The Mastersingers of Nuremberg, English National Opera/London Coliseum, review: 'a total triumph'

The greatness of this wonderful production lies not in its human warmth, gentle comedy or supremely stylish execution – all of which it has in abundance. More fundamentally, it profoundly understands that this isn’t (as so many contemporary stagings would have us believe) an opera prescient of Hitler or even Bismarck. It isn’t interested in political ideology at all.

As the collage of faces on the frontcloth reminds us, Wagner’s mind in Mastersingers is focused rather on the achievement of German culture – its wealth of painting, craft, music and literature without which we would all be incalculably the poorer.

What it explores is the relationship of art to community, and the balance necessary between tradition (represented by the masters) and innovation (Walther’s untempered originality). Hans Sachs represents the contradiction between the artist’s needs to detach from ordinary social values and connect with them, while his protégé, Walther, embodies the erotic love and sense of natural beauty that are any creative dreamer’s most fertile inspiration.

There is no better parable of what art means to a society, and in this stringently perceptive yet hugely entertaining staging, wittily designed by Paul Steinberg and Buki Shiff to evoke a picture-book image of old Nuremberg, the director Richard Jones makes its meanings richly clear without desiccating them.

First seen at Welsh National Opera in 2010, the show has transferred magnificently to the Coliseum with a few tweaks and a cast almost all new to their roles. Iain Paterson’s Sachs suggests all the cobbler-poet’s scepticism and impatience, as well as his essential niceness. He sings the music quite beautifully, without a trace of roar or rasp.

The irritant he must flick away is the unimaginative Beckmesser. Andrew Shore makes him less obviously a figure of fun than most – an anxious rather than malicious man, left poignantly vulnerable when literally stripped of his dignity in the Midsummer Night riot. What hope can he have against Walther’s romantic lyricism, sung with such luscious Italianate ardour by Gwyn Hughes Jones?

Rachel Nicholls is a spirited Eva, rapturous in her appeal to Sachs and exquisitely poised when she launches a finely blended account of the dawn quintet. Nicky Spence and Madeleine Shaw have irresistible charm as David and Magdalene, and all the masters are sharply and endearingly characterized. Superb choral singing brings a lump to the throat in “Wach’auf”.

Edward Gardner conducts a young man’s interpretation – low on pomp and grandeur, high on fun and lyricism. The second act flows like honey, the third explodes with joy.

With an extra cheer raised for the excellent and audible translation, this is a total triumph for beleaguered ENO: will it prove a game changer?

Until 10 March
Tickets: www.eno.org 020 7845 9300