die meistersinger
Premiered at Hofoper, Munich, on the 21st June, 1868 and conducted by Hans von Bulow, with the following main characters: Franz Berg (Sachs) Matthilde Mallinger (Eva) Franz Nachbaur (Stolzing) Carl Schlosser (David).

Hans Sachs
Wagner set his "comic opera" in the age of the cobbler-poet, Hans Sachs (1494-1576) who wrote 4275 mastersongs, almost 1700 tales, and 208 dramatic works. The term 'mastersong' refers to a tradition of medieval German lyric poetry composed from the 14th to the 16th Century. It was almost exclusively cultivated by artisans and was written to strict poetic rules.

A 'genial' creation
To many people the prospect of listening to five hours of music at one sitting is no joke. The conventional wisdom requires that for something to be humourous it must be brief, succinct and possess a quality of lightness, of transparency even; elements in short, which we do not expect to find in Wagnerian music-drama. Die Meistersinger appears to be a complete departure from from Wagner's previous absorption, in Tannhauser, Lohengrin and Tristan and Isolde. Wagner completed a first prose sketch in 1845 and it was another ten years before he resumed work on it. Die Meistersinger was not a creation that sprang fully formed from Wagner's imagination - this would be to ignore the long period of gestation which Die Meistersinger, like all his mature operas went through. In many ways, it looks back to the world of Tristan but also looks forward in many respects to the completion of The Ring and Parsifal. Again Wagner's conception over the years, of Hans Sachs, is paralleled by the changes wrought on his other great Bass-Baritone creation, Wotan, in The Ring. Die Meistersinger is a comedy in the sense that it invites us to contemplate and laugh at the adsurdities of human existence, but to do so on the basis of profound love. Its mixture of serious philosophising and near farcical effect is peculiarly German and can be traced back to The Magic Flute. Wagner too looked back in later life and saw his opera was "right for a German: no pathos, no ecstasy, but emotional depth, good humour; I like to think that there is hope on this foundation." (Cosima Wagner 'diaries', April 1st 1874). It is because that hope is so authentic that Die Meistersinger continues to warm the hearts of all who come into contact with what has been described as 'the longest single smile in the German language.'

Synopsis
The knight Walther von Stolzing moves to Nuremberg to live as a citizen of the town. At the house of the wealthy goldsmith, Veit Pogner, he meets Veit's daughter Eva, and the two fall in love. But in his wish to prove to the world how highly Nuremberg regards the arts, Pogner has promised the hand of his only child to the winner of a song contest. Only members of the guild of mastersingers may take part in the contest and so Walther applies for membership. He is unsuccessful however, as the jealous Beckmesser*** who is also in love with Eva, is appointed "marker" with responsibility for chalking up all the mistakes in Walther's trial song. Although the cobbler Hans Sachs also has an eye on Eva, he decides to help the young lovers and tutor Walther, who is naturally gifted, in the art of song. The knight then wins the contest, defeating the sly Beckmesser. The real victor, however, is Hans Sachs: he has transcended his shortcomings as a artist and a man by giving up his claim to Eva, and by helping Walther to form a new, if still undeveloped, artistic style.

*** Beckmesser
It is evident that one of the main attractions of the Die Meistersinger story for Wagner, lay in the opportunities which were present for venting his feelings on the musical establishment and the critics of the time. Chief of these was Viennese music critic, Edward Hanslick and it was Wagner's initial intention that Beckmesser was to be originally named 'Veit Hanslick ! In the course of a private reading of the completed poem, in Vienna in 1862, Wagner's autobiography tells us that Hanslick grew paler and more ill-humoured, leaving as soon as it was concluded. Not surprisingly, from that moment, Hanslick became implacably opposed to Wagner and his music.

the tenors, the aria · audio

Lauritz Melchior (1890-1973): Studied with Paul Bang at Copenhagen Royal Opera School. Made his debut as a baritone as Silvio, at Copenhagen 1912. He sang as a baritone for several seasons then after further study with Wilhelm Herold, he made his debut as a tenor, again at Copenhagen, in 1918. He was universally regarded as the greatest Wagnerian tenor of the last century and reigned virtually unchallenged for almost 25 years. He was a tireless performer with enormous vocal power.

James King (1925- ): Born in Dodge City, Kansas. Studied at the University of Kansas as a baritone, then continued his studies as a tenor in New York. He made his debut at San Fransisco Spring Opera in 1961 then joined the Deutche Opera, Berlin, in 1962, also appearing at Salzburg the same year. He quickly consolidated his reputation in performances throughout Europe, mainly as a Wagnerian Tenor and his debut at New York Metropolitan Opera came in 1966, as Florestan.

Walter Widdop (1892-1949): He was born at Norland, near Halifax, the son of a stonemason. He studied in almost penurious circumstances with Arthur Hinchcliffe, in Halifax following which he joined the English National Opera Company. He made his debut as Radames, in Leeds and in less than four months, he was singing Siegfried at Covent Garden. The finest ever British Helden tenor, he went on to pursue a busy operatic career which took him all over the world. His voice had a distinctive and unmistakeable timbre yet it was also extremely flexible and well controlled. Thus, he was equally at home in Oratorio and Handel, as well as Wagner.

Robert Dean Smith: Studied at Pittsburgh State University and at the Juilliard School of music, New York. He began his career as a baritone and sung lyrical baritone roles in German for a few years. As a tenor, he has sung Manrico, Don Carlos, Cavaradossi, Des Grieux, Don Jose and Pinkerton. In 1997, he made his Wagnerian debut as Stolzing, at Bayreuth. Since then he has sung Wagner in the worlds leading opera Houses and continues to do so.

Günther Treptow (1907-1981): He began his vocal studies as a baritone but made his debut in Berlin, in 1936, as the high Italian tenor in Der Rosenkavalier. It was quite a struggle to establish himself immediately in those years before WW II, as there was very strong competition but in 1938/39, Treptow was appointed leading tenor at the Vienna Volksoper where he proved himself one of the leading German Wagner tenors. At the Vienna Staatsoper, he and Max Lorenz (who were extremely good friends) ruled the roost with performances almost equally divided in the Wagnerian roles. His international career took him to the leading opera houses of Europe and the USA and in 1955 he became leading heldentenor at Berlin State Opera and remained their until the Wall was built, thus effectively sealing him in until he ended his career in 1973. He was one of the last great heldentenors and when he died, this vocal category was coming to an end. Unfortunately, outside German speaking countries, Treptow wanted to be known solely as a Wagner tenor but he was also a famous Canio and Otello. Presented differently, he would have been much more widely known.

Lorenz Fehenberger (1912-1984): Fehenberger's parents died at a very early age and he was brought up an orphan. At the age of four he was taught to read music and later he was taught harmony and choral singing. He became a choir singer at the monastery at Altotting and after winning a singing contest at Munich with 'Una furtiva Lagrima', he was on the point of joining the Munich State Opera when he decided upon further study before signing his first contract in 1939, at Graz, Austria. He built up a repertory which included Fenton, Nemorino, Cavaradossi and Faust but the WW II delayed his career and work was scarce. He resumed his career in 1945 at Munich and remained there with the Bavarian State Opera until the end of his career. Although he was very much a 'home' singer, he also performed in South America, London and Tokyo and recorded quite extensively.



· Audio ·
Wagner: Die Meistersinger: Morgenlicht leuchtend:

(01) Lauritz Melchior (1931) » listen to audio | 0.95 mb
(02) James King (1967) » listen to audio | 1.02 mb
(03) Walter Widdop (1930) » listen to audio | 0.97 mb
(04) Robert Dean Smith (2000) » listen to audio | 1.32 mb
(05) Günter Treptow (1942) » listen to audio | 0.95 mb
(06) Lorenz Fehenberger (1949) » listen to audio | 1.30 mb

Mystery Voice:
(07) The Mystery Voice » listen to audio | 0.95 mb

Do you know who he is? - Answers can be sent during the next 30 days to:
- - - -

// End of quizz: The Mystery Voice is the Danish tenor Helge Rosvänge [1897-1972]. See who got it right here.

Note:
All audio compressed to Windows Media Audio 9.1, 32 kbps

· Lyrics ·

Walther
Warm in the sunlight at dawning of day,
Morgenlicht leuchtend in rosigem Schein,
while blossoms rare
von Bluth' und Duft
made sweet the air, with beauty glowing
geschwellt die Luft, voll aller Wonnen
past all knowing,
nie ersonnen,
a garden round me lay.
ein garten lud mich ein,
And there beneath a wondrous tree,
dort unter einem Wunderbaum,
with fruit so richly thronging,
von Fruchten reich behangen,
my blissful dream revealed to me
zu schau'n in sel'gem Liebestraum,
the goal of all my longing,
was hochstem Lustverlangen,
and life's most glorious prize, a woman fair:
das schonste Weib,
Eva in Paradise
Eva im Paradies

Chorus:
who would have thought it? Who could have known?
Das ist'was And'res ! Wer hatt's gedacht?
How much lies hid in words and 'tone.'
Was doch recht Wort und Vortrag macht!

Mastersingers:
Ah yes, I see, 'tis another thing
Ja wohl! Ich merk'! 's ist ein ander Ding
if you rightly or wrongly sing.
ob falsche man oder richtig sing!

Sachs:
Winess indeed! Now proceed!
Zeuge am Ort ! Fahret fort!

Walther:
Darkness has fallen and night closed around;
Abendlich dammernd umschloss mich die Nacht;
Alone I strode
auf steilem Pfad
the rugged road
war ich genaht
where on a mountain
wohl einer Quelle
rose a fountain
reiner Welle
that lured my steps with its sound:
die lockend mir gelacht;
and there beneath a laurel tree,
dort unter einem Lorbeerbaum,
where shining stars were showing,
von Sternen hell durchschienen,
in poet's dream there smiled on me,
ich schaut' im wachen Dichtertraum
with holy radiance glowing,
mit heilig holden Meinen,
my muse, who from the sacred fount
mich netzend mit dem edlen Nass,
bedewed my head,
das hehrste Weib -
the Muse of Parnass.
die Muse des Parnass.

Chorus:
How sweet the strain, how high its theme,
So hold und traut, wie fern es schwebt,
and yet is seems to us as though we lived within the dream! doch ist's als ob man's mit erlebt!

Mastersingers:
'Tis strange and daring, that is true:
's ist kuhn und seltsam, das ist wahr;
but good are rhymes and singing too!
doch wohlgerrimt und singebar.

Sachs:
Witness true indeed! To the end proceed!
Zeuge wohl erkiest! Fahret fort, und schliesst!

Walther:
Oh hallowed day,
Huldreichster Tag,
On which my poet's dream took flight!
dem ich aus Dichter's traum erwacht!
That paradise my vision showed,
Das ich getraumt, das paradies,
revealed anew in heaven's light,
in himmlisch neu verklarter pracht
Shining now lay;
hell vor mir lag,
And there laughing now a stream the path did show
dahin lachend nun der Quell den pfad mir wies;
To where in wonder,
die, dort geboren,
In heavenly splendour,
mein herz erkoren,
This garden's maid so fair,
der Erde lieblichstes Bild,
as Muse, before me stood
zur Muse mir geweiht,
In holy calmness there
so heilig ernst als mild,
That maid I boldly wooed;
ward kuhn von mir gefreit,
And there in light of heaven,
am lichten tag der sonnen
the prize of song was given,
durch Sanges sieg gewonnen
Parnass and Paradise!
Parnass und Paradies!

Acknowledgements:
- Andras Batta, 'OPERA'
- Michael Raeburn 'THE CHRONICLE OF OPERA'
- Roland Matthews 'MY MOST GENIAL CREATION.'
- Editor Joern H Anthonisen, for all his efforts.
- Assistant Editor La Señora M.T. Anthonisen for allowing Joern
to repeatedly stay up half the night on our behalf!