The Master Singers of Nuremberg

Wagner, Richard (1813–1883), translated by Dyer, Abigail (dyerabigail@gmail.com)

Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg is a comic opera by Richard Wagner, set in mid-16th century Nuremberg. It revolves around the city's guild of Master Singers (Meistersingers) - craftsmen performing as amateur poets and musicians. The opera is Wagner's only comedy and is known for its long duration and adherence to operatic conventions. It premiered in 1868, being well-received.

The young knight Walther von Stolzing falls in love with Eva, the daughter of a goldsmith. Walther must triumph in a song contest to wind her hand, but his unconventional singing style clashes with the guild's strict traditions. He gains a ally in Hans Sachs, a cobbler and poet who is the opera's central figure. Sachs navigates tensions between innovation and orthodoxy, guiding Walther through the constraints of the contest rules whilst maintaining his artistic integrity.

Sachs is successful in helping Walther refine his song, leading to a successful performance. Walther is declared winner of the contest and is accepted into the mastersingers' guild. Eva takes his hand, signifying their union.

The opera explores themes of art, tradition, and love, with a focus on the role of music in society.

Author Details

Richard Wagner, born on May 22, 1813, in Leipzig, Germany, was a composer, conductor, and theatre director renowned for his operatic works. Wagner's father, Carl Friedrich, died of typhoid fever six months after Richard's birth, and his mother subsequently lived with, and probably remarried, the actor and playwright Ludwig Geyer, who kindled Wagner’s interest in theatre. Wagner displayed musical talent early in his life, going on to study at the University of Leipzig.

Richard Wagner's career was turbulent, characterized by both political involvement and persistent financial difficulties. His early operas, such as “Rienzi” and “The Flying Dutchman” were early steps in establishing his subsequent reputation. His involvement in the 1849 Dresden uprising, however, forced him into exile, during which he developed his revolutionary concept of opera as a "total work of art" (Gesamtkunstwerk).

Settling in Switzerland, Wagner wrote his famous essay “Opera and Drama” and began his epic cycle “The Ring of the Nibelung” - a series of four operas. His revolutionary use of leitmotifs and complex harmonic structures transformed opera. In contrast to his artistic success, Wagner’s personal life was more troubled - particularly his difficult marriage to Minna Planer and his controversial affair with Mathilde Wesendonck.

Wagner’s later years saw the realization of his longstanding ambition - the construction of the Bayreuth Festspielhaus, an opera house specifically designed for his works. He premiered the complete “Ring Cycle” there in 1876. His final opera, "Parsifal" premiered at Bayreuth in 1882.

Wagner died on February 13, 1883, in Venice, Italy.

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Dyer, Abigail

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