Metropolitan Opera Archives

A highly satisfying performance of Wagner's "Meistersinger" was given at the Metropolitan Opera House last night as the second presentation of the World's Fair opera season. The cast was a familiar one, with Elisabeth Rethberg as Eva, Doris Doe as Magdalene, Charles Kullman as Walther, Friedrich Schorr as Hans Sachs, Karl Laufkötter as David and Emanuel List as Pogner.

There was, however, a new Beckmesser in the person of Arnold Gabor and a first assumption of the part of Kothner by George Cehanovsky. Erich Witte, Nicolas Massue, Max Altglass, Lodovico Oliviero, Louis D'Angelo, Douglas Beattie, James Wolf and Wilfred Engelman were heard as Meistersingers, and Mr. Cehanovsky also sang the lines of the Night Watchman.

The dominating figure in any "Meistersinger" performance is inevitably that of Hans Sachs, and when the impersonator of the cobbler-poet is Mr. Schorr, well disposed as he was on this occasion, one may be assured that no truer characterization of Wagner's lovable, tender, humorous and philosophical creation is to be found, nor one invested with so much tonal warmth and depth of sentiment.

Mr. Kullman's delineation of Walther has gained in vocal freedom and is gratifyingly youthful and ardent in action as well as in song and unfailingly intelligent. Mme. Rethberg was in good voice and her work, especially in her scene with Sachs in the first part of the third act, was most moving. The ensuring quintet has seldom of late years been delivered with such consistent tonal loveliness on the part of all concerned and with so well-proportioned an ensemble.

Mr. Gabor disclosed unsuspected resources as an actor. His portrait of the supercilious, fatuous and malicious pedant, Beckmesser, was the most convincing seen here since that of the late Leo Schützendorf. Mr. List sang Pogner's music sonorously and Mr. Laufkötter was as always an excellent David. Miss Doe, unlike some Magdelenes of recent seasons, really looks as though she might be the object of David's affections and not his shrewish stepmother, and sang and acted admirably.

Equally impressive as the achievements of the principal singers was Mr. Bodanzky's interpretation of the matchless orchestral score which as it unfolded under his zealous and affectionate hands brought renewed realization of the transcending genius of Wagner.

Search by season: 1938-39

Search by title: Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg,

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