Metropolitan Opera Archives

Perhaps the first uncut Meistersinger at the Met, this performance began at 5:30. From the program:
N.B. There will be an intermission of 1 Hour and 40 Minutes after Act I. Act II will begin at 8:30 p.m.

Review 1:

Review in the New York Times:

THE WHOLE MEISTERSINGER

A performance of Wagner's comedy "Die Meistersinger," was given yesterday in the Metropolitan Opera House that was unique among the many that have been given of this work since it was first produced in this house a quarter of a century ago. It was a performance of the work complete, without any of the cuts that are usually and properly made in the course of the regular season. it was a special occasion, and was a part of the special performances that are taking place in the closing weeks of the season.

"Die Meistersinger," like most of the later works of Wagner, is too long for such operatic performances as the regular operatic public is able to attend. To enable the work to be given in its entirety it was necessary to begin it at 5:30 o'clock in the afternoon. Then, after the fashion of "Parsifal," there was an intermission of one hour and forty minutes, the second act beginning at 8:30 o'clock. The close was reached in this way at about 11:30 o'clock. The omissions that are made in the usual performances are not of a sort to deprive the audience of much of the greatest importance, and yet as was shown yesterday, there is hardly a page of "Die Meistersinger" that is not fascinating and delightful. The most important cuts are in the second act.

There are two considerable omissions in the first act, one in David's musically humorous statement to Walther of the rules and regulations of the Meistersinger' art, and one in the animated debate among the guild as to Walter's singing. The restoration of these and other passages was interesting to the devotees of Wagner's art, who were present in considerable numbers, thought the audience was considerably smaller than those of the subscription nights of the season.

The performance, which was under Mr. Hertz's enthusiastic and devoted direction, was on the high level that has marked the recent repetitions of "Die Meistersinger." Mme. Gadski appeared for the first time this season as Eva, a part in which she has long been well known and much admired by the opera-goers of New York. It is, indeed, the part in which she made her first appearance at the Metropolitan now - well, a good many years ago. her impersonation was beautiful, full of life, ingenuous, maidenly, ardent. The rest were the same as have sung in the work lately.

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