Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg was composed from 1845 to 1867 and completed after Tristan und Isolde, and premiered at the National Theatre Munich in 1868. The work holds a unique position among operas by Richard Wagner since it is his only "comic" opera and has lively music. The plot is based on a historical social context that includes figures of the period. The protagonist Hans Sachs was the most famous “Die Meistersinger” in German history, who had written numerous poems to celebrate the spirit of humanity and life, making significant contributions to German art in the 16th Century. The figure was used by Wagner to express his ideal of reforming art and delivering high praise for German culture and art.

 

 

This version is a co-production of the NCPA, Royal Opera House, Convent Garden and Opera Australia, and a second opera produced by the NCPA in collaboration with the Royal Opera House after Andrea Chénier, which was launched in 2015.

 

Credits
Conductor: Lü Jia
Director: Kasper Holten
Set Designer: Mia Stensgaard
Costume Designer: Anja Vang Kragh
Lighting Designer: Jesper Kongshaung
Choreographer: Signe Fabricius
Chorus Master: Marco Ozbič

 

 

Cast
Hans Sachs (Bass-Baritone): Johan Reuter
Eva Pogner (Soprano): Amanda Majeski
Sixtus Beckmesser (Baritone): Jochen Kupfer
Walther von Stolzing (Tenor): Daniel Kirch
Veit Pogner (Bass): Manfred Hemm
David (Tenor): Brenden Gunnell
Magdalena (Mezzo-Soprano): Annely Peebo
Fritz Kothner (Baritone): Sebastian Holecek
Kunz Vogelgesang (Tenor): Wang Chong
Balthazar Zorn (Tenor): Wolfgang Schwaninger
Konrad Nachtigall (Bass): Sam Handley
Ulrich Eisslinger (Tenor): Jin Zhengjian
Augustin Moser (Tenor): Kou Jing 
Herman Ortel (Bass): Wang Haitao
Hans Schwatz (Bass): Ran Xiaoyu
Hans Foltz (Bass): Guido Jentjens
Der Nachtwächter (Bass-Baritone): Tijl Faveyts

 

Synopsis
Walther von Stolzing, a knight from another province, falls in love with goldsmith Veit Pogner’s daughter Eva, but Veit has intended to marry his daughter Eva to a singer that will win a singing competition, so Stolzing enrolls in the competition. Unfamiliar with singing skills and competition rules, obstructed by clerk Beckmesser, who has set his mind to marry Eva, Stolzing gets eliminated in the trial match. Nevertheless, shoemaker Sachs sees a force in Stolzing’s talent for singing, which enables him to sing in an unconstrained manner. So, Sachs hopes to achieve a higher ideal.

 

That evening Stolzing prepares to ask Eva to run away with him, when Beckmesser, outside the window, is serenading the maidservant Magdalena, who is passing herself off as Eva at the window. Sachs is making shoes at the door. He is striking the anvil with a nail hammer in order to record the mistakes Beckmesser makes in his singing only to awaken the neighbors. In the melee, Beckmesser is drubbed by David, Sachs’ apprentice who has unrequited love for Eva. Sachs pulls Stolzing into his house and asks Eva to return home quietly.

 

Early the next morning, Stolzing tells Sachs that he has heard a song in his dream, and when he sings it, Sachs cannot help but be charmed by it. Sachs keeps a record of the lyrics and music and makes a revision. After they enter the room, Beckmesser walks in claiming to have something to important to tell Sachs, but he sees the music score on the table and walks off with it. In the finals, Beckmesser sings the song, but he makes mistakes since he doesn’t understand the lyrics. When it’s Stolzing’s turn, he demonstrates the elegance of the lyrics with music, bringing down the house. Eva Pogner crowns Stolzing, who is crowned, “Die Meistersinger” by Veit Pogner. Sachs speaks highly of Stolzing’s spirit of art and purity, and all those present show deep respect for him.
Presenter

 

 

China NCPA Orchestra
China NCPA Orchestra is the resident orchestra of the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA), Beijing. Established in March 2010, the orchestra consists of highly accomplished musicians from around the world, who perform in more than a dozen opera productions presented by its home venue each year as well as in ballets and regular orchestral concerts in its own season. With a notably busy schedule, the young ensemble has fast established itself as one of the most adventurous and dynamic orchestras in the country.

 

Lü Jia took up the post of Chief Conductor in February 2012, succeeding CHEN Zuohuang, the current Conductor Laureate, NCPA’s then Artistic Director of Music as well as a founder of the orchestra. YUAN Ding Yuan appointed Assistant Conductor in the same year. In January 2017, upon CHEN Zuohuang's retirement, LÜ Jia started serving as NCPA's Artistic Director of Music and the NCPA Orchestra's Music Director.

 

China NCPA Chorus
China NCPA Chorus is the resident chorus of National Centre for the Performing Arts.China NCPA Chorus was established on December 8th, 2009. WU Lingfen, the famous conductor in China, serves as its chorus master. As the professional performing group that belongs to the highest palace of performing arts in China, the chorus adheres to the NCPA's guiding principle of "for the people, for art, for the world" and is recognized as a vigorous professional chorus with infinite potential.