Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – The Met’s musically outstanding revival of DIE MEISTERSINGER proves that there’s some appetite for durational indoor performances

• By drediman
• November 8, 2021
• No Comments

I recently had a chance to catch the Metropolitan Opera’s revival of Richard Wagner’s Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg. Being Wagner’s rare foray into comedy, the opera – which is essentially about a Medieval song competition – is a refreshing shift in tone from the thickly romantic works one normally associates with the composer. But this being a Wagner opera, the work is nevertheless a mammoth undertaking, requiring huge orchestral and choral resources, as well as performers who can sing with beauty, power, and stamina. The Met’s current production by Otto Schenk is proudly traditional, opting for a highly detailed and period-perfect postcard staging of the work (the kind of staging that was prevalent at the Met during the pre-Gelb era).

As one of the operas to re-launch in-person performances at the Met this autumn, Die Meistersinger is an curious choice. Running close to a mammoth six hours in length (including two intermissions), the opera tests audiences’ current appetite for durational indoor performances. Although the house wasn’t completely full the weekday night I attended (the performance commenced at 6pm and lasted until just about midnight), I was surprised at how many patrons remained until the very end of of the opera. Historically, for such lengthy productions, Met audiences have tended to trickle out after each act, leaving the house about half full by the end of the evening. The fact that opera fans stuck around seems to indicate that there is, indeed, an audience for such lengthy and immersive experiences at the opera.

Die Meistersinger shows off Wagner at the peak of his compositional powers. Indeed, the grand opera boasts stirring orchestral packages, richly melodic solos and duets, and large scale ensemble pieces. Happily, the musical performances across the board are outstanding, beginning with a sparkling reading of the score by maestro Antonio Pappano. Capably leading the cast as Hans Sachs is the commanding baritone Michael Volle, who continues to be an important interpreter of Wagnerian roles. As Eva, the luxuriously-voiced soprano Lise Davidsen returns to the Met stage and proves that her much touted 2019 company debut was no fluke. As Walther von Stolzing and Beckmesser, respectively, Tenor Klaus Florian Vogt and baritone Johannes Martin Kränzle sing with heft and character.

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DIE MEISTERSINGER VON NURNBERG
Opera
The Metropolitan Opera
5 hours, 50 minutes (with two intermissions)
In repertory through November 14