Katharina Wagners Meistersinger: A winner on DVD

Meistersinger. DVD. Bayreuth Festival 2008. Production: Katharina Wagner. Conductor: Sebastian Weigle. Dast: Franz Hawlata (Hans Sachs), Michael Volle (Sixtus Beckmesser), Michaela Kaune (Eva), Klaus Florian Vogt (Walther Von Stolzing), Norbert Ernst (David), Carola Guber (Magdalene), Artur Korn (Veit Pogner), Markus Eiche (Fritz Kothner), Friedemann Röhlig (Ein Nachtwächter).

I remember very well this production, the first I saw in the BayreuthFestival house in 2007. Arriving at the last minute, I squeezed into my hard seat on the 25^th row followed this spectacle, which had opened a few weeks earlier, to almost universal criticism.

For some reason, Meistersinger normally receives a very traditional treatment even by directors otherwise renowned for inventive staging. Perhaps it was the depart from this “traditionalisation”  that made many criticise Katharina Wagner´s staging? Or perhaps the fact that the succession (to Wolfgang Wagner as Festival Director) at that time was very much debated, and that she, as his grand-daughter was judged as much politically as artistically? I, for one, remember having seen dozens of negative comments related to this staging from people who had not even seen it at the time. Anyway I found at the time, and I still find now, that this staging is more than interesting, and the DVD with the frequent use of close-up, provide myriad of details, which were impossible to notice from the 25^th row in the house. Especially the last 45 minutes are quite extraordinary, presenting a daring and entirely novel interpretation:

To truly enjoy this staging you will probably need to accept/agree that this opera is an allegory of changes in society; about how society reacts to change and how much change it can accept:

In Act 1 we are in a 19^th century brotherhood of sorts: Traditionally clad “meistersingers” sit around the table, reading small yellow books of German classics. At that time, Sachs, barefoot, is a slightly controversial outsider. But not nearly as controversial as the modern-dress Walther, who sprays paint on everything and everybody. Not a singer, but a painter, the point is driven through, by him assembling a puzzle of Nürnberg all in disorder compared to Beckmessers perfectly assembled Nürnberg puzzle.

In Act 2, the sullen Eva hangs around what looks like an East-German Canteen in the 1950´s, where Sachs sits with his typewriter in the corner. In the only hint at shoemaking, sneakers seem to be dropping from the sky and all ends in an orgy of paint-throwing.

The real stuff begins in Act 3: Now Beckmesser is suddenly the outcast with his T-shirt “Beck in Town” and finds himself in Sach´s fancy apartment, where the heads of the old German masters (Brahms etc.) dancing in the background. Sachs, with his elegant suit, is now constructing a neat idealised family-concept literally within the frames of a doll-house for Walther and Eva to be filmed in. How come this sudden change? Then, in the choral scene preceding the “wach auf”, Sachs is captured and tied to a chair by these heads while they, often clad in underwear, perform a weird dance and Eva blindfolded walks amidst them. What is going on here, seriously? Next however, Katharina Wagners master-stroke begin in earnest with an eerie scene in which Sachs´s helpers capture a stage director and conductor, putting them in a coffin, starting the fire to burn them exactly at the “wach auf” in a scene reminiscent of the Nazi epoque. Very strong theater, indeed. Et voila, what comes out of the coffin? A golden calf it seems. When a model of the auditorium emerges from under stage, we the audience are double spectators to Walther bringing home a check of 10.000 from the Nürnberg Bank, while Beckmesser now is an outcast.

The staging requires a familiarity with German culture, both ancient and present, that I perhaps do not have and there are myriads of details to discover here, as the pace is furious, especially in the third act.

To summarize, Sachs and Walther essentially submit to conformism while Beckmesser moves in the other direction. 

No, Katharina Wagner does not have all the answers and admittedly the staging of the first act seems a bit heavy-handed. But then again, the first act is really long and not for the first time do I wish Wagner would have lived to revise (read: shorten) it, though I have no idea if he ever thought about that and anyway, if he had lived any longer his next project (after Parsifal) would probably have been a revision of Tannhäuser (needed as well).

More singers stand out on the DVD than I remember from the live performance, especially Franz Hawlata, underpowered in the theater but not here, taking fully advantage of the close-ups for us to see his detailed and impressive acting.

Walther really is a super role for Klaus Florian Vogt, probably his best role together with Lohengrin and Michael Volle also leaves nothing to be desired. As for the rest nobody was exceptional, one way or the other, though admittedly Michaela Kaune was vastly better than the Amanda Mace I saw the year before.

Katharina Wagner presents with the only production on DVD truly departing from medieval Nürnberg and trying to wrestle with this issues. For this alone, this is a must-see.

Trailer for the DVD:

The bottom line (scale of 1-5, 3=average):

Franz Hawlata: 4

Michaela Kaune: 3-4

Klaus Florian Vogt: 5

Michael Volle: 5

Norbert Ernst: 4

Carola Guber: 4

Katharina Wagner´s production: 4-5

Sebastian Weigle: 4

Overall impression: 5

Disappointing Meistersinger from Zürich

Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg. Zurich Opera 2003. Production: Nikolaus Lehnhoff. Conductor: Franz Welser-Möst. Cast: José Van Dam (Sachs), Peter Seiffer (Walther), Petra-Maria Schnitzer (Eva), Matti Salminen (Pogner), Michael Volle (Beckmesser), Brigitte Pinter (Magdalene), Christoph Strehl (David), Gunther Groissböck (Nightwatchman).

It is not the first time, that otherwise quite inventive stage directors seem to freeze and revert to previous times static theatre when faced with Meistersinger. While it is perhaps not surprising that no-one seems to have truly decoded this piece, why not at least give it a try? Katharina Wagner did, with mixed, but nevertheless interesting results. Nikolaus Lehnhoff, as seen here? Well, suffice to say, we are light years from his production of Tristan and Isolde, to be seen at Glyndebourne around the same time.

Nikolaus Lehnhoff´s style is easily recognizable though; simplistic, geometric sets in stylish colours and characters in period costumes; just take a look at the abstract blue second act with a massive stair-case which could easily have been re-used for his Lohengrin. The best are the equally abstract 3rd act sets, including and excellent amphitheatre excellent ballet.  However, when the answer to the question "what did you learn from this staging regarding the characters and their relationship?" is "nothing", then the raison d´être for this DVD eludes me. Especially as none of the singers were stand-outs either:

Peter Seiffert, sings Walther like Tristan, though not without strain. His real-life wife Petra-Maria Schnitzer is better vocally, though not exactly youthful. Is it really that difficult to cast these two characters? After all this is not Tristan and Isolde.  Also as Magdalene we see the rather mature Brigitte Pinter and while Matti Salminen brings his usual command to Pogner, he is not in optimal vocal shape.  Age notwithstanding, I have seen much better performances from him recently.

José Van Dams strong point is his characterization of Sachs. The voice? Rather too dry, however his strong stage presence and the experience he brings to the role makes up for a lot.

Best of all however: Michael Volle, in a role he repeated in Bayreuth a couple of years later: Vocally strong, always interesting and never ridiculous. A better Beckmesser is not to be seen today.

Finally, Franz Welser-Möst presents a rather swift reading, which is not bad at all, especially as he keeps momentum throughout. However, the competition is stiff, and he does not reach the level of neither Barenboim, Thielemann nor Levine on competing DVDs.

Final scene:

The bottom line (scale of 1-5, 3=average):

José Van Dam: 3-4
Peter Seiffert: 2
Petra Maria Schnitzer: 3
Michael Volle: 5
Matti Salminen: 4
Christoph Strehl: 4

Lehnhoffs production: 3
Franz Welser-Möst: 3

Overall impression: 3

Hamburg: Revival of the infamous Konwitschny Meistersinger in which the music suddenly stops in the middle of Hans Sachs monologue

Meistersinger. Hamburgische Staatsoper, December 20th 2008. Production: Peter Konwitschny. Cast: Alan Titus (Hans Sachs), Edith Haller (Eva), John Treleaven (Walther), Georg Zeppenfeld (Pogner), Jochen Schmeckenbrecher (Beckmesser), Jürgen Sacher (David), Katja Pieweck (Magdalena). Conductor: Michael Schønwandt. Further information here.

With this 2002 production of Meistersinger, Peter Konwitschny has in fact succeeded in creating a maximum of controversy with a minimum of means. As it is during the first 255 minutes of this 260 minutes opera, nothing really happens: A wooden platform is placed center-stage. The characters wear period costume. A screen projects various images of Nürnberg behind the platform. None of the characters are particularly characterized, perhaps attributable to the revival status of the production. The various interactions seemed rather uninspired.

Then, with 5 minutes to go comes Konwitschny´s coup-de theatre: In the middle of Hans Sachs´ infamous "deutsches volk" monologue, the Meistersinger suddenly start to interrupt, talking loudly between themselves. The music stops. One of the masters asks Hans Sachs if "he really knows what he is singing" and then a discussion between the various characters on the essence of being German begin. Asked whether he just couldn´t remove the phrase, Danish conductor Michael Schønwandt finally answered "in Denmark we also removed the phrase immediately after the second world war". After about 5 minutes of discussion, the music started again.

Are you really allowed to do that? Stop a performance of Meistersinger to discuss the text in front of the audience? Why not, I suppose. However, only non-Germans may wonder, whether the topic of discussion is even relevant, more than 50 years after the conclusion of the Second World War. It is highly relevant and highly controversial, even today. Now, whether there is anything inherently nationalistic in Hans Sachs monologue from the hand of Richard Wagner, I sincerely doubt. But that seems to be besides the point.

Of the singers, Edith Haller, whose Gutrune was one of the few highlights of last years Bayreuth Ring, looks like a jugendlich-dramatisch soprano star of the future. Her Eva was simply superb, especially her upper register truly shines. The other highlight was Jochen Schmeckenbrecher, for once a Beckmesser singing all the notes: No yelling or sprechgesang. Furthermore he was rather funny. Not to forget the fine Pogner from Georg Zeppenfeld.

As I am extensively familiar with usual-suspects-Wagnerians John Treleaven and Alan Titus, I can´t say they disappointed as Walther and Sachs, respectively. Which I probably would have said did I not know them. Furthermore the coordination between Michael Schønwandt and Alan Titus was appallingly poor, something I am inclined to blame Alan Titus as he repeatedly set his own tempi, which were markedly different from everyone elses.

Major applause to Michael Schønwandt, well-deserved as he is a fine conductor, with whom I am extensively familiar with as he is Chief Conductor at the Royal Danish Opera. However, I suspect the performance to have been underrehearsed as the essential flow somehow was lacking.

One of the most talked-about Wagnerian productions of the past decade. Based on a 5-minutes discussion inserted in the middle of a monologue. Rather well-done of Konwitschny. Not to forget, the topic of discussion is highly relevant.

The bottom line (scale of 1-5, 3=average):

Alan Titus: 2
Jochen Schmeckenbrecher: 4
John Treleaven: 2
Edith Haller: 5
Georg Zeppenfeld: 4
Katja Pieweck: 4
Jürgen Sacher: 4

Peter Konwitschny´s production: 3

Michael Schønwandt: 4

Overall impression: 3-4

Photo from the website of the Hamburg State Opera

The Australian Meistersinger

Meistersinger. Opera Australia, Sydney. Production: Michael Hampe. Cast: Donald McIntyre (Hans Sachs), Paul Frey (David), Helena Döse (Eva), Rosemary Gunn (Magdalene), John Pringle (Beckmesser), Donald Shanks (Pogner), Christopher Doig (David). Conductor: Sir Charles Mackerras. Further information here.

Michael Hampe has directed a solidly traditional and straightforward Meistersinger for the Opera Australia in 1988. Traditional, yet simple sets, a sort of combination of Wolfgang Wagner´s 1984 Bayreuth production and the 1995 Berlin Götz Friedrich production. Personally, I prefer the Australian sets to both of the above and furthermore Hampe manages to infuse considerably more life into this rather lively production.

All of the cast were good, though perhaps not exceptional:

Paul Frey looks the part, and while he sings well in the first act, he almost retorts to yelling at the end. Worst, however, he is no more interesting to watch on a stage than in his Bayreuth Lohengrin a couple of years later. Vastly better is Helena Döse´s rather fine Eva reaching the excellent in the performance from John Pringle, whose Beckmesser I recall someone described as "Black Adder of opera"
Donald McIntyre has star quality, which makes up for quite a lot. Vocally he is on the dry side however, the monologues being his weakest points. In the dialogue sections, however, he is excellent - dramatically as well. Though he by the middle of the third act his vocal limits have been reached and in the final monologue he is vocally close to dead.

It is obvious that Sir Charles Mackerras is a fine conductor with genuine grasp of this score, though to my tastes he is too fast and the elusive flow, so critical for Meistersinger never really manifests itself. It is equally obvious that Opera Australia´s orchestra no matter how optimal the conductor and surroundings is no match for the Bayreuth Festival orchestra.

For those preferring a solidly, traditional Meistersinger on DVD, I would still recommend the Metropolitan Opera Schenk/Levine production.

The bottom line (scale of 1-5, 3=average):

Donald McIntyre: 3-4
Paul Frey: 3
Helena Döse: 4
John Pringle: 5

Michael Hampe: 3

Sir Charles Mackerras: 3-4

Overall impression: 3

DVD: The 1995 Götz Friedrich Meistersinger

Meistersinger. Director: Götz Friedrich. Deutsche Oper Berlin 1995. Cast: Wolfgang Brendel (Sachs), Gösta Winbergh (Walther), Eva Johansson (Eva), Victor von Halem (Pogner), Eike Wilm Schulte (Beckmesser). Conductor: Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos. More details here.

This 1995 Götz Friedrich Meistersinger production from Deutsche Oper is still on the repertoire, most recently in February 2008, where I attended a rather fine live performance in Berlin.

Why several reviewers have praised this DVD as both insightful, interesting and revelatory is beyond me. I simply find it boring, though not as much as Wolfgang Wagner´s un-dead Bayreuth productions.

The staging is simplistic with a declining toy village image of the city of Nürnberg in the backgounrd as well as some images of 1945 Nürnberg apparently serving to distance the staging from the nationalistic aspects associated with the work, allegedly Hitler´s favourite Wagner opera and performed during the 1930´s party rallies in Nürnberg. Other than that, Götz Friedrich´s ideas seemed rather sparse.

Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos is an interesting conductor, and musically many aspects work rather well. However, Meistersinger is above all a conductors opera and both James Levine and Daniel Barenboim are hard to beat on DVD, the latter in particular.

Wolfgang Brendel is a rather fine Sachs, though I´d personally prefer more sparkle as well as more (some?) chemistry with Eva Johansson´s Eva, a part she can sing, but which doesn´t seem ideal for her. Best was Gösta Winbergh as a both vocally solid and dramatically believable (though not too young) Walther. The additional cast all performed well, without stealing the show.

For those not keen on the Metropolitan Opera Schenk production, this may be worth exploring.

The bottom line (scale of 1-5, 3=average):

Wolfgang Brendel: 4
Eva Johansson: 3-4
Gösta Winberg: 4
Eike Wilm Schulte: 3

Götz Friedrich´s production: 3

Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos: 4

Overall impression: 3

DVD: Wolfgang Wagners 1984 Bayreuth Meistersinger

Meistersinger. Director: Wolfgang Wagner. Bayreuth 1984. Cast: Bernd Weikl (Sachs), Siegfried Jerusalem (Walther), Hermann Prey (Beckmesser), Marie-Anne Häggander (Eva), Manfred Schenk (Pogner), Graham Clark (David). Conductor: Horst Stein. More details here.

Who is more likely to know Richard Wagner's Meistersinger conception, than his grandson, Wolfgang Wagner, director of this production? Think again..

Apparently Wolfgang Wagner was keen on avoiding any discussion of the nationalistic aspects of Meistersinger- therfore he emphasized the down-to-earth folkloristic aspects of the people in this staging. The sets are traditional, half-naturalistic, minimalistic and dull, depicting the traditional Meistersinger locations as written in Richard Wagner´s libretto with the singers in traditional costumes.

Wolfgang Wagner is known as a director who expects his singers to be able to move on a stage and starts his work from there. Which, in theory, sounds reasonable, especially since his knowledge on Richard Wagner´s works is immense. However, intellectual analysis rarely makes for engaging theater unless backed up by hands-on stage direction or at least exceptional sets. Or an exceptional conductor. Or any combination of the above. In fact, this seems to be the main take-home message of this staging.

For once, we have a young, good-looking an vocally strong Walther in Siegfried Jerusalem. To nail it completely, he´d probably have had to be on pitch and slightly less stiff.
For some reason he wants Marie-Anne Häggander´s rather ordinary Eva. She has the slightly less ordinary Manfred Schenk as her father.
Bernd Weikl is a rather young Sachs and while he is in fine voice, he is not the revelation some make him out to be. Eyeing the DVD competition, I´d still prefer James Morris, from an over-all interpretative point of view. Graham Clark makes a vivacious and entertaining David.
Hermann Prey was a surprise casting as Beckmesser and he is the stand-out of this production. He tones down the malicious and ridiculous aspects of the part and is simply a lonely man making some unwise decisions, though I didn´t find his singing quite as superb as rumoured.

While Horst Stein is a fine conductor, Meistersinger is outrageously difficult to lift off, and he doesn´t quite make it. It just takes listening to Solti, Barenboim or Thielemann among recent conductors to hear the difference between a good and a great Meistersinger conductor.

The premiere of this staging was in 1981, 5 years after Patrice Chéreau´s Ring. Wolfgang Wagner should have known better and hired an outsider to do this production. He wasn´t even close to doing that as he also staged the suceeding Bayreuth production of Meistersinger. At least at that point he had the sense to have the two top-Wagnerians Daniel Barenboim and Christian Thielemann conduct it...

I´d still recommend the Metropolitan Schenk production as the top choice of a Meistersinger DVD.

Hermann Prey and Bernd Weikl, Act 2:

The bottom line (scale of 1-5, 3=average):

Siegfried Jerusalem: 4
Marie-Anne Häggander: 2-3
Manfred Schenk: 3
Hermann Prey: 4
Bernd Weikl: 3-4

Horst Stein: 3

Wolfgang Wagner´s production: 2

Overall impression: 2

DVD: Barenboim Bayreuth Meistersinger

Meistersinger. Director: Wolfgang Wagner. Bayreuth 1999. Cast: Robert Holl (Sachs), Emily Magee (Eva), Peter Seiffert (Walther), Andreas Schmidt (Beckmesser). Conductor: Daniel Barenboim. More information here.

This 1999-filmed Meistersinger was Wolfgang Wagner´s last production at the Bayreuth Festival as well as the last production Daniel Barenboim conducted here. A statement I hope to be able to revise, at least regarding Barenboim.

This is in fact fact one of Wolfgang Wagner´s better productions, though not exactly placing him among the great Wagnerian directors of history. The main problem is that Wolfgang Wagner is a very static director. Índividual direction of the singers and exploring the personal relations of the characters does not seem to interest him, and they all seem left to their own devices. That approach rarely makes for enticing theater. What makes this production vastly better than his preceeding Meistersinger production is the sets: Conservative, but aesthetic and very elegant, stripped of all superfluities. Almost exclusively white. Being modern, according to Wolfgang Wagner, means dressing Peter Seiffert in a combination of pink and red..No doubt that Wolfgang Wagner´s knowledge of his grandfather´s works is immense and vastly exceeds that of virtually any other living director. However, transmitting this knowledge to the audience as engaging theater he unfortunately has never been able to do.

Daniel Barenboim is superb as expected in Wagner´s most treacherous work: While Meistersinger may look relatively easy and straightforward on paper, it takes something special to make it lift off and reveal the depths of the score.
Among conductors alive today I have only heard Christian Thielemann and Daniel Barenboim truly pulling that off and this Meistersinger production offers the most direct opportunity to compare these two: Daniel Barenboim conducted it until 1999, Christian Thielemann took over in 2000, making his debut at the Bayreuth Festival (Thielemann´s Bayreuth Meistersinger is available from the broadcasts). Both are attentive to detail without loosing the bigger picture and both truly understand the structure of the work. Both are grandiose. Christian Thielemann is more glittering, Daniel Barenboim is more powerful, direct and engaged. But the major difference is the impression of narcissism, pathos and sentimentalism (all in the positive sense) one gets with Thielemann. Daniel Barenboim has nothing of that, which is why he ultimately wins. But it is a very close call.

Robert Holl´s Hans Sachs I genuinely do not care for: He is traditional, elderly, uninspired and unenergetic. Vocally, his voice is definitely not unpleasant and he is up to it, without aspiring to greatness though. Dramatically, less so. And the complete lack of chemistry with Emily Magee´s Eva is appalling. Her Eva, for once, is straight and unsentimental, rather a grown-up woman than an adolescent girl. While Peter Seiffert has a great voice and is without doubt among the very few top Wagnerian tenors of today, his stand-and-deliver acting and general appearance, as always, leaves me cold. Also Andreas Schmidt's Beckmesser, though well sung, doesn´t seem to come across to the (imaginary) audience (the Bayreuth DVDs are always filmed in front of an empty auditorium). Matthias Hölle in his rather short prime, is first rate as Pogner, dignified and well sung.

Is this the preferred Meistersinger on DVD? Before actually watching it, I would have expected it to be. However, I continue to place my money on the Schenk production from the Metropolitan Opera. And no: I am no fan of the endless row of undead Schenk-shows, but this Meistersinger, for once, is rather good.

Daniel Barenboim with the Meistersinger Ouverture:

The bottom line (scale of 1-5, 3=average):

Robert Holl: 3
Matthias Hölle: 4
Emily Magee: 3-4
Andreas Schmidt: 3-4
Peter Seiffert: 3

Wolfgang Wagner´s production: 2-3
Daniel Barenboim: 5

Overall impression: 3

Bayreuth 2008 Meistersinger - great success for free public live transmission in revival of Katharina Wagner´s controversial staging

Approximately 38.000 turned up for the free live transmission of Sunday´s performance of Katharina Wagner´s Meistersinger from the Bayreuth Festival to a public square in Bayreuth - undoubtedly helped by the spectacular weather as well.

Opinions of the success of the not exactly free online streaming seemed to vary (I opted out of buying a ticket since the weather was spectacular and I saw this production live in Bayreuth last year). This Sunday July 27th performance is NOT the one to be released on DVD later this year, which was recorded before the Festival started.

Selected impressions of the 2008 Meistersinger revival:

Associated Press: "Whether you love it or hate it, there's no denying that there's never a dull moment in Katharina Wagner's uproarious production of "The Mastersingers of Nuremberg",, "Katharina's staging of Wagner's only comic opera is hugely entertaining and has some bright and striking ideas".

Frankfurter Allgemeine: "Bayreuth is pop and Katharina Wagner is the princess" .."the staging tends to be too explicit".

Abendzeitung: Praising Katharina Wagner´s detailed work with the singers especially Michaela Kaune and Klaus Florian Vogt.

Netzeitung: "The Bayreuth audiences are still divided over this staging"

Based on the radio transmission: Sebastian Weigle was fine, though not exceptional, with a rather placid reading without the contrapuncts making this score really exciting. Futhermore the coordination with the singers was rather shaky during the ensembles. Best among the singers were Michaela Kaune (Eva), Klaus Florian Vogt (Walther) and Michael Volle (Beckmesser). Franz Hawlata is not a bad Sachs, but seems rather stretched by the part.

DVD: Meistersinger from the MET

Die meistersinger von Nürnberg. Director: Otto Schenk. Metropolitan Opera 2002. Cast: James Morris (Sachs), René Pape (Pogner), Karita Mattila (Eva), Ben Heppner (Walther), Thomas Allen (Beckmesser). Conductor: James Levine. Further details here

The combination of the Metropolitan Opera and Otto Schenk equals a no surprise rock-solid traditional staging. 16th century Nürnberg looks like 16th century Nürnberg, the sets are sumptuous, exquisite, beautiful as well as historically correct (more or less) and the libretto is followed attentively. In short: Wagner as Wagner wrote it, no interpretation applied by the director. A refuge from all the troubles of everyday life right into 16th century Nürnberg.

However -Is there not more to Meistersinger than this? Some will say, this is enough: To follow the so-called "composers intentions", though I secretly suspect Wagner quickly would have tired of 16th century Nürnberg and preferred some of the avant-garde stagings performed almost everywhere else...

Personally I´d prefer a director to provide new insights into the main characters and their relations. This may be done in 16th century Nürnberg as well as in a spaceship. But unfortunately it was not done/attempted here. Instead the singers look like being left to their own devices in developing their characters.

Nevertheless, there are many things to like here, despite the cast as a whole suffers from the classic opera singer dilemma being an inverse relationship between singing and appearance. Ben Heppner and Karita Mattila sang well but both looked out of place. James Morris looked excellent but was not in good voice. Only René Pape and Thomas Allen both looked fine and sang well.

James Morris, voice apart, is a wonderful Hans Sachs. Dramatically his gently fatherly demeanor convinces, and I find his interpretation superb. However...He was not in good voice here. Strangely enough, most of his problems are in the lower register, being almost completely replaced by an intolerable wobble. This is the best portrait of the character Hans Sachs available on the DVD. But the actual singing..that´s the problem.

Again, Ben Heppner may have a glorious voice, but as a singing actor he is entirely uninteresting physically as well as dramatically. Even the vocal characterization is lacking, and furthermore there is absolutely no stage chemistry between him and Karita Mattila´s Eva. Vocally, Karita Mattila is ideal as Eva, and the mix of insecurity, shyness and childish naivety she displays is ideal for this part, but somehow she looks out of place in this production - the lack of believable stage interaction between her and both Heppner and Morris plays a not insignificant part here.

René Pape is the perfect Pogner, unless, of course, one takes offense of the fact that he, once again, is by far the youngest and best looking of the male cast (as well as the overall best singer) and isn´t even made up to pretend to look like anyone´s father. Looking towards the future, I do wonder how the part of Hans Sachs will eventually suit him - no doubt he vocally will be able to sing it (and sing it vastly better than anyone else as well), but does this part really suit him dramatically? Wotan and The Dutchman, no doubt yes. But Hans Sachs? Obviously, that remains to be seen.
Thomas Allen is a fine Beckmesser, both well sung and acted. Allen is an excellent physical comedian capable of conveying malice as well. He is the bad guy - no doubt.

James Levine, once again flashing the smooth and well-tuned Metropolitan Opera Orchestra with the highly polished, but ultimately unengaging sound. Admittedly, it is not easy to bring this score alive, but more sparkle is needed. For the truly beautiful and sparkling sound, go for Christian Thielemann. For the dynamic and engaging sound go for Daniel Barenboim. For the straight, non-sentimental approach go for Georg Solti.

This is by a wide margin the best Metropolitan Wagner opera on DVD (which admittedly does not say much).

Act 3 "Ein kind war hier geboren":

The bottom line:

James Morris: 4
Karita Mattila: 4
Ben Heppner: 2
Thomas Allen: 4
René Pape: 5

James Levine: 4
Schenk´s staging: 3

Overall impression: 4

Wagner - five DVD recommendations for those who do not like (know?) Wagner

A reader has asked for a recommendation of three Wagner DVDs for those who do not like/know Wagner´s music. I will give five...

My main criteria for selecting these videos are simply those that I find provide the best introduction to Wagner´s music in relatively updated productions of a reasonable quality. Thus no Tristan, no Parsifal, no Ring, no vintage DVDs with historic singers. Comments and suggestions are, of course, most welcome.

A brief look at the attached videos may hopefully help to decide before buying..

1. The Flying Dutchman. Highly acclaimed production from Bayreuth 1985 by Harry Kupfer, who essentially sees the opera as Senta´s dream.

Final scene below with Simon Estes (Dutchman) and Lisbeth Baslev (Senta):

2. Lohengrin. Either 1) Konwitschny´s class-room staging from Barcelona Liceu in 2006. Very innovative Regietheater, where the opera takes place in a class-room, the protagonists being children. Definitely a fresh view on the work. To be honest, I do not like it, as it takes too much focus away from the music, but for those unacquainted with Wagner, it may serve as an entertaining introduction.

Lohengrin and Elsa´s wedding in the classroom (John Treleaven, Emily Magee and Luana DeVol):

or 2) the elegant Lohengrin choice: Lehnhoff´s production from Baden-Baden 2006 - my personal Lohengrin favourite, not the least because this features the incomparable Waltraud Meier as Ortrud.

Below - the confrontation between Ortrud and Elsa in front of the church (Waltraud Meier and Solveig Kringelborn):

3. Tannhäuser: David Alden´s modern, very aesthetic Tannhäuser production from Munich 1994.

Confrontation between Tannhäuser (René Kollo) and Venus (Waltraud Meier):

4. Walküre - Patrice Chéreau´s historic staging from Bayreuth 1976. Still the most moving version I have seen of this work. Perhaps my top-recommendation for introducing oneself to Wagners work...

Below: Confrontation between Matti Salminen (Hunding), Peter Hofmann (Siegmund) and Jeannine Altmeyer (Sieglinde):

5. For those not keen on modern productions: Meistersinger from The Metropolitan Opera 2001. The best "traditional" Wagner DVD on the market, to my taste. With Karita Mattila, James Morris, Ben Heppner and René Pape.

Scene from Act 3 in Hans Sachs´ living room :

The Barenboim/Kupfer Meistersinger revival - again...

Meistersinger, Berlin State Opera, March 24th 2008. Kupfer (d), Barenboim (c).

With: James Morris, René Pape, Dorothea Röschmann, Roman Trekel, Burkhard Fritz.

This is almost a replica of the Meistersinger performance I saw last week (same production, same conductor, same cast), so no reason to repeat my write-up from last week (see here).

The major difference from last week was the audience reaction: That James Morris was not booed this time, but instead received a deservedly warm applause. On the contrary one (only one) very loud person booed Dorothea Röschmann - really, what kind of person decides to stand up alone in a theater and just yell? It is completely beyond me.

René Pape was quite demonic as Pogner, the glances he shot at Beckmesser resulted in most of the audience fearing for their lives. Over-all Kupfer´s individual characterization of the Meistersinger´s is far more detailed than the group portrayal often seen, here with Sachs and Pogner firmly together and Kothner clearly following them, although he does not understand what is going on.

Nothing to say of Daniel Barenboim´s excellent conducting, that I haven´t said numerous times before, including at last weeks performance.

It was also interesting to note how much better the acoustics are when you are seated at the 2nd level of the theater, as opposed to the floor section. Especially since the tickets up there comes at a fraction of the floor ticket prize.

James Morris, René Pape and Roman Trekel (center from right):

Berlin Meistersinger revival- in which James Morris was unjustly booed as the Sachs René Pape should have sung...

Meistersinger. Berlin State Opera, March 16th 2008. Director: Harry Kupfer. Cast: James Morris (Hans Sachs), René Pape (Pogner), Dorothea Röschmann (Eva), Roman Trekel (Beckmesser), Burkhard Fritz (Walther). Conductor: Daniel Barenboim.

You may or may not like James Morris´ long legato-lines and somewhat passive approach to Hans Sachs, well known from the Metropolitan Opera, on DVD as well. However, in this Meistersinger at the Berlin State Opera he was in excellent voice, much better than in anything I have heard of him from the Met in at least 5 years: No wobble and with a secure, firm tone. Part of the explanation probably being the small size of the house, but I also suspect he may quite simply have been in fine form. In brief, an excellent Hans Sachs with plenty of worldliness and wisdom. And for those reasons, though I fully understand that some may disagree with this assessment, I was genuinely surprised that anyone (luckily only a few, but they were quite loud) would disagree to the extent of booing him. The majority, however, did applaud.

Whenever the subject of Morris´ Sachs came up during the intervals, people kept voicing their disappointment that René Pape had cancelled his originally scheduled Sachs in this production. As well as disliking Morris diction (which I honestly think is quite good) and accusing him of lack of understanding of the character (with which I simply do not agree).

And as regular readers will know well, few bigger admirers of René Pape exist than myself, however since he cancelled this Sachs almost a year ago, even I have managed to get past that disappointment, and accordingly I found the treatment of Morris quite unfair. But then - what do I know? Sachs is a German national icon, and as a non-German, my opinion, of course, counts for very little.
But I´ll have to add that sometimes, some of the operagoing public in Berlin really are among the worst in the world.

Biggest applause among the singers (of course) went to René Pape as Pogner, quite justified, as he was simply excellent.

Excellent also, was Daniel Barenboim on the podium. A magnificent, dense reading of the score. With him, the Berlin Staatskapelle is a first-rate orchestra, and as they played here, they have few (if any) rivals in the world in this repertoire.

Dorothea Röschmann made her debut as Eva, her first lead Wagnerian part, and her background in Mozart-singing was clear from the straigh Mozartian style, which which she approached the notes. Her voice is immensely beautiful, though I sincerely doubt if moving into the Wagnerian repertoire (Elsa is upcoming in 2009) is the right thing, based on the visible strain particularly in the Act III Quintet, where she seemed to have reached the maximum of her vocal capability. Furthermore she looked rather uneasy on stage, though after all, it was her first time with the part.

Among the others, Roman Trekel made a fine Beckmesser. I must admit, I´ve never quite taken to Burkhard Fritz, but that may be blamed on my ears alone, and he did seem better suited to the part of Walther than of other parts in which I´ve seen him previously (Parsifal, Benvenuto Cellini). Katharina Kammerloher was excellent as Magdalene. Florian Hoffman as David simply looked like a teenage-boy and has a very small, lyrical voice. I suppose it is a matter of taste, which type to prefer as David, but I found him a bit out of place here, though not by his fault.

This is one of the least exciting Kupfer-Wagner productions: The theme seems to be the conflict between new and old, illustrated by a vertical column of a wooden structure set upon a background of a projected modern city sky-line. And (very unlikely of Kupfer) the Personenregie seems very weak, leaving us this tableaux with a period-costumed cast for the entire opera. I suppose this production offends very few, but I´d be surprised if many found it innovative or exciting.

The only thing that genuinely bothers me about this Meistersinger, is that the company charges up to 260 Euros (Festival ticket prize) for this old Kupfer-revival, which they have played countless times before at ordinary (up to 80 Euros) prizes. I concede, that this was probably planned around René Pape´s Hans Sachs and that the company had to go forward with the schedule for logistic reasons after he cancelled, but I was not surprised to see so many of the expensive seats empty.

Photos from the Berlin State Opera website.

High-quality Meistersinger revival at Deutsche Oper Berlin

Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, Deutsche Oper Berlin, February 16th 2008. Production: Götz Friedrich. Cast: Robert Holl (Sachs), Stig Andersen (Walther), Michaela Kaune (Eva), Markus Brück (Beckmesser). Conductor: Peter Schneider.

You only needed to hear 3 bars of the prelude to realize, that this was going to be a musically excellent performance. Conducted by Peter Schneider, the orchestra played up to their best. And in this notoriously difficult piece as well..In fact, it´s not that difficult to get through, but to Schneider´s reading is not as light-hearted brilliant as Thielemann or as dramatic as Barenboim, but falls somewhere between these two categories and he more than holds his own here.

The production is Götz Friedrich´s old one from 1993, also available on DVD. While it probably doesn´t offend anyone, neither does it excite, being equally boring on DVD vs. in the house.
Lenus Carlson (singing Kothner) was the only member performing this evening of the original cast of 1993 and according to an interview, the cast rehearsed with Friedrich 6 hours a day for two months before that premiere. "Don´t give me that Juillard-shit" - Götz Friedrich apparently told Carlson, whenever he did something that didn´t please him, which according to Carlson did not happen very often, though.

Robert Holl is a rather good Hans Sachs. Not under real pressure at any point and holding his way throughout. Also fine singing from Stig Andersen as Walther as well as Markus Brück´s both funny and well-sung Beckmesser and Michaela Kaune´s almost ideal Eva, whom all received major applause from the audience.

Herbert von Karajan in the Third Reich

Photo: Karajan´s Nazi party membership card.

I am no Karajan-basher - I recognize his immense contribution to classical music and admire his superbly conducted performances of many of my favourite works.

But I find it entirely unacceptable, that he has never been willing to publicly explain his activities during the 1930´s and 40´s: I am no self-righteous purist - I realize the complexity of the situation in Germany at that time, and to be completely honest, few os us would probably have been heroes in similar situations. The problem is not what he did, as I don´t think he is a worse person than most, but his lack of understanding, that as a public figure he has a responsibility to help explain the nature of the issues and conditions in these years.

I have translated a fascinating article from yesterday´s Berliner Morgenpost´s Karsten Kammholz on Herbert von Karajan and the Third Reich:

"Three minutes airtime was what the host Reinhold Beckmann recently gave his guest, the conductor´s widow Eliette von Karajan on this unpleasant topic: No, on the Nazi era she never talked with Herbert, said Eliette. Then Helmut Schmidt appeared: "Karajan was obviously not a Nazi. He was a follower". And thus the issue was wiped off the table. Karajan himself, who would be 100 years old on April 5, never spoke publicly about that time.

And the exact role of the conductor in the Third Reich is still somewhat of a mystery. Previously, many saw him as apolitical, but documents from his early past speak a different language: There is evidence that Karajan joined the Nazi Party as early as April 8, 1933 in Salzburg. He has always claimed that he automatically joined in 1935 upon being made General Music Director in Aachen. Experts however, doubt such automatic membership allocation.

Karajan became a very early member of the Nazi Party in Salzburg, at a time when the party was still far from power in Austria. Karajan´s membership may thus be be seen as a conscious political step - or as calculated, career opportunism.

His unique career would have been impossible at that time without the good will of the party: Karajan´s big breakthrough is still considered to have taken place at October 21th 1938, where he conducted a performance of Wagner´s "Tristan and Isolde" at the Berlin State Opera. Afterwards the journalist and music critic Edwin von der Nüll wrote a review with the famous headline "The Miracle Karajan" in the magazine "BZ". This positive criticism at once raised the young Austrian to the level of Wilhelm Furtwängler, the powerful chief conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic. However, evidence indicate that this article on Karajan was a politically commissioned work.

Hermann Göring, then Prime Minister of Prussia, was overseeing the Berlin State Opera and Joseph Goebbels as the chief of the Reich Chamber of Culture was responsible for Furtwängler. Probably both Göring and Goebbels had an interest in Karajan. He fitted well into their world view since he was young, extremely good-looking as well as being a perfectionist and aesthete.

Peter Uehling, whose book "Karajan" (Rowohlt, 2006) is the latest of nearly a dozen biographies on the conductor, said: "All of this made him attractive to the Nazi leaders." Göring would have been proud to work with this new conducting star.

Karajan knew how to exploit this awareness by the party peaks. Because up to the "miracle"-article, he was "just" a provincial conductor: Previously stationed at Ulmer, he was appointed general music director of Aachen in 1935.

Karajan conducted Wagner's "Tannhauser"at Hitler´s birthday in 1935 and played the Horst Wessel song (the official anthem of the NSDAP) several times during his career.

"There are stories that despite of all this, Hitler despised Karajan," says Misha Aster in his book "The Imperial Orchestra: The Berlin Philharmonic and National Socialism" (Siedler Verlag, 2007).

Apparently Hitler considered it presumptuous that Karajan, before the eyes of the leader, conducted Wagner's "Meistersinger" by heart at the Berlin State Opera. After that performance, Hitler allegedly said that he would no longer go to the Staatsoper when Karajan was on the podium.

Karajan remained in Aachen, Germany, as general music director, until he was dismissed in the 1941/42 season allegedly because he was there too rarely. He was informed of this decision while in Rome on a tour with the Berlin State Opera.

Karajan now tried to offer his services to the regime in other ways: The conductor wanted to be a fighter pilot. But he was rejected because he was too old. Henceforth, he led the Staatskapelle Berlin. Only the end of the war suddenly interrupted his career. After that Karajan apparently had some difficulties explaining his past.

There are documents that show that Karajan even entered the Nazi party twice. By the previously mentioned Salzburg membership in 1933 he received membership number 1607525. It has been argued that this membership was not valid since Karajan only payed the administration fee, but not the membership fees he was supposed to. In March 1935 the conductor joined the Nazi party again, this time in Aachen where he received membership number 3430914. After the annexation of Austria the competent "Reichsschatzmeisterei" of the NSDAP in Munich discovered Karajan´s dual membership and declared the initial membership invalid. The second membership was then retrospectively dated as May 1, 1933.

His denazification moved very slowly forward in the occupied Germany. Karajan was forbidden to work, the Allied kep interrogating him and remained negative. The Federal Archives in Berlin-Lichterfelde still keep the records to document this. There it is documented, that as late as April 1949 in a letter from the Zonal Office of Information Services in Hamburg, the office of the Cultural Relations Branch explicitly stressed that Karajan´s denazification, which was completed in 1946 in Austria was not valid for Germany.

Thus Karajan was not under consideration for the conducting post with the Hamburg Philharmonic Orchestra. Three months later, von Karajan in an exchange of letters between the Zonal Office of Information Services and the American Veterans Committee in New York was described as an "ardent Nazi".

Only the young Federal Republic of Germany helped Karajan to his 1950 comeback. And suddenly he was no longer held back: He got engagements in Vienna, Salzburg, Milan, London and Berlin. Sporadic attacks of his Nazi past, he dismissed as being envious.

Misha Aster was puzzled , "that in the 50s and 60s nobody intensively worked with a Karajan biography ." Maybe not in Germany, but in the United States they did, which Karajan got to feel in 1955 when he as chief conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic went on a tour to New York with the orchestra. Jewish organizations demonstrated against Karajan in front of the New York's Carnegie Hall with placards: "They helped Hitler murder millions". Karajan noted the protests with demonstrative disinterest.

In the 1960´s the conductor and his Philharmonics planned a concert tour to Israel. But the Israelis were clear: The orchestra could come, Karajan could not. Only when he died in 1989 the way was paved. In 1990 the Berlin Philharmonics were in Israel for the first time."

Video clips: Wagner performances in The third reich

I have been asked by several people, why admirers of Richard Wagner´s music often seems to ignore the role his music played in The third reich (I am not sure this is true), though the exact nature of this role is still the focus of much debate. As a follow up to my previous post, the following video clips may help explain the association by many of Richard Wagner´s music with Nazism.

Below: Furtwängler or Abendrot conducting Meistersinger in Bayreuth 1942




Below: Speech by Göbbels and performance of Meistersinger at Deutsche Oper Berlin conducted by Böhm and with Vilhelm Rode as Hans Sachs in 1935:



I must admit, these clips make my blood run cold, and on a personal level these associations are the main reason I have avoided the Meistersinger for 20 years, only starting to listen to it last year although I admit, that from a logical point of view it probably doesn´t make sense to separate Wagner´s works like that, since I´ve been listening to the all his other works for more than 20 years.

Information for readers not extensively familiar with Richard Wagner: RW himself was not a nazist and did not personally know Hitler, since he died in 1883, but he was clearly antisemitic and several books have been written on the influence of RW´s music on later political events in Germany. However, several of RW´s descendants (including daughter-in-law Winifried and son-in-law Houston Stewart Chamberlain) WERE personally acquainted with Hitler and supported his political views. As far as I know, Wagner WAS NOT Hitler´s favorite composer (allegedly that was Beethoven), but Wagner´s works were performed at several official occasions and among Wagner´s operas Meistersinger was Hitler´s favourite. It doesn´t look like RW generally was a "favourite Nazi composer" since most Nazi party members apparently preferred lighter entertainment such as cabarets etc..

Vienna: Major triumph for Christian Thielemann in Meistersinger

Meistersinger von Nürnberg. DVD. Vienna State Opera 2008. Prod: Otto Schenk. Cond: Christian Thielemann. Cast: Falk Struckmann (Hans Sachs), Ain Anger (Pogner), Johan Botha (Walther von Stolzing), Adrian Eröd (Beckmesser), Ricarda Merbeth (Eva), Michael Schade (David), Michaela Selinger (Magdalena).

This is a so-called traditional production of Meistersinger, recorded live in 2008 at the Vienna State Opera, which for obscure reasons decided to revive Schenk´s 1975 staging of Wagner´s Meistersinger under the label "new production", referring to a socalled "musical reinterpretation" by German conductor Christian Thielemann. We already know Otto Schenk´s Meistersinger from the DVD from the Metropolitan Opera. This Vienna production is not quite as sumptuous, in fact it is rather austere and dusty at times, especially in the first act.

I remember well that in 2008 Thielemann was unanimously praised by the Austrian press for these performances, labelling them the best conducted Meistersinger in Vienna in decades and five hours of pure pleasure - referring mainly to the orchestral performance.  I am well acquainted with Thielemann´s mighty way with this score: Light, yet not too light, and with this inherent understanding of Wagnerian phrases, including in Thielemann´s case some very unconventional phrasing slowing the orchestra down at decisive points. Such as the much-debated major pause he always takes between "wach" and "auf" in the 3rd Act, It is still there. Egocentric or courageous? Probably both.

That Christian Thielemann favours traditional productions is no secret and not a problem as such. A traditional production may be as good, or better than a modern. That entirely depends on the individual characterization by the singers. However, too often, traditional sets are combined with a lack of personal direction + a not negligible amount of dust. Which is the case here.

It is understandable that Thielemann likes Johan Botha´s voice as it is both glorious and solid. But.. this is not a CD, and excuse me, the man is simply too heavy and cannot act his way out of a paper bag.
But Ricarda Merberth? Really she is quite disappointing as Eva: Matronly, wobbly and unexquisite, she is the stand-up-and-deliver type of singer. One shouldn´t think Eva would be that hard a part to cast?
She looks rather like the superb Ain Angers mother than his daughter. And with Michaela Selingers feisty Magdalena looking ten years younger and feistier than Eva. Michael Schade as well makes a rather mature, but however well sung David.
Falk Struckmann´s rather metallic voice with a certain lack of warmth may not be to everyones liking, however he is in better shape here than otherwise around that time.
Best is Adrian Eröd as Beckmesser: Funny as well as well sung and the scenes between Beckmesser and Sachs remain among the few infusing some life into this otherwise rather un-dead production.
However, we already know Otto Schens Meistersinger from the Metropolitan Opera released on DVD, with a vastly superior cast. Christian Thielemann´s Meistersinger is worth preserving Otto Schenk´s Vienna State Opera production with the current cast really is not.

The bottom line (scale of 1-5, 3=average):

Johan Botha: 2
Ricarda Merberth: 2
Falk Struckmann: 3
Adrian Eröd: 5
Ain Anger: 4
Michael Schade: 3

Otto Schenk´s production: 2

Christian Thielemann: 5

Overall impression: 2

2007 mostly opera awards: The best, the worst, the funniest, the most boring......

Top 5 operatic performances of 2007:

1. Tristan and Isolde, La Scala, Milano (review here)
2. Tristan and Isolde, Munich (review here)
3. Parsifal, Berlin State Opera (review here)
4. Don Giovanni, Berlin State Opera (review here)
5. Meistersinger, Bayreuth (review here)

Top 3 non-operatic performances of 2007:

1. Wagner Gala in Munich (review here)
2. Renée Fleming in Thaïs (review here)
3. Pollini recital in Salzburg (review here)

Worst performance: Hans Neuenfels´ staging of the Magic Flute at Komische Oper in Berlin. I´ve tried to forget it, but at times like this, it just pops up (review will follow soon).

Best opera on CD: Testaments release of the complete 1956 Keilberth Ring from Bayreuth. It beats every other version out there, even Solti. Link here.

Best opera on DVD: The complete Kupfer/Barenboim Bayreuth Ring. It´s also top of my Ring DVD list now. Link here.

Best recital disc: Karita Mattila´s Helsinki recital. More here.

Best singer: This will have to be split between René Pape and Waltraud Meier. René Pape for: Filip, Boris Godunov, Gurnemanz, Marke, Hunding and Don G. (link here) Waltraud Meier for these Isoldes. And Ortrud as well. And Sieglinde (link here).

Best conductor: Daniel Barenboim. For the unparallelled intensity he generates conducting Wagner live. And Mozart as well. For: Parsifal, Tristan and Don Giovanni (link here). With Christian Thielemann a close runner-up for that magnificent Bayreuth-Ring.

Best director: Patrice Chéreau. For this. With Dmitri Tcherniakov as a runner-up. For this and this.

Best opera seen on TV/in cinema: Eugene Onegin from the MET. More here. Searing. Unbelievably moving. (Chéreau´s Tristan has moved to the "live opera" category or would otherwise probably have won this category).

Biggest disappointment: To have to close my ears to the awful singing in Siegfried Act III in Wagner´s own theater in Bayreuth, while at the same time listening to Thielemann´s magnificent conducting. More here.

Biggest surprise: To suddenly find myself on stage in Carl Nielsen´s opera Maskarade at the Royal Danish Opera. More here.

Most misunderstood: Katharina Wagner´s staging of Meistersinger in Bayreuth. Claiming that she is an exceptionally radical stage director is simply far off the mark, and is due to the fact that almost nobody has actually seen her work, which lies plainly within the ”modern” German staging tradition and not the slightest radical. More here.

Most ridiculous: The whole game of succession regarding the leadership of the Bayreuth Festival. More here.

Strangest and most amazing: Being in Bayreuth and attending the performances in the Festival House. More here.

Worst behaviour: Bryn Terfel canceling the ROH Ring at almost no notice. More here.

Best behaviour: Reading here about how Plácido Domingo took time to go backstage between acts and meet his fans at the Royal Opera Walküre and apparently was very pleasant as well.

Most generous: When a stranger gave me a free first-rate ticket to the Pollini recital in Salzburg immediately before the performance. More here.

Most irritating: Sitting almost in front of Daniel Barenboim at a Pierre Boulez concert in Berlin, where he was continuously shuffling some papers very noisily around for the entire concert..only to find out that the day after we were sitting right beside him at another Pierre Boulez concert (with the same paper shuffling going on…) .

Most boring: Regardless of excellent productions, and performances of the highest musical quality, baroque operas just are very long…. (no link, since it´s really not the performers fault that baroque opera doesn´t appeal to me)

Most funny: Attending Hoffmann´s tales ath the Royal Opera in Copenhagen an evening where both the tenor lead and substitute were ill and were substituted by….the conductor! More here.

Most disappointing statement: That René Pape has canceled Hans Sachs in Berlin 2008. More here.

Most exciting statement: That he will sing Wotan at La Scala 2010. And Waltraud Meier will be Brünnhilde. More here.

Castorf´s Meistersinger at Volksbuehne Berlin

Meistersinger, Volksbuehne Berlin, December 16th (more information here)

From the outside, the massive, towering Volksbuehne Berlin at the Rosa-Luxembourg Platz looks like the ultimate neoclassical theater. However, as soon as you´re inside and greeted by staff wearing t-shirts with supposedly printed socialist symbols, reading the posters "we are all terrorists" or watching a black-white movie in the small cinema in the foyer (!) you realize, that this is not anymore the ultimate conservative East Berlin theater it was undoubtedly built to be during the Cold War.

Tonight's production is not what you´d ordinarily call a production of Wagner´s opera "Meistersinger". It is an arrangement of Meistersinger for piano and 5 woodwinds with one opera singer (playing Wather v Stolzing) and the rest of the cast being played by actors. Created by Intendant of the Volksbuehne Berlin since 1992, Frank Castorf, by long (in)famous for his deconstruction of classic pieces with the stated aim "to destroy the unidimensional, to disrupt the meanings...". Scenography by the young german artist Jonathan Meese.

As a staging of Wagner´s "Meistersinger" it is of course radical to have Hans Sachs pumping milk out of a wooden cow and splashing it around stage while 2-3 others run around screaming at some other people in a car shooting at random bypassers. While a guy is shouting next to the piano and another one jumps into the orchestral pit. And it is funny at points, but ultimately the whole thing seemed a bit tedious: The unexpected in a way becomes expected. And, considering, this is a theater piece, it is not really that shocking. In theory, it may not be such a bad idea to deconstruct a piece to build something new. And Castort definitely deconstructs the Meistersinger. I just don´t see what he is building or what the main purpose of the staging is. But of course it frees the Meistersinger from any association with medieval Nürnberg, cosy cobblers or the Nazi rallies in the 1930´s.

Below inserted a youtube video with clips from this production, which much better than words illustrates exactly what this production is about:

Dresden: Claus Guth with new Meistersinger

For American tenor Robert Dean Smith, it all ended in the living room of Hans Sachs in the third act of the premiere of Claus Guth´s Meistersinger at the Dresden Semperoper.

Despite Hans Sachs (Alan Titus) offering him a glass of water, the voice was simply gone in the middle of the Prize Song. Raymond Very (who?) quickly jumped in and finished both Prize song and opera, without conductor Fabio Luisi missing a single beat.

Reactions to controversial director Claus Guth´s staging were, as always I may say, mixed: According to the various media, he takes Meistersinger very seriously, follows the text meticulously and focus on rebellion within a closed community as well as Eva´s relationships with both Sachs, Walther and Beckmesser, none of which are taken lightly.

Claus Guths Meistersinger is no comedy. Stark reality is present underneath the surface. To further the interpretation, each singer was represented by a double-puppet as the chorus held small Nürnberg houses in their hands on an otherwise almost empty stage.

Uanimous praise in the German press for Bo Skovhus in his debut as Beckmesser, Fabio Luisi´s conducting and Robert Dean Smith/Raymond Very as Walther.

Photos by Matthias Creuziger for the Semperoper from Richard Wagner Werkstatt

Bayreuth 2007: Katharina Wagner´s Meistersinger

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Meistersinger. Bayreuth Festival 2007. Production: Katharina Wagner. Cast: Franz Hawlata (Hans Sachs), Klaus Florian Vogt (Walther v. Stolzing), Michael Volle (Beckmesser), Amanda Mace (Eva). Conductor: Sebastian Weigle.

Don’t attend the Bayreuth Festival simply to have fun, drink beers with your friends and listen to good music, because nobody else does. Wagner in Bayreuth is serious stuff and tensions ran high in the Meistersinger audience even before the curtain was up as audiences greeeted The Festival representative announcing the partial indisposition by Franz Hawlata due to back pain with aggressive mumbling.

In many ways, Meistersinger may be the most difficult of Richard Wagners operas to stage, not at least due to the many ambiguities: Is it a comedy? A tragedy? Is Beckmesser a comical figure? Or is he evil? Or maybe even a hero? And it is obviously more challenging to import t an authentic 15th century Nürnberg cobbler into a modern semi-abstract staging, than it is with Gods and Giants.

Since the re-opening of the Bayreuth Festival in 1951, Meistersinger has been staged twice by Wieland and three times by Wolfgang Wagner, both very keen on clearing the work from nationalistic tendencies, emphasizing either the historical context or the caricature elements of the work (Wieland) or the down-to earth elements (Wolfgang). Katharina Wagner joins this tradition and is primarily interested in the socio-politic aspects of the piece as opposed to the love story between Eva and Walther.

The outline of the production is as follows:

The Meistersinger are governors of a traditional art academy, placed around a wooden table while guarding the sacred flame. The apprentices are students. The main concept seems to evolve around the idea that destruction of these traditions is necessary for society to develop.
The question then is: With what are these values replaced?

Hans Sachs is the outsider, a typist, chain-smoking in bare feet. Initially Walther, a painter, is the rebel, aggressively splashing paint aimlessly around when not painting “Eva” on sculptures. He quite literally turns things upside-down, such as paintings of Nürnberg and clearly is infatuated by himself. More than by Eva, anyway.

The ideals of the Meistersinger, represented by grotesquely oversized masks and figures of Goethe, Schiller, Bach, Wagner and other German icons dancing naked around, are cast down by Hans Sachs. Sachs also burns doublets of both a conductor and stage director. Subsequently, however, both Walther and Sachs undergo a development from rebels to conformists and conservatives, while Beckmesser on the other hand turns into an angry rebel. Walther changes from paint-splashing rebel to conform family father in a screen-show set up by Hans Sachs in which Beckmesser seems the only authentic participant with his rebellious guitar-accompanied song.

The Bayreuth audience is placed on a secondary stage as witnesses. In Hans Sachs´ infamous “deutsches volk” phrase (which made Konwitschny famously stop the piece in Hamburg) an oversized male statue appears on stage – probably to display the irony of the quotation. In summary, conformity and conservatism is replaced by conformity mixed with more than a touch of cruelty. As I see it.

First of all: I fail to see any major controversy in this staging. Obviously, when compared to the relatively conventional production by Wolfgang Wagner preceding this one, Katharina Wagner´s staging is closer to the Regietheater school than previously seen in Bayreuth and closer to the likes of Konwitschny and Marthaler (though I fail to see the often-quoted similarities between her and Schlingensief) than to her father.

Secondly: There is much good to be said on this production, which I thought had many fine points. However, a bit more discipline in the presentation of the ideas would make them stand out more clearly. A lot is going on at stage simultaneously. But she proved herself a talented, though not fully developed stage director.

Vocally, the evening was largely disappointing. Franz Hawlata´s is a great actor, but Hans Sachs is far too challenging for him vocally. Also Eva was undercasted with a shrill-sounding, non-acting Amanda Mace. Klaus Florian Vogt was in excellent voice as Walther (replacing Robert Dean Smith, who withdrew due to artistical differences). Furthermore he is definitely not a wimp and looks rather good, though in an eerie way. Rather odd, the entrance of Vogt´s Walther playing piano in tennis shoes is an exact copy of a scene in the Baden-Baden 2006 Lohengrin production.

Best of the singers was Michael Volle, with an excellent characterization of Beckmesser.
Unfortunately Sebastian Weigle´s reading was rather unexciting. The prelude started well, but the rest of the piece didn´t seem to flow.

Extended audience applause after Hans Sachs literally put Eva, Walther, David and Lena into two frames. And scattered applause after his monologue as well, something I have never experienced this before – and then in Bayreuth of all places..

I would say the booers just won over those shouting bravo at curtain call, Katharina Wagner seemingly unfazed at her solo curtain call.

These signs were displayed all over the Festival House, though I am not sure why: