Die Meistersinger von Nuernberg
13. 06. 2004
Conductor: Franz Welser-Moest
Director: Nikolaus Lehnhoff
Scenery: Roland Aeschlimann
Costume: Moidele Bickel / Amelie Haas
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Hans Sachs: Jose van Dam
Veit Pogner: Matti Salminen
Kunz Vogelgesang: Martin Zysset
Konrad Nachtigall: Cheyne Davidson
Sixtus Beckmesser: Michael Volle
Fritz Kothner: Rolf Haunstein
Balthasar Zorn: Volker Vogel
Ulrich Eisslinger: Andreas Winkler
Augustin Moser: Boguslaw Bidzinski
Hermann Ortel: Giuseppe Scorsin
Hans Schwarz: Guido Goetzen
Hans Foltz: Reinhard Mayr
Walther von Stolzing: Peter Seiffert
David: Christoph Strehl
Eva: Petra Maria Schnitzer
Magdalene: Brigitte Pinter
Nachtwaechter: Guenther Groissboeck
OZ’s new production of MEISTERSINGER VON NUERNBERG had its premiere in November 2003. I didn’t have time back then, so I had to wait 6 months to catch the last two performances in this season. (Next one will be on 27th of June.) As many critics stated half of a year ago, this is a very successful production. The staging is mostly by the book, but not boring at all. I always find Wagner’s operas are rather difficult to stage, because Wagner often needs ages to make his point, so either one has a very static staging where the singers have nothing much to do except singing those endless, but beautiful Wagnerian lines or a “Regietheater”, where the singers do whatever the director wants them to do (which can be fun sometimes). Lehnhoff did a pretty good job here. He managed to follow Wagner’s instructions in the libretto, but still keep the whole thing vivid and appealing. Especially the end of act 2, the big fighting scene, this is done in a dim blue light and in a slow motion, which adds up the comic effect of the whole scene.
The scenery was simple, but precise and very esthetic. The furniture and the decoration are mostly made of heavy wood and have clean lines which give the scenery a sense of order. And there are not many props on stage, just enough to indicate the location. In one scene, it’s a bit too simple for my taste. It’s the first half of Act 3, in Sachs’ chamber, where there are only one big pile of books in the middle of the stage and a chair on the right and a desk on the left. There are no shoemaker tools in sight, so when Eva and Beckmesser come to Sachs and complain about the shoes, he just has to fix the shoes magically by holding them in his hand for a while, but, that just a tiny winy detail.
The costumes are also rather simple, but elegant. What I like most is this transition of costumes and scenery from 17th/18th (?) century in act 1 (in an old cathedral) to 19th in act 2, then finally to 20th in the end of act 3, where the choir in contemporary clothing sits in an amphitheater still in reconstruction. This transition clearly symbolizes the timelessness of art, but it’s done very subtly.
Musically, I think OZ has gathered a cast that can be called impeccable. One may or may not like Welser-Moest’s style, but his achievement in German Fach, whether it’s Wagner, Strauss, Berg or Korngold, is undeniable. Even though I find his tempo is a bit too fast, especially in the overture, but he still has everything under control; no detail is overlooked, every phrase is given its proper coloring. And the singers seem to be comfortable with his quick tempo. At least, it seems so to me.
Although van Dam does not have this big, heavy voice that one often finds in many Wagnerian singers like Pape, Hotter, but he comes through loud and clear (OZ is rather tiny, and there are advantages to be tiny. ;-)). He obviously enjoys singing Hans Sachs and he does it very well too. Some might not agree with me, but I think he’s quite suitable for this role. At this point of his career, his voice has the required maturity and enough vocal resources to sing rather taxing role.
Once again, Seiffert has demonstrated his mastery as one of leading Wagnerian tenors of our day. After triumphed earlier this season as Tannhaeuser who lost the “Werbgesang”, he now as Walther wins the bet and gets the girl. His distinctive and youthful timbre makes him a very convincing bachelor. His “Meisterlied” at the end of the opera is mesmerizing. Wagner’s tacky lyrics sound a lot better with music and especially when they are so well sung.
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