Review: THE MASTER SINGERS OF NUREMBERG al Teatro alla Scala

Review: DIE MEISTERSINGER VON NÜRNBERG at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan, conductor M° Daniele Gatti.

By Lukas Franceschini

Milan 5 April 2017.

After twenty seven years the La Scala Theater prepares the work The Meistersinger of Nuremberg by Richard Wagner, production of the Opernhaus in Zurich and directed by Daniele Gatti.

The Masters have had a rather assiduous attendance at La Scala, in fact, from the premiere in 1889 (first performance in Italy) to 1962 there are fourteen editions, then a revival in 1990, finally the current one. An analysis of past seasons makes it clear how much the theatrical repertoire has changed, and not only in Milan, Wagner's complex and long opera is decidedly under-performed in Italy today, while in Germany it is one of the titles in the national repertoire.

Composed in the period 1862-67 it had its first performance, with triumphal success, at the Bayerische Staatsoper in Munich on June 21, 1868, conducted by Hans von Bülow. The composer's patron il was obviously present in the room re Ludwig II of Bavaria.

The story it takes place in the 16th century in Nuremberg, which was an imperial commune and one of the centers of the Northern European Renaissance. The plot develops around the Meistersinger guild, a real association of poets and musicians “amateurs”, coming above all from the artisan and popular classes. Wagner studied in detail the own rules of composition and execution that these artists developed within their group. Hans Sachs, poet, cobbler and main protagonist, is a real historical figure, he was the most famous of the master singers and one of the most beloved figures of 16th century German literature. The master singers of Nuremberg are fascinating for the faithful historical reconstruction of the city and the traditions of the guilds. Ideally it is the symbol of the spirit of “German sacred art”element of national and popular cohesion. Indeed, in the concluding words of the poem, it is stated: “Let the Holy Roman Empire end up in dust, there would always remain the sacred German art!”. Some musicologists have stated that the Singers of Nuremberg represent the glorious people, first anchored to bourgeois traditions, then ready to venture towards a new truth but remaining Lutheran "integrity".

The only comedy composed by Wagner, it resurfaces some traditional characteristics that the composer had abandoned in his new conception of musical drama, in particular in the use of ensemble pieces. However, the presence of monologues, arias, songs, concertatos and final choruses, which would be similar to grand opéra, find here a dramatic conception even if used in a different form. The Leitmotifs, used briefly by Wagner in other works, in the Masters develop into long melodies that can appear integrated in the musical spirit and determine, in the Wagnerian style, a melodic expansion of the leitmotif itself.

The show proposed at La Scala was by director Harry Kupfer, Hans Schavernoch set designer, Yan Tax costume designer, Jurgen Hoffmann light designer and Thomas Reimer video conception. Very innovative and intellectual direction, set in the 20th century immediately after the end of the Second World War. We are in a completely bombed Nuremberg, in fact, the cathedral is a ruin with large scaffolding for reconstruction. The key to understanding develops precisely on this aspect, the reconstruction not only of the city but of German society, which must emerge from Nazism, its darkest period, and does so through its own culture and tradition. A people that must take the courage to continue and build on concepts of society that had tarnished during the Hitler period, the values of a just and correct society but which finds, even in the conservatism of the Meistersingers, also a light of innovation and novelty in almost chivalrous figure of young Walter. In the background, the non-invasive black and white videos show us a continuous building reconstruction of the city with cranes and growing buildings. The concept is very captivating and in some respects exciting, a society that must and wants to rediscover its sense of belonging to the modern world. However, the direction moves very cautiously without finding particular focuses on individuals, but mainly follows the path of simple narration, it could have been more developed. The scene is very beautiful, whose cathedral is resting on a revolving practicable thus having the possibility of continuously changing the scene. The very elegant costumes take us back to that period of rebirth not only in Germany but in Europe, and give a sense of cinematic vintage. Both the video project and the lights are exceptional, the choreography and mass movements are less expressive.

On the podium Master Daniel Gatti offers us one of his best performances, starting with the splendid overture, thanks to a Scala Orchestra in dazzling form. His direction is passionate and admirable, chiseled in every note, following a narrative path of strong musical impact without ever falling into the easy dramatic groove but perfectly holding the balance of epic comedy, with a peculiar symphonism developed in celestial harmonies. A great performance by the director.

L’Orchestra follows it I dare say with “love” and great participation, as well the Choir, directed by Bruno Casoni, which finds sublime moments in all of his interventions.

In the long list of soloists emerges for accent properties and style the Pogner di Albert Dohmen, he is no less arrogant Beck knife of a convincing Markus Werb, and the very good David and Peter Sonn. The play I heard was the only one in which he sang Michael Kupfer-Radecky, and Hans Sachs very balanced and prudent, who demonstrated excellent phrasing and full color capacity even if the voice tended to be small and I think the character to focus more on in the future.

Rather anonymous in both charisma and vocal properties la Eve by Jacquelyn Wagner, the more incisive Magdalene di Anna Lapkovskaja.

The unhappiest notes were for the Walter at Erin Caves, who took over from a colleague already from the first, a little heroic tenor and with many technical shortcomings that appeared even embarrassing in the third act.

Very uniform the Meistersinger ensemble which was composed of Iurie Ciobanu (Kunz), Davide Fersini (Konrad), Markus Petsch (Balthasar), Neal Cooper (Ulrich), Stefan Heibach (Augustin), James Platt (Hermann), Dennis Wilgenhof (Schwarz), Milkos Ebestyén (Foltz), ed emergeva il bravo Detlef Roth (Kothner). Impeccabile il guardiano notturno di Wilhelm Schwinghammer.

The young apprentices are also very cohesive: Oreste Cosimo, Aleksander Rewinski, Jungyun Kim, Jèrémie Schutz, Francesco Castoro, Santiago Sanchez, Omer Kobiljak, Katrin Heles, Alice Hoffmann, Dorothea Spilger, Franziska Weber, Sofiya Almazova, Mereike Jankowsky, many of whom were students of the Accademia del Teatro alla Stairs.

Full and convinced success with particular acclamations for maestro Gatti, from the small public, the absentees lost a rare and precious opportunity.