Metropolitan Opera Archives

Wagner's "Die Meistersinger" had its second performance of the season at the Metropolitan Opera House last night with a new Eva, Irene Jessner, who had not sung the role previously in this house, while Charles Kullman sang Walther for the first time in the current operatic year. Karin Branzell was the Magdalene, while the four principal Meistersingers, Hans Sachs, Beckmesser, Pogner and Kothner were again represented by Friedrich Schorr, Adolf Vogel, Emanuel List and Julius Huehn.

Mme. Jessner gave a dramatically appealing interpretation of her role; her singing showed some unevenness of tone up to the quintet, but here the quality gained notable firmness and focus and, with well styled production, marked some her best singing of the season. As last year, Mr. Kullman made Walther an attractive character, and the impersonation showed a gain in individuality and assurance. His singing was well phrased and musicianly in style, and the tones were agreeable, while not giving an impression of entire effortlessness.

Mr. Vogel sang Beckmesser's measures with a musicality of tone which they have not always received; his impersonation is individual in its own way, although lacking some of the pungency which marked the late Gustav Schützendorf's memorable Beckmesser of 1923-35. The high musical and dramatic merits of Mr. Schorr's Hans Sachs have been dwelt upon frequently before, and the other principals, including Karl Laufkötter as David, were in good form. The playing of the orchestra under Artur Bodanzky's direction, as in the earlier performance, called for special praise for its expressiveness, sonority of tone and exceptional clarity of detail.

Search by season: 1937-38

Search by title: Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg,

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