Metropolitan Opera Archives

After the absence of a season Wagner's "Die Meistersinger" was given at a special matinee for the Southern Women's Educational Alliance on Jan. 18, with the leading roles admirably sung by Elisabeth Rethberg, Doris Doe, Max Lorenz, Friedrich Schorr, Gustav Schützendorf and Ludwig Hofmann. Artur Bodanzky conducted.

Perhaps it is just as well to let masterpieces like this lie fallow for a year. On their return they seem doubly treasurable and the fact that they have to be carefully re-rehearsed makes for sharpness of line and general acuity both in the matter of the individual and of the company as a whole. Such was the case at this performance. Before many measures of the overture had been unfolded, it was obvious that some careful rehearsing had been done. Throughout the opera one felt a security and a restraint not invariably present in Wagnerian performances at the Metropolitan. Mr. Bodanzky gave a beautiful and inspiring performance.

With the exception of Miss Doe and Mr. Hofmann, the principal artists had all been heard previously in the roles they sang. Miss Doe made a personable and a credible Magdalene and fulfilled artistically all the vocal demands of the role. Mr. Hofmann was a dignified Pogner, but had a tendency to withdraw from proceedings when not actively engaged in them. The Anrede was delivered to the audience from a point slightly west of the prompter's box, and not to the assembled "meistersingers."

Mme. Rethberg's Eva was captivating as usual, and beautifully sung, especially in the second act. It would be difficult to conceive of more perfect singing than what she gave here and in the later scene in Sachs's house. Mr. Lorenz was a convincing if a somewhat serious-minded Walther. His singing was good save for occasional constriction in the upper register. His costumes were a somewhat discordant note.

Highest honors go to Mr. Schorr for his Sachs and Mr. Schützendorf for his marvelous Beckmesser. In fine vocal form and so completely in the role as almost to seem a re-incarnation of the cobbler-poet, Mr. Schorr was a lovable Sachs. The Monologue was magnificently given. Mr. Schützendorf's Beckmesser will always be one of the few perfect operatic characterizations. There was no shade of comedy nor of voice color that could have been altered to advantage. Mr. Clemens made a somewhat mature David, but he sang well and acted according to the tradition.

The fight at the end of Act II was singularly unconvincing, and the grouping in the final scene not particularly interesting, but in spite of minor details, it was a fine and glorious afternoon.

Photograph of Friedrich Schorr as Hans Sachs by Wide World Studio.

Search by season: 1933-34

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