[Publius]

The Met DVD of "Tannhäuser" begins with the Paris version containing the Venusberg ballet, which simulates a whole variety of sex acts. I could never figure out why Heinrich Tannhäuser would want to leave.

At the end, when even the Pope refuses to grant him absolution for hanging out with the Venusberg and he resists the temptation to rejoin them, he dies. I would have told him, "Go back to the Venusberg! At least they appreciate you."

[left that other site]

(sigh) They keep doing things like that.