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Design for act 3 of Richard Wagner's opera Tannhäuser (1845) by Max and Otthold Brückner for the Bayreuth Festival. Tannhäuser is 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. The opera remains a staple of major opera house repertoire in the 21st century.