Part One I Part Two I Part Three I Part Four
The Meistersinger Experience Part Two - First Half
Act I & II
Act I and II are below, click here for audio and text for act III synopsis.
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The author Michael Tanner has called Die Meistersinger ‘A Noble Comedy’.
ACT I
After a magnificent prelude, the curtain opens on the interior of St. Katherine's Church in Nuremberg. Services are just ending. The congregation is singing a chorale in praise of John the Baptist, whose feast day is tomorrow. The words and music could have been written by Martin Luther himself, but in fact, they are entirely Wagner’s own invention.
As the worshipers begin to leave Walther von Stolzing, a young knight from Franconia addresses Eva Pogner, whom he had met earlier, and asks her if she is engaged to anyone. Eva is obviously quite taken with Walther. She is also a clever girl. In order to carry on wooing a bit, even here in church she keeps conveniently sending of her companion Magdalene back to the pew where they were sitting to fetch - in order - her forgotten neckerchief and brooch. In the hubbub Magdalene also forgets her own book in the pew, thus giving Eva a few minutes more to explain her predicament to Walther. Already, in this short exchange you can hear how Wagner catches the speed and inflections of actual conversation but elevates it to melody.
Sadly Eva informs Walther that her father, the goldsmith and Meistersinger Veit Pogner, has arranged to give her hand in marriage to the victor of the guild's song contest on St. John's day (Midsummer's day), tomorrow. Walther immediately determines that HE must win the prize and thus Eva’s hand. And so, Magdalene introduces him to HER fiancée, the young apprentice David. This shoemaker in training is apprenticed to the wisest man in town, the master shoemaker and Mastersinger Hans Sachs. David knows all the rules of how to make a Mesiterlied and proceeds, to instruct Walther in the incredible intricacies of the various melodic modes and poetic rules of making a successful song. Of course, Walther, impetuous hero that he is just wants to cut to the chase and write the song, but David insists on laying out the names of just a few of the modes such as:
The Short, Long and Overlong Tones
The Writing Paper and Black Ink Melodies
The Pewter and Cinnamon Stick Melodies
The Departed Glutton Melody
And twelve others-just the tip of the Iceberg! This is just a bit of the lecture And by the way, many of the tunes quoted are real master-tunes from the period.
Armed with the rules Walther now hopes to qualify as a Meistersinger during the guild meeting, traditionally held in the church after mass.-a meeting which is about to begin., and thus earn a place in the song contest despite his utter ignorance of the guild's rules and intricacies. With the bravery reserved for the innocent and fools, Walther presumes he can create a Meisterlied on the spot!
The first Meistersingers file into the church: Eva's father Veit Pogner and the town clerk Beckmesser. Walther and Pogner engage in conversation much to the latter's amusement, since he sees in Walther a desirable suitor for his daughter. Meanwhile, Pogner introduces Walther around. Beckmesser, who is also planning on winning Eva's hand in marriage by winning the song contest, takes an instant dislike to Walther. The other masters arrive, and Fritz Kothner calls the roll. Pogner, addresses the assembly. He astonishes them all by announcing his offer of his daughter's hand for the winner of the song contest. He is doing this in part to say to all Germans that the middle class businessman (or burgher) is not just interested in money. The Meistersingers value art and so much so that he, Veit Pogner is willing to give his only daughter in marriage to the winner of tomorrow’s contest.
When Hans Sachs argues that Eva ought to have a say in the matter, Pogner agrees that Eva may refuse the winner of the contest, but she must still choose a Meistersinger. Another suggestion by Sachs, that the people rather than the guild should be called upon to judge the winner of the contest, is squelched by the other masters. Walther is now introduced. Questioned by Kothner about his background, Walther states that his teacher in poetry were the writings of Walter von der Vogelweide and his teachers in music were the birds and nature itself.
Reluctantly the masters agree to admit him provided he can perform a master-song of his own composition. Walther chooses love as his topic for his song and therefore is to be judged by Beckmesser alone, the "Marker" of the guild. Walther launches into a novel free-form tune, obviously breaking all the Meistersingers' rules. His song is constantly interrupted by Beckmesser, arguing that his mistakes are so many that there is no point in letting him finish his song. Though Sachs insists Walther be allowed to continue, the rest of the group rejects the knight. The meeting ends in confusion and only Hans Sachs staying behind as the Meister disperse thinks there may be something special in this young man who breaks all the rules but who does so with passion and invention.
ACT II
It is evening in a Nuremberg street, at the corner between Pogner's house and Hans Sachs' workshop. The apprentices (or Lehrbuben as they are called in German) are closing up the workshops of their various masters and getting ready for St. Johns’ day tomorrow.
David informs Magdalena of Walther's failure at the trial in church. In her disappointment, Magdalena leaves without giving David the food she had brought for him. This arouses the mockery of the other apprentices, and David is about to turn on them when Sachs arrives and hustles his apprentice into the workshop.
Pogner arrives with Eva, engaging in a roundabout conversation: Eva is hesitant to ask about the outcome of Walther's initial trial, and Pogner has private doubts about offering his daughter's hand in marriage for the song contest. As they enter their house, Magdalena appears and tells Eva about the rumors of Walther's failure. Eva decides to ask Sachs about the matter.
As twilight falls, Hans Sachs takes a seat in front of his house, beneath the Elder tree (Flieder in German) to work on a new pair of shoes for Beckmesser. He muses on Walther's song, which has made a deep impression on him. This is the first of two great monologues for Sachs, the second one which will be in Act Three. Sachs gets to the heart of the matter of Walther’s song. He sings in German : “Es klang so alt und war doch so neu” (It sounded so old and yet was no new). We’re being introduced to the absolute center of the opera’s philosophy. Sachs is articulating the dilemma when tradition is confronted with innovation-when the old meets the new. How do we respond? Well, Wagner responded with some of the most beautiful music in the opera.
Sachs tries to get back to work, but now he is interrupted by Eva. They discuss tomorrow's song contest. Eva is obviously unenthusiastic about Beckmesser, who appears to be the only eligible contestant. Eva hints that she would not mind if Sachs, a widower, wins the contest. Though touched, Sachs protests that he would be too old a husband for her. Upon further prompting, Sachs relates Walther's failure at the guild meeting. This causes Eva to storm off, obviously upset, confirming Sachs' suspicion that she has fallen in love with Walther. Eva is intercepted by Magdalena, who informs her that Beckmesser is coming to serenade her. Eva, determined to search for Walther, tells Magdalena to pose as her at the bedroom window. This sets up the comedy about to begin in earnest.
Just as Eva is about to leave, Walther appears. He tells her about the fiasco at the meeting, and the two prepare to elope. However, Sachs has overheard their plans. As they are passing by, he illuminates the street with his lantern, forcing them to hide in the shadow of Pogner's house. Walther makes up his mind to confront Sachs, but is foiled by the arrival of Beckmesser.
As Eva and Walther retreat further into the shadows, Beckmesser begins his serenade. Sachs interrupts him by launching into a full-bellied cobbling song, while hammering away at the half-made shoes. Annoyed, Beckmesser tells Sachs to stop, but the cobbler feigns ignorance and tells him that he has to finish the shoes, which Beckmesser himself had ordered, by tomorrow. Beckmesser, who has spotted someone at Eva's window (Magdalena in disguise), has no time to argue. He reluctantly agrees to Sachs' proposal to play the role of Marker, indicating each mistake in the serenade with a thump on the shoes. Beckmesser begins, but makes so many errors that from the repeated knocks Sachs finishes the shoes.
The entire neighborhood is awakened by the noise. David, seeing a figure serenading Magdalena, grabs a cudgel and sets upon Beckmesser. The other apprentices rush into the fray, and the situation degenerates into a full-blown riot. In the confusion, Walther endeavors to escape with Eva, but Sachs pushes Eva into her home and drags Walther into his own workshop.
Quiet is restored as abruptly as it was broken. A lone figure walks through the street—the night watchman, calling out the hour.
