Opera review: Wagner’s Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg
AT NEARLY five hours, Die Meistersinger Von Nurnberg (The Master-Singers Of Nuremberg) is the world’s longest commonly performed opera. Including the intervals, it adds up to six and a half hours.
Where better to see Wagner’s masterpiece than on a perfect summer’s day in the Sussex Downs, with Glyndebourne’s gardens in full bloom? Die Meistersinger is unique in being Wagner’s only comedy, and rooted in human life. Here be no legendary dragons, giants, gods, or talking birds.
The setting is mid-16th century Nuremberg where a guild of master-singers among the town’s craftsmen used to hold an annual song contest. David McVicar, returning to direct the revival of his 2011 production, updates the opera to early 19th century, post-Napoleonic wars, and a time of growing German nationalism.
Vicki Mortimer’s Gothic-revival stone arches and vaulted ceiling work best in Act 1 at St Catherine’s Church where the wandering knight Walther von Stolzing is instantly smitten by the goldsmith Pogner’s daughter Eva.
He swiftly gets to the point and asks whether the girl is betrothed. Her nurse/companion Magdalene explains she is to marry whoever wins the song contest the next day.In a race against time Walther has to learn the complex rules of the master-singers and be accepted as a contestant.
Chief antagonist is the town clerk Sixtus Beckmesser, who hopes to win Eva together with a substantial dowry. Usually he is portrayed as an old man but Jochen Kupfer’s Beckmesser is a dandy in black frock coat and curled hair that he primps fussily. This brings a new angle to his ultimate humiliation when, at the contest, he makes a hash of the song he has stolen from the desk of Hans Sachs.
Returning to the role of Hans Sachs, baritone Gerald Finley gives a definitive performance. He captures the humanity of the cobbler-poet, who is based on the historical master-singer. His Sachs is a lonely widower who is momentarily encouraged by Amanda Majeski’s radiant Eva to harbour hopes of marrying her. When he realises it is Walther whom she really loves, he suppresses his anger to play a reconciling role in their lives.
A marathon part with the most demanding aria coming right at the end, Finley deservedly won the greatest ovation of the evening. As the man of Eva’s dreams Michael Schade’s Walther von Stolzing is more mature than Wagner may have visualised, though with a battle-scarred charm.
Hanna Hipp and David Portillo are excellent as lovers Magdalene and Sachs’s assistant David, respectively. Alastair Miles returns as the well-meaning but obtuse Veit Pogner.
The comedy is broad with an excess of pratfalls, though the Munich beer hall-style swaying goes down well. The St John’s Day Festival is a riot of stilt walkers, jugglers and fire throwers, plus a 60-strong chorus crammed onto stage. London Philharmonic Orchestra under conductor Michael Guttler gives a well-paced reading of Wagner’s magnificent score.
VERDICT 5/5
The Glyndebourne 2011 film of Die Meistersinger will be screened in cinemas on July 12 and online: glyndebourne.com/tickets-and-whats-on/events/2016/watch-die-meistersinger-von-nuernberg/
Wagner’s Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg, Glyndebourne Festival Opera Nr Lewes, East Sussex (Tickets: 01273 815000/glyndebourne.com; £140-£300)
