Theater: Die Meistersinger

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Die Meistersinger

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This rendition Die Meistersinger is a very finely constructed, quite heart warming, a total humanitarian piece, which is stacked full of characters, which one can identify with and later sympathize with. Die Meistersinger (which literally means the master singers) von Nürnberg (meaning of Nuremberg) is a superbly made opera and consists of three acts. The opera is composed and written by Richard Wagner.

Die Meistersinger is one of the most admired operas in the history of operas; it has been into being enacted for some 150 years now! It was initially performed for the first time in the Hofoper, Munich, at June 21, 1868. That makes it the longest running and still commonly performed opera of today. The opera usually is of five hour duration.

The story of the opera takes place in Nuremberg (a German province) during the mid of the 16th century. At the time of the story Nuremberg was one of the focal points of the Renaissance in the Northern Europe and a royally Free City. The story revolves around a union of amateur musicians and poets, the well known real life club of Meistersinger (Master Singers), who were mostly from the middle or lower middle class and were habitually master craftsmen in their key professions. The Meister singers eventually developed a unique crafts man like approach towards music creation; they followed an elaborate and complicated system of rules for performing as well as composing songs. The opera is so charm full and lively because it depicts the Nuremberg of that era beautifully. The depiction of the traditions of the Meistersinger guild is excellent and perfect. One of the core characters, Hans Sachs, the cobbler and poet, is actually based on an actual chronological figure. Hans Sachs (1494 - 1576), was one of the most renowned of the historical Meistersingers.

This opera, Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg has a unique place in Wagner's works and that is because it is the lone comedy among all his mature operas. Also it is the only of his operas based on a historically well defined point in time and a place rather than his other works which have a mythical or legendary setting. It also has the distinction of being Wagner's only opera which is based on a completely original story, which was devised by Wagner himself. It incorporates many of the operatic conventions that Wagner has as his trade mark, like, rhymed verse, choruses, arias, a ballet, and also a quintet (the renowned Meistersinger Quintet).

The opera is a superb work and a classic master piece. The opera's music is one of the highlights and also not to forget the performances of the artists. The opera is not to be missed for any theater fan in general and opera fan in particular. Book your tickets well in advance to ensure that you do not return empty handed! Online booking is also now open for your convenience.