Met Music Director James Levine leads Wagner’s grand comedy Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg (“The Master-Singer of Nuremberg”) in its first Great Performances at the Met broadcast, Sunday, April 12 at 11 am on PBS (check local listings; in New York, THIRTEEN will air the opera at 12:30 pm).
Soprano Renée Fleming hosts the broadcast. See a synopsis of the opera.
German baritone Michael Volle stars as cobbler-poet Hans Sachs, with South African tenor Johan Botha as Walther, German soprano Annette Dasch as Eva, German baritone Johannes Martin Kränzle in his Met debut as Beckmesser, German bass Hans-Peter König as Pogner, American tenor Paul Appleby as David, and Scottish mezzo-soprano Karen Cargill as Magdalene. The performance was part of the final revival of Otto Schenk’s acclaimed 1993 Met production.
The lengthy opera was first performed in Munich in 1868. The story takes place in Nuremberg during the middle of the 16th century, and revolves around the actual Meistersinger (master singers) guild, an association of amateur poets and musicians. The work accurately depicts both Nuremberg and the Meistersinger guild’s traditions. Hans Sachs, too, is based on an actual historical figure (1494–1576).
It is Wagner’s only comedy among his mature operas and also has the distinction of being set in a historical time and place rather than a mythical setting, and the only one based on an original story.
The story relates how Eva, a goldsmith’s daughter, and Walther von Stolzing, a knight, fall in love, but Walther must quickly learn the art of the Meistersinger, studying under Sachs, as Eva’s father has promised her to the winner of a song contest.
In reviewing this season’s revival, The New York Times noted, “Otto Schenk’s lovingly traditional 1993 production of Wagner’s Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg … offered an excellent cast and the magnificent Met Orchestra and Chorus. The powerful tenor Johan Botha has excelled in the demanding role of Walther … The soprano Annette Dasch’s bright, focused voice suits Eva beautifully. She was beguiling in the role.”
And The Huffington Post observed, “The world of grand opera is generally not known for its comedies, and few are quite as grand, funny or poignant as the Metropolitan Opera’s magnificent production of Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg…”
Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg was originally seen live in movie theaters on December 13, 2014, as part of the groundbreaking The Met: Live in HD series, which transmits live performances to more than 2,000 movie theaters and performing arts centers in over 70 countries around the world. The Live in HD series has reached a record-breaking 17 million viewers since its inception in 2006.
Great Performances at the Met is a presentation of THIRTEEN Productions LLC for WNET, one of America’s most prolific and respected public media providers.
Corporate support for Great Performances at the Met is provided by Toll Brothers, America’s luxury home builder®. Major funding for the Met Opera presentation is provided by the National Endowment for the Arts. This Great Performances presentation is funded by the Irene Diamond Fund, the Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Arts Fund, The Philip and Janice Levin Foundation, The Agnes Varis Trust, and public television viewers.
For the Met, Matthew Diamond directs the telecast. Jay David Saks is Music Producer, Mia Bongiovanni and Elena Park are Supervising Producers, and Louisa Briccetti and Victoria Warivonchik are Producers. Peter Gelb is Executive Producer. For Great Performances, Bill O’Donnell is Series Producer; David Horn is Executive Producer.
