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[Met Performance] CID:196010
Die Meistersinger von N?rnberg
Metropolitan Opera House, Tue, October 15, 1963
Die Meistersinger von N?rnberg (313)
Richard Wagner | Richard Wagner
Die Meistersinger von N?rnberg received seven performances this season.
Review 1:
Review of John Ardoin in Musical America
It seemed a hardship to the Metropolitan Opera's fine orchestra and chorus to have scheduled Wagner's "Die Meistersinger" for the second night of the season, October 15. The day before had been the open*ing-night "Aida," and the afternoon of the 15th was spent in the dress rehearsal of "Manon." When 7:15 in the evening rolled around, neither group seemed ready to face four and one half hours of the concentration that Wagner's score demands. Nor was conductor Joseph Rosenstock enough of a dynamo to fire these tired spirits into more than routine efforts.
After a sluggish Act I, however, the proceedings were more palatable, thanks to a superb quintet of principals: Paul Sch?ffler (Hans Sachs), Lisa Della Casa (Eva), Sandor Konya (Walther), Murray Dickie (David) and Blanche Theborn (in her first Metropolitan Magdalene). Sch?flfer's portrayal of Sachs is one of the memorable characterizations of the contemporary opera scene. Here was not a chain of studied gestures and effects but a compassionate and deeply touching account of the role. The same humane understanding went into Sch?flfer's singing, which was particularly awesome considering the baritone is now 66.
Lisa Della Casa is certainly one of opera's great beauties, and she and Sandor Konya cut a pair of believable and romantic figures as the young lovers. Miss Della Casa's voice was a bit dry for the quintet, but elsewhere she sang radiantly. Konya seems far more comfortable as Walther than he did last season, and his singing was fresh, intelligent and effortless. How wonderful it was really to hear the part of Magdalene for a change, thanks to Miss Thebom's well-projected and warm voice. Murray Dickie was, again the excellent David.
Karl D?nch's Beckmesser seemed overly farcical in Act II, but elsewhere a delight. The other fine meistersingers were Ezio Flagello, Norman Mittelmann, Paul Franke, Calvin Marsh, Robert Nagy, Gabor Carelli, Robert Patterson, Norman Scott and Louis Sgarro.
Search by season: 1963-64
Search by title: Die Meistersinger von N?rnberg,
Met careers
Die Meistersinger von N?rnberg
Metropolitan Opera House, Tue, October 15, 1963
Die Meistersinger von N?rnberg (313)
Richard Wagner | Richard Wagner
- Hans Sachs
- Paul Sch?ffler
- Eva
- Lisa Della Casa
- Walther von Stolzing
- S?ndor K?nya
- Magdalene
- Blanche Thebom
- David
- Murray Dickie
- Beckmesser
- Karl D?nch
- Pogner
- Ezio Flagello
- Kothner
- Norman Mittelmann
- Vogelgesang
- Paul Franke
- Nachtigall
- Calvin Marsh
- Ortel
- Robert Patterson
- Zorn
- Andrea Velis
- Moser
- Gabor Carelli
- Eisslinger
- Robert Nagy
- Foltz
- Louis Sgarro
- Schwarz
- Norman Scott
- Night Watchman
- Clifford Harvuot
- Conductor
- Joseph Rosenstock
- Director
- Nathaniel Merrill
- Designer
- Robert O'Hearn
- Choreographer
- Todd Bolender
Die Meistersinger von N?rnberg received seven performances this season.
Review 1:
Review of John Ardoin in Musical America
It seemed a hardship to the Metropolitan Opera's fine orchestra and chorus to have scheduled Wagner's "Die Meistersinger" for the second night of the season, October 15. The day before had been the open*ing-night "Aida," and the afternoon of the 15th was spent in the dress rehearsal of "Manon." When 7:15 in the evening rolled around, neither group seemed ready to face four and one half hours of the concentration that Wagner's score demands. Nor was conductor Joseph Rosenstock enough of a dynamo to fire these tired spirits into more than routine efforts.
After a sluggish Act I, however, the proceedings were more palatable, thanks to a superb quintet of principals: Paul Sch?ffler (Hans Sachs), Lisa Della Casa (Eva), Sandor Konya (Walther), Murray Dickie (David) and Blanche Theborn (in her first Metropolitan Magdalene). Sch?flfer's portrayal of Sachs is one of the memorable characterizations of the contemporary opera scene. Here was not a chain of studied gestures and effects but a compassionate and deeply touching account of the role. The same humane understanding went into Sch?flfer's singing, which was particularly awesome considering the baritone is now 66.
Lisa Della Casa is certainly one of opera's great beauties, and she and Sandor Konya cut a pair of believable and romantic figures as the young lovers. Miss Della Casa's voice was a bit dry for the quintet, but elsewhere she sang radiantly. Konya seems far more comfortable as Walther than he did last season, and his singing was fresh, intelligent and effortless. How wonderful it was really to hear the part of Magdalene for a change, thanks to Miss Thebom's well-projected and warm voice. Murray Dickie was, again the excellent David.
Karl D?nch's Beckmesser seemed overly farcical in Act II, but elsewhere a delight. The other fine meistersingers were Ezio Flagello, Norman Mittelmann, Paul Franke, Calvin Marsh, Robert Nagy, Gabor Carelli, Robert Patterson, Norman Scott and Louis Sgarro.
Search by season: 1963-64
Search by title: Die Meistersinger von N?rnberg,
Met careers
- Joseph Rosenstock [Conductor]
- Paul Sch?ffler [Hans Sachs]
- Lisa Della Casa [Eva]
- S?ndor K?nya [Walther von Stolzing]
- Blanche Thebom [Magdalene]
- Murray Dickie [David]
- Karl D?nch [Beckmesser]
- Ezio Flagello [Pogner]
- Norman Mittelmann [Kothner]
- Paul Franke [Vogelgesang]
- Calvin Marsh [Nachtigall]
- Robert Patterson [Ortel]
- Andrea Velis [Zorn]
- Gabor Carelli [Moser]
- Robert Nagy [Eisslinger]
- Louis Sgarro [Foltz]
- Norman Scott [Schwarz]
- Clifford Harvuot [Night Watchman]
- Nathaniel Merrill [Director]
- Robert O'Hearn [Designer]
- Todd Bolender [Choreographer]