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Richard
WAGNER (1813-1883) Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg(1868)
Hans Sachs
- Sir John Tomlinson (baritone)
Veit Pogner - Gwynne Howell (bass)
Kunz Vogelgesang - Alasdair Elliott (tenor)
Konrad Nachtigall - Edward Lloyd-Morgan (baritone)
Sixtus Beckmesser - Sir Thomas Allen (baritone)
Fritz Kothner - Anthony Michaels-Moore (bass)
Balthasar Zorn - Robin Leggate (tenor)
Ulrich Eißlinger - Paul Crook (tenor)
Augustin Moser - John Dobson (tenor)
Hermann Ortel - Grant Dickson (bass)
Hans Schwarz - Geoffrey Moses (bass)
Hans Foltz - Simon Wilding (bass)
Walther von Stolzing - Gösta
Winbergh (tenor)
David - Herbert Lippert (tenor)
Eva - Nancy Gustafson (soprano)
Magdalene - Catherine Wyn-Rogers (mezzo)
Nightwatchman - Michael Druiett (bass)
Chorus and Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden/Bernard
Haitink
rec. live, Royal Opera House, 12 July 1997 ROYAL OPERA
HOUSE ROHS008 [4 CDs: 68:40 + 73:05 +
72:49 + 50:16]
Just a month or two ago
I reviewed a reissue of Wolfgang
Sawallisch’s Bavarian State Opera recording of Wagner’s
comic masterpiece. The virtues of that set lay in Sawallisch’s
seasoned pacing of the drama and the sense of an experienced
ensemble working together, notwithstanding some outstanding
individual performances from the likes of Ben Heppner.
Now in this new set from the Royal Opera House archives
the selfsame advantages of a true ensemble performance are
thrown into sharper relief by a cast that is probably even
better overall than its Munich counterparts.
Recorded live in July 1997 just prior to the Royal Opera
House’s closure for refurbishment, this performance marked
a high point in Haitink’s tenure as Music Director. The appearance
of this CD set is doubly valuable, both preserving a superb
performance and Haitink’s interpretation of a work he has
not otherwise recorded.
Haitink’s cast is an international one, but with a pleasing
and appropriate emphasis on home-grown talent. John Tomlinson’s
Sachs is fully equal to the role’s extrovert and introvert
moments. There is a slight edge to his tone here which becomes
less obvious as the performance progresses. His singing has
tremendous variety of dynamic and nuance without losing any
of its elemental power, and his response to the words shows
fine poetic insight: his Fliedermonolog is profoundly moving.
He also enters into his exchanges with Beckmesser with aplomb.
It’s good to hear the audience laughter preserved here too!
Thomas Allen as Beckmesser gives an extremely fine performance,
all the better for being well sung rather than resorting
to the kind of sprechgesang that some performers have
used. It’s a performance that suggests, quite rightly, that
there is more to the town clerk than the customary pettifogging
caricature we often hear. We realise that Beckmesser is also
a victim of the Wahn, or madness, of which Sachs sings
in his Act 3 monologue.
The veteran Gwynne Howell is a rich-toned Pogner, giving
a warm, lyrical account of his solo in Act 1, and effectively
characterising Pogner’s concerns and doubts in his exchanges
with Sachs in Act 2.
The late Gösta
Winbergh performs a memorable Walther von Stolzing, if not
quite the equal of Ben Heppner on Sawallisch’s set, he paces
the role admirably and – no mean feat – has plenty of power
in reserve at the end for the Prize Song. His voice production
is slightly veiled at the start but he is able to open out
more attractively as the opera progresses. He delineates
well Walther’s progression from the impulsive youth of the
first two acts to the wiser figure of the third.
Nancy Gustafson sings a girlish, lyrical Eva, who can
also be spirited and impulsive, as in her exchanges with
Sachs in Act 2, and rises well to the challenges of Act 3.
Her outburst of “Oh Sachs! Mein Freund!” is thrillingly sung
and she and her colleagues give a beautiful account of the
Quintet. Herbert Lippert’s David is boyish and likeable,
giving a fine performance of the singing modes in Act 1.
Catherine Wyn-Rogers is a good Magdalena.
The various roles of the Mastersingers themselves are
ably sung by members of the Covent Garden company. Special
mention should go to the fine Kothner of Anthony Michaels-Moore.
The chorus also acquits itself with distinction, whether
as the apprentices, the agitated neighbours of Act 2 or in
the great celebratory crowd scenes of the Third Act.
Haitink brings a welcome lightness of touch to the score,
emphasising the warmth and humour of Wagner’s comedy. As
with many performances of Die Meistersinger, the work
in Haitink’s performance grows in stature as it progresses. Act
2 is performed with a scherzo-like delicacy after the expository,
slightly understated First Act. It’s in the long span of
Act 3 that Haitink and his cast are at their most inspired.
Haitink relishes Wagner’s greater breadth and humanity of
purpose with long-breathed phrasing by the ROH orchestra,
with hushed strings and burnished brass in the prelude, and
suitably celebratory playing in the final scenes.
Taken from BBC broadcast tapes, the sound is warm, rich
and full, if not ideally clear. Applause is included before
and after each Act - at the end it is deservedly extensive.
There is a natural opera house balance, with voices rather
backwardly placed; occasionally this means that some of the
words are lost as the characters move around the stage.
There are a couple of tiny production niggles; Beckmesser’s
cry of “Fanget an!” at the end of CD 1 is repeated – needlessly – at
the start of CD2; and something has gone awry with the booklet
which omits page 59 and repeats page 60. A high-quality booklet
includes full texts, translation and production photos.
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