Die Meistersinger von N¸rnberg is a comedy and here’s it’s
presented as the ultimate up market Xmas show. It’s extremely enjoyable, and
an ideal introduction to the opera experience. Richard Wagner, though, gets
sidelined.
Sir John Tomlinson is a definite reason for catching this revival. The days
when he could sing Hans Sachs are past, but he creates an unusually vivid Veit
Pogner. Tomlinson plays Pogner powerfully, as if he was a former Sachs, whose
reasons for committing his daughter to this bizarre marriage make sense. He’s
dedicating his daughter to art, not too shabby politics. Luckily for him, and
for Eva, Walter von Stolzing arrives in the nick of time. Indeed, Beckmesser
very nearly persuades the Meistersingers to drive Walter out of town. Things
could so easily have turned out quite differently. Die Meistersinger von
N¸rnberg may be comic, but it evolves against a background of tension. At
any moment anarchy could breakout. Unless the Meistersingers adapt, they might
not survive.
Wagner builds tension into the music. The Meistersingers sing at cross
purposes, and in the riot scene, the turbulence of the chorus evokes the
violence which comes with all revolution. That’s why the Night Watchman sings
“bewahrt euch vor Gespenstern und Spuk, dass kein bˆser Geist eu’r Seel’
beruck’!” The music for the apprentice boys is energetic, a warning for
those who remember Wagner’s protosocialism. This time, however, no dangerous
ideas. We’re treated to a good natured Meistersinger, where the
apprentices dance with little vigour, and the blows Sachs throws at David have
no menace. Antonio Pappano received the longest applause of all on the first
night,. Most audiences can relate better to joyful Romaticism in music better
than to Wagner-on-edge, so it’s understandable. He clearly enjoys the
life-affirming elements in this opera, which come over well. Christmas is not
the right time for radical ideas, and this is not a production that would
support them.
Graham Vicks’s riot scene is classic because it’s so well imagined. The
townsfolk pop out of windows and hang precariously upside down over the stage.
One man looks like he’s about to lose his footing (this happened in earlier
productions, so it was planned) In their nightshirts the townsfolk look like
escapees from an asylum, a good idea but not developed. The Festweise
scene is masterfully blocked, so each guild is clearly defined. I liked
the acrobats in the background, too. But these scenes aren’t for
entertainment but emphasize the traumas in N¸rnberg’s past.
Because John Tomlinson so dominates the first Act, Wolfgang Koch’s Hans
Sach might be overlooked, but Koch understands the role. Sachs is an observer,
who stands apart from the crowd, and who thinks before he acts. Koch’s Sachs
is sung with sensitivity, and would be very effective in a more perceptive
production which focuses on Sachs and not the scenery. Koch looks and sounds
younger than the other Meistersingers and is rather more lyrical than Simon
O’Neill’s Walther von Stolzing who is more hoch dramatisch than
true Heldentenor. This was the best performance I’ve ever heard from
O’Neill, and he was good, but it’s a part better suited to a more luminous
timbre. O’Neill was, however, a good match for Emma Bell’s Eva, joyfully
created though perhaps more Italianate than Wagnerian. In a cheerful,
non-idiomatic production like this, it didn’t matter, and they conveyed the
story. Popular favourite, Toby Spence, sang a very good David, but he’s more
upper class than roustabout.
(L-R) Peter Coleman-Wright as Beckmesser, Wolfgang Koch as Hans Sachs, Heather Shipp as Magdalene, Simon O’Neill as Walther and Emma Bell as Eva
It was good to see many teenagers in the audience, another good reason for
having a show like this in holiday time. Last week, David Chandler took his
daughter to Kurt Weill’s Magical Night at the Linbury, (reviewed
here) and she was ecstatic. We can give kids toys anytime, but the gift of
a magical experience is beyond compare. And the same goes for adults, new to
opera. This Meistersinger may not tell us much about the opera or
about Wagner, but it’s an excellent night out.
Anne Ozorio
image=http://www.operatoday.com/MEISTERSINGER-111216_0229.gif
image_description=Wolfgang Koch as Hans Sachs and Emma Bell As Eva [Photo © ROH 2011 / Clive Barda]
product=yes
product_title=Richard Wagner: Die Meistersinger von N¸rnberg
product_by=Walther von Stolzing: Simon O’Neill, Eva: Emma Bell, Magdalene: Heather Shipp, David: Toby Spence, Veit Pogner: John Tomlinson, Hans Sachs: Wolfgang Koch, Kunz Vogelgesang: Colin Judson, Konrad Nachtigall: Nicholas Folwell, Fritz Kother: Donald Maxwell, Hermann Ortel: Jihoon Kim, Balthazar Zorn: Martyn Hill, Augustin Moser: Pablo Bensch, Ulrich Eisslinger: Andrew Rees, Hans Foltz: Jeremy White, Hans Schwarz: Richard Wiegiold, Nightwatchman: Robert Lloyd. Conductor: Antonio Pappano, Chorus master: Renato Balsadonna, Director: Graham Vick, Revival Director: Elaine Kidd, Designs: Richard Hudson, Original Lighting: Wolfgang Goebel, Movement: Ron Howell. Royal Opera House, London, 19th Decemeber 2011.
product_id=Above: Wolfgang Koch as Hans Sachs and Emma Bell As Eva
Photos © ROH 2011 / Clive Barda