Abstract
Seven years Tannhäuser lived in the dream world of the Venusberg, yet even his return to the sense-hostile society of the Wartburg brings no fulfillment. As a pilgrim between worlds, he remains homeless. The Icelandic director Thorleifur Örn Arnarsson, known for his powerful interpretations of mythic material and grand narratives, stages "Tannhäuser" as an existential drama of identity and a surreal journey into the interior of a human being. The search for meaning and stability in a world that seems to be slipping away is condensed by Wagner into a philosophical description of the world. Icelandic visual artist Erna Mist has designed a space that allows visitors to experience the topography of inner turmoil.