Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg (The Mastersingers of Nurenburg) - Richard Wagner
Information about the opera Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg by Richard Wagner, and the best recordings available on CD or DVD, or for download.
Wagner's comedy about the Mastersingers of Nurenburg is his most accessible opera.
Recommended recordings on CD
Knappertsbusch/Schöffler/Treptow (Naxos Historical 8.111128-31)
A classic recording with an eminent cast.
Vienna State Opera Chorus, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Hans Knappertsbusch, 1950-51.
Cast: Paul Schöffler (Hans Sachs), Günther Treptow (Walther), Hilde Gueden (Eva), Otto Edelmann (Pogner), Karl Dönch (Beckmesser), Anton Dermota (David), Else Schürhoff (Magdalene).
Naxos Historical 8.111128-31
Barenboim/Holl/Seiffert (Teldec 3984-29333-2)
The best all-round Meistersinger; an excellent cast, superb recording, and well conducted.
Bayreuth Festival Chorus, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, conducted by Daniel Barenboim, 1999.
Cast: Robert Holl (Hans Sachs), Peter Seiffert (Walther), Emily Magee (Eva), Matthias Hölle (Pogner), Andreas Schmidt (Beckmesser), Endrik Wottrich (David), Birgitta Svendén (Magdalene).
Teldec 3984-29333-2
Solti/Bailey/Kollo (Decca 475 668-0)
First choice by BBC Radio 3's Building a Library, February 2009.
Vienna State Opera Concert Choir, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Sir Georg Solti, 1976.
Cast: Norman Bailey (Hans Sachs), René Kollo (Walther), Hannelore Bode (Eva), Kurt Moll (Pogner), Bernd Weikl (Beckmesser), Adolf Dallapozza (David), Julia Hamari (Magdalene).
Decca 475 668-0
Recommended recordings on DVD
Burgos/Brendel/Winbergh (Arthaus Musik 102 318)
Kothner reads out the rules to Walther before his trial song for admission to the guild of mastersingers, in Wagner's opera The Mastersingers of Nurenburg.
A near-perfect traditional production, live from the Deutsche Oper Berlin in 1995.
Berlin Deutsche Oper Chorus, Berlin Deutsche Oper Orchestra, conducted by Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos, 1995.
Cast: Wolfgang Brendel (Hans Sachs), Gosta Winbergh (Walther), Eva Johansson (Eva), Victor von Halem (Pogner), Eike Wilm Schulte (Beckmesser), Uwe Peper (David), Ute Walther (Magdalene).
Arthaus Musik 102 318
Jurowski/Finley/Jentzsch (Opus Arte OA 1085 D)
An excellent production filmed at Glyndebourne in 2011, directed by David McVicar, with Gerald Finley especially good as Hans Sachs.
London Philharmonic Orchestra, Glyndebourne Chorus, conducted by Vladimir Jurowski, 2011.
Cast: Gerald Finley (Hans Sachs), Marco Jentzsch (Walther), Anna Gabler (Eva), Alastair Miles (Pogner), Johannes Martin Kränzle (Beckmesser), Topi Lehtipuu (David), Michaela Selinger (Magdalene).
Opus Arte OA 1085 D
Levine/Morris/Heppner (Deutsche Grammophon 0730949-2GH2)
Recorded live at the Metropolitan Opera, New York, in 2001, this is a superb production with excellent singing and good sound. Worth it for the magnificent overture alone.
Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, Metropolitan Opera Chorus, conducted by James Levine.
Cast: James Morris (Hans Sachs), Ben Heppner (Walther), Karita Mattila (Eva), René Pape (Pogner), Thomas Allen (Beckmesser), Matthew Polenzani (David), Jill Grove (Magdalene).
Deutsche Grammophon 0730949-2GH2