A scene from Wagner's Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg. Photo: Ken
Howard/Metropolitan Opera
Reviewed by James
Karas
Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg has a number of unique features: it is Richard
Wagner’s only comic opera; it holds the Guinness World record as the longest
opera; it is an opera that manages to be of epic proportions and comic at the
same time.
The Metropolitan Opera has revived Otto Schenk’s 1993 production for the
last time and sent it around the world in HD. Not everyone in the theatre had the
stamina to stay for the full six hours but those who did were treated to a
grand production, vocally, musically and theatrically.
German baritone Michael Volle dominated the performance in the role of
Hans Sacks, the humane shoemaker and mastersinger in 16th century Nürnberg. Volle’s sonorous voice is perfect for
evoking Sack’s humanity, humour and decency. He maintains his dignity and
generosity including the self-awareness that he is too old for Eva, the heroine
of the opera. A performance that is as attractive and enjoyable as the
character that Volle is playing.
South African tenor Johan Botha plays Walther von Stolzing, the knight
who comes to Nürnberg
and falls in love with Eva, the goldsmith’s daughter. Knights used to get the
girl by defeating the competition in battle; in Nürnberg
he has to best everyone in singing. If he does, he will marry Eva. Our knight
has the voice but not the knowledge and he has a few hours to master rules and
compose a Prize Song. Botha has a marvelous voice displaying both romantic
fervour and power. But there is a problem that may be made worse by the
close-ups of watching the opera in the movie theatre.
Stolzing is the dashing knight that Eva falls in love with at first
sight. We are quite used to singers who are a poor match for the way we imagine
a character and critics should avoid commenting on a singer’s appearance. But in the case of Botha suspension of disbelief
becomes almost impossible. He is a big man, who moves awkwardly and the idea of
him as a figure of romance is hard to fathom.
German soprano Annette Dasch made a wholesome and pretty Eva with a
sweet voice and even sweeter manner. The daughter of the wealthy goldsmith
Pogner (done well by Hans-Peter König), she is a worthy objective for a knight
or any man. Dasch knows when to look alluring and sing beautifully to give us
an exemplary Eva.
Tenor Paul Appleby comes in for special praise. He is a young artist who
performed the role of the apprentice David with delightful verve, energy,
agility and just plain joy. His supple
voice stood him in good stead for a very good performance.
German baritone Johannes Martin Kränzle got the juicy role of the
foolish and nasty Beckmesser. He wants to beat all the mastersingers and get
Eva but he makes a laughingstock of himself, gets his comeuppance and does not
get the girl. Kränzle gives a superb performance.
Otto Schenk’s production can be classified as traditional with the
additional phrase of “they don’t make them like they used to” attached to it. The
production will be retired at the end of the year and we will have to wait for
the next view of the opera.
Schenk is Franco Zeffirelli with restraint and common sense. The set is
by Günther Schneider-Siemssen. The opening scene in
the nave of the church is grand without being ostentatious. The street scene
and the interior of Sacks’s workshop are realistic and attractive, displaying a
well-ordered and well-off city. The final scene is supposed to be in a meadow on
the banks of a river but looks more like a wide street with rising steps.
Die Meistersinger has a demanding score and surely few
conductors and orchestras can equal James Levine and the Metropolitan Opera
Orchestra in performing it. The length of the opera is bound to get to you –
concentrate on the orchestra when it does!
The Live in HD Director was Matthew Diamond who decided on exactly what
we would see on the screen with sense, intelligence and taste. That is no small
achievement when he is compared to some of his colleagues who think opera on
the screen is a video game
____
Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg by Richard Wagner was shown Live in HD from the Metropolitan Opera on December
13, 2014 at the Cineplex Odeon Eglinton Town Centre
Cinema, 22 Lebovic Avenue, Toronto, Ontario and other theatres. Encores will be
shown on February 7 and 23, 2015. For more information call (416)-752-4494 or
visit www.cineplex.com/events.
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