Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg - Bayerische Staatsoper (2016) - Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg - Bayerische Staatsoper (2016)

Description

New production

Even during his lifetime in the 16th century he was already famous and highly regarded as a reformatory lyricist and playwright. And at least by the time Wagner's opera Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg premiered, he had become synonymous with a certain kind of urban lifestyle: Hans Sachs is portrayed by Wagner as an ambassador for a traditional institution that, though positively viewed, is in need of reform.

In his encounter with the nobleman Walter von Stolzing, he accomplishes his actual masterpiece, in that he is able to mould Walter's progressive, subjectivistic art into something that can be understood and accepted by all. Walter is not in the least bit interested in the tradition of the masters and is committed solely to serving his own love interests. Art for everyone! Away with the elite! No l'art pour l'art! And yet Sachs's endeavours are dangerous: His message, "Do not deride the masters!" always threatens to leave a bitter aftertaste: "Was deutsch und echt wüßt' keiner mehr, lebt's nicht in deutscher Meister Ehr'." [None would know what's German and true, were it not to survive through the honour of German masters] - that would be narrow-minded smugness, hollow populism and nationalism.

With all these questions, truly a work for Munich - which it has been ever since its world premiere here.

More information is available on the opera house's official website.