as told in Medieval Art and Literature – a Zoom Presentation with Desiree Mays

“The potion drunk, the lovers exposed – they will yearn for each other for the rest of their days….”

Live on Zoom, Desirée Mays will introduce a video performance of “The Lover’s Bane: The Story of Tristan and Yseult as told in Medieval Art and Literature” This unique presentation uses as text the 13th century poem by Gottfried von Strassburg, the source from which Richard Wagner created his opera. Severall Friends, a nationally known early music ensemble, plays music, songs and lais on instruments of the period Medieval images of the mythic tale will be seen with titles showing the poetry. Desirée narrates the spoken words. Both humor and tragedy are bound together in this timeless tale of love and death.

Born in Dublin, Ireland, and trained as a ballet dancer in London, Desiree Mays arrived in the US in 1972 and earned a Master’s degree in English and American Literature at the University of Utah. Well-known as a lecturer and author on operatic topics, Desiree brings a lively and creative mind and engaging personality to her projects. Highlights of her many endeavors include 20 years as the preview lecturer for The Santa Fe Opera as well as lecturing for other companies coast-to-coast including San Francisco, LA and the Met. She has  produced podcasts for the MET Opera Guild and written 18 books in the Opera Unveiled series. Wagner is an area of special interest for her and she has been a frequent speaker to Wagner Societies in the US and abroad. Not limiting herself to opera, she produced an award-winning radio series: “Life is a Creative Process”, produced two weekly radio shows on interviewing arts personalities in Santa Fe and Salt Lake City and currently produces Yoga Moments for KSFR in Santa Fe. She has taught classes at the University of Utah and the University of New Mexico entitled “What Is Opera?” and served escorted groups to leading opera houses and performances across the US and Europe.

The show features the Severall Friends Early Music ensemble with producer Mary Springfels, vielle and harp; Emily Noel, soprano; Christopher LeCluyse, tenor;  Drew Minter, baritone and harp; Shira Kammen, vielle and harp. The videographer is Shawn Keener.

This special event is being co-presented by the San Francisco Early Music Society. As music lovers we are thrilled to join forces with them across the centuries.