Salzburg Festival 2013: Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg
About this event
„All Dichtkunst und Poeterei ist nichts als Wahrtraumdeuterei“ (all narrative and poetry is nothing but the key to true dreams - Hans Sachs)
Spontaneously emerging from just such a truthful dream by the cobblerpoet on Midsummer Night, this new staging of Richard Wagner’s “Mastersingers” burst upon the Salzburg Festival like a thunderclap. Nuremberg medieval romanticism is not part of the scenario. What makes its triumphant appearance on the stage of the Great Festival Hall is Stefan Herheim’s idea of staging a midsummer night’s dream as a fairytale narrative – and it is quite enchanting.
Beginning in studio-theatre style in the cobbler’s drawing-room, there is a zoom-lens transformation to full-stage dimensions as the writing-desk turns into the Katharinenkirche, sideboards into a Nuremberg street and - as the magical climax of Act III – the bookcases open out into a thronged festival meadow. A true coup de théâtre. This unbelievably lavish and absolutely splendid stage set radiates youthful charm and conjures up – as always with Stefan Herheim – a flood of incomparable images. Imaginative ideas and little games, wit and humour, fun and food for thought, all seconds apart. As the New York Times wrote: a “fresh, charming and perceptive production, magical and irresistible!”
A good-natured, admirably matched ensemble of excellent singer-players, all of whom bring sharp contours to their roles, and the brilliant details of characterization make each scene an experience to cherish. Michael Volle has both the voice and the acting ability to flesh out a fascinatingly multilayered portrait of the masterful Hans Sachs. “It has been years since we saw such an authoritative reading of this part.” (Neue Musikzeitung) Markus Werba as his opposite number is a Sixtus Beckmesser who presents the indispensable comic caricature while arousing our sympathies for the loser and Roberto Sacca is a Walther von Stolzing who “shows effortless control in his superb realization of the part” (Neue Musik Zeitung).
Amazing to see how convincingly the chorus of the Vienna State Opera acts out the crowds and “how splendid the Vienna Philharmonic sounds” (Neue Zürcher Zeitung). Richard Wagner set out in this work to teach a lesson about art and the production of art and its role in society – particularly the reconciliation of old and new – and this performance realized his intention brilliantly.
Featuring
Conductor: Daniele Gatti
Orchestra: Wiener Philharmoniker
Chorus: Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor
Chorus Master: Ernst Raffelsberger
Stage Director: Stefan Herheim
Eva: Anna Gabler
Magdalene: Monika Bohinec
Hans Sachs: Michael Volle
Walther von Stolzing: Roberto Saccà
Veit Pogner: Georg Zeppenfeld
Sixtus Beckmesser: Markus Werba
David: Peter Sonn
Kunz Vogelsang: Thomas Ebenstein
Konrad Nachtigall: Guido Jentjens
Fritz Kothner: Oliver Zwarg
Balthasar Zorn: Benedikt Kobel
Ulrich Eißlinger: Franz Supper
Augustin Moser: Thorsten Scharnke
Hermann Ortel: Karl Huml
Hans Schwarz: Dirk Aleschus
Hans Foltz: Roman Astakhov
Ein Nachtwächter: Tobias Kehrer
Repertoire
Richard Wagner: Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg WWV 96
Duration: approx. 270 minutes.
Language: German. Subtitles available in English and German.
This video is provided free of charge as a teaser video as part of a cooperation with UNITEL in connection with the relaunch of myfidelio.
Dieses Video wird im Rahmen einer Kooperation mit UNITEL im Zusammenhang mit dem Relaunch von myfidelio als Teaser-Video kostenlos zur Verfügung gestellt.
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