Richard Wagner's "The Mastersingers"

"The Mastersingers," also known as "Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg," is a comic opera in three acts. Composed by opera composer Richard Wagner, the opera was first performed in Munich, Germany, on June 21, 1868, under the direction of Hans von Bülow.
 
The plan of "The Mastersingers" was conceived about the same time as that of "Lohengrin," during Wagner's stay at Marienbad and occupied his attention at intervals for 20 years, as it was not finished until 1867.

As is clearly apparent both from its music and text, "The Mastersingers" was intended as a satire upon the composer's critics, who had charged that he was incapable of writing melody. It is easy to see that these critics are symbolized by the old pedant Beckmesser, and that in Walter we have Wagner himself.

The work is replete with melody. It has chorales, marches, folk songs, duets, quintets, ensembles and choruses, and, yet, the composer does not lose sight of his theories.

Cast and Characters for "The Mastersingers"

The cast and characters for the original performance of "The Mastersingers" was as follows:
  • Hans Sacs: Herr Betz
  • Walter: Herr Nachbauer
  • Beckmesser: Herr Holzel
  • David: Herr Schlosser
  • Eva: Mlle. Mallinger
  • Magdalena: Mme. Dietz.

Plot Synopsis: "The Mastersingers"

To thoroughly comprehend the story of "The Mastersingers," it is necessary to understand the conditions one had to fulfill before he could become a mastersinger. First of all, he must master the "Tabulatur," which included the rules and prohibitions. Then he must have the requisite acquaintance with the various methods of rhyming verse and with the manner of fitting appropriate music to it.
 
One who had partially mastered the "Tabulatur" was termed a "scholar," one who had thoroughly learned it, a "schoolman," the one who could improvise verses, a "poet," and the one who could set music to his verses, a "mastersinger."

Plot Summary: Act One

The first act opens in the Church of St. Katherine, at Nuremberg, with the singing of a chorale to organ accompaniment. During the chorale and its interludes, a quiet love scene is being enacted between Eva, daughter of the wealthy goldsmith Veit Pogner, and Walter von Stolzing, a noble young knight. The attraction is mutual. Eva is ready to become his bride, but it is necessary that her husband should be a mastersinger. Rather than give up the hand of the fair Eva, Walter, short as the time is, determines to master the precepts and enter the lists.

As Eva and her attendant, Magdalena, leave the church, the apprentices enter to arrange for the trial, among them David, the friskiest of them all, who is in love with Magdalena. He volunteers to give Walter some instructions, but they do not avail him much in the end, for the lesson is sadly disturbed by the jeers of the boys in a scene full of musical humor.

At last, Pogner and Beckmesser, the marker, who is also a competitor for Eva's hand, enter from the sacristy. After a long dialogue between them, the other masters assemble, Hans Sachs, the cobbler-bard, coming in last.

After calling the roll, the ceremonies open with a pompous address by Pogner, in which he promises the hand of Eva, "with my gold and goods beside," to the successful singer on the morrow, which is John the Baptist's Day.

After a long parley among the gossiping masters, Pogner introduces Walter as a candidate for election. He sings a charming song. As he sings, the marker, concealed behind a screen, is heard scoring down the faults. When he displays the slate, it is found to be covered with marks. The masters declare him rejected, but Hans Sachs befriends him and demands he shall have a chance for the prize.

Plot Summary: Act Two

The second act of "The Mastersingers" discloses Pogner's house and Sachs' shop. The apprentices are busy putting up the shutters and are singing as they work. Walter meets Eva and plots an elopement with her, but Sachs prevents them from carrying out their rash plan.

Meanwhile, Beckmesser makes his appearance with his lute for the purpose of serenading Eva and rehearsing the song he is to sing for the prize on the morrow. As he is about to sing, Sachs breaks out into a rollicking folk song, in which he sings of Mother Eve and the troubles she had after she left Paradise. At last he allows Beckmesser a hearing, provided he will permit him to mark the faults with his hammer upon the shoe he is making. The marker consents and sings his song, but Sachs knocks so often that his shoe is finished long before Beckmesser's song. This is his first humiliation.

Before the act finishes, Beckmesser is plunged into still further trouble, for David suspects him of designs upon Magdalena, and a general quarrel ensues.

Plot Summary: Act Three

The third act of "The Mastersingers" opens on a peaceful Sunday morning scene in the sleepy old town and shows us Sachs sitting in his arm chair at the window reading his Bible. Now and then, Sachs expresses his hopes for Walter's success, as the great contest is soon to take place. At last he leans back and after a brief meditation commences a characteristic song.

A long dialogue ensues between Sachs and Walter, and then, as Eva, David, Magdalena and Beckmesser successively enter, the scene develops into a magnificent quintet, which is one of the most charming numbers in the opera.

The situation then suddenly changes. The stage setting represents an open meadow on the banks of the Pegnitz. The river is crowded with boats. The plain is covered with tents full of merrymakers. The different guilds are continually arriving. A livelier or more stirring scene can hardly be imagined than Wagner has here pictured, with its accompaniment of choruses by the various handicraftsmen, their pompous marches and the rural strains of town pipers.

At last the contest begins. Beckmesser attempts to get through his song and dismally fails. Walter follows him with the beautiful prize song, "Morgenlich leuchtend in rosigem Schein." He wins the day and the hand of Eva. Exultant Sachs sings out a lusty number ("Verachtet mir der Meister nicht"), and the stirring scene ends with the praise of the people ("Heil Sachs! Hans Sachs! Heil Nürnberg's theurem Sachs!").

Resources

Upton, George (1897). The Standard Operas: Their Plots, Their Music, and Their Composersa Handbook. Chicago: A. C. McClurg and Company.