The Mastersingers of Nuremberg, ENO

Richard Wagner is not exactly the cheeriest of composers. Whether the cosmic tragedy of Der Ring des Nibelungen or the bittersweet passion of Tristan und Isolde, the frustrated mystic quest of Parsifal or the haunting Der fliegende Holländer, it’s easy to leave one of his operas depressed by their conclusions as much as bedazzled by their music. Thank goodness, then, that the English National Opera is bringing back Wagner’s one mature opera that doesn’t call for tissues: Die Meistersinger von Nuremberg.
Still, this is no light comic opera, either. Prepare for an epic exploration of art and politics, crowned with some of the great composer’s most appealing tunes.
The Mastersingers is set in the sixteenth century –positively the present day by Wagner’s standards– and explores a group of poets and musicians active in Nuremberg at the time. At their centre stands Hans Sachs, both writer and shoemaker, whose knowledge of craft informed the regulated process by which the mastersingers created art. When a knight falls in love with the daughter of a goldsmith, he must prove himself worthy by learning the mastersinger’s art from Sachs. If he fails, she’ll have to marry town clerk Beckmasser – a more than undesirable proposition on her part.
This production, directed by Richard Jones, was staged by the Welsh National Opera in 2010 to great acclaim. A mighty six hours in length, Jones’ staging leaps from century to century, with zesty costuming and a dash of surrealism. Edward Gardner, soon to reach of the end of his eight-year tenure as the ENO’s music director, conducts, while Iain Paterson – feted for his performances in Der Ring – takes to the stage as Sachs. Rising star Andrew Shore plays romantic rival Beckmasser, while Rachel Nicholls and Gwyn Hughes Jones depict the would-be lovers. With such a cast and crew, this could be the best London opera performances of Mastersingers we've ever seen.