The performances of Wagner’s opera “The Meesterusinger von Nurnberg” divided the audience. Should the comic elements of opera be emphasized, or should it be seen as a serious drama about German qualities with anti -semitic undertakings?
In this year’s new production at Bereth Festival, director Maithius Davids aims to highlight the comic aspect of the opera.
Nevertheless, the fact that the Nazis had included a piece in their Reach Party Congress continue to put a shadow on production.
Richard Wagner Adolf was Hitler’s favorite musician, long before coming to power in 1933. The dictator saw Wagner as a kind spirit, which inspired the mass in the 19th century with powerful sounds of his opera. Adolf Hitler later exploited it for his promotion.
Art and music had immense importance for Hitler
Hitler, who wanted to study art, gave the same importance on large -scale music presentations as he did on state -sponsored architectural projects.
“Hitler really gave great importance to art,” art historian Volfgang Bronis, who has studied artists of the Nazi era. “You can see it in the ravines of war at any time, when he was still individually choosing the color of mosaic tiles for large construction sites.”
It was no different in Nurnberg, where Hitler National Socialist German Workers Party (NSDAP) organized its party rallies. He personally selected singers and conductors for the production of Richard Wagner’s opera “The Meestersinger von Noornberg”, which was performed on the eve of Reich Party rallies.
Total art concept for wagoner and Hitler
When Hitler came to power in 1933, Richard Wagner had already died before 50 years. With its concept of total artwork, or total work of art, the composer revolutionized the world of opera. According to the vision of a person, he imagined a symbiosis of lesson, music, direction, stage design and architecture.
Richard Wagner specifically designed an opera house on Green Hill in Bereth for his opera. Hey was the first to play an orchestra from a pit in front of the stage, while the audience was completely sitting in the dark, enlightened only with the stage. This inspired Hitler.
Since 1935, the dictator stopped its Nurnberg rallies like a spectacle of a large platform with a special light design and spacious collective ceremonies. The entire city became a background, with flags on the streets to march with the Nazis.
In the final scene of “The Meesterusinger von Nurnberg”, which is about the conservation of German art, designer Beno Set by Ernt used long lines of flags in front of the city’s medieval half -timber houses as a backdrop for the platform.
A superior German opera that promoted anti -sex?
Opera is about a singing competition for a woman’s love. Bakers, Tellers, Goldsmith and other master artisans go to head. The city Skribe Beckmesser carefully ensures that everyone follows the rules. Master craftsman Hans Sachs, a respected singer and showmaker, urge everyone to respect the old masters and preserve German art.
This is one of the reasons that “The Meesterusinger von Nurnberg” is often discredated as Wagoner’s Hottest German opera. Jewish Australian director Barry Kosci agrees. However, he realizes that anti -anti -deficit, plays a role. In 2017, he explained “Die Meesteringer” in Bearruth as a “witch hunting against a Jewish singer”, which he combines with the character of Beckmesar.
“I am not working with Jewish culture. I am working with the Parodi of Antisemitism,” Kosci explained in the DW film “Why did Hitler accept Wagner.”
The imports for Koski are that Bekmesar is made in the sacrifice of sacrifice – the person who should bear the responsibility. In the production of coski, Bekmesar is built in Jews.
Is the Jewish characters depicted and how is the subject of debate among wagon scholars in the opera of Wagner. Wagner Himafale has never commented on the issue allegedly. However, what did the musician do anti -sexyte. He wrote a pamphlet, titled “Jewish Dharma”, in which he provoked music by Jewish musicians and claimed that he was only able to imitate others.
Music historians see solid antisemitic references in Jens Malte Fisher Wagner’s “Mistarcenger”. In the singing competition, the Town Clerk Bekmesar sings exclusively badly, and he is therefore steals the songs of the other. “This ‘Welling’ is described by Wagoner as an identity of the synagogue in ‘Sangeet in Judaism’. And he says: How can anyone sing in this way. It is I think this wagoner is putting a lot of emphasis here,” Hey has said in the DW film.
Conspiracy, love, power, victory and valor are materials that Richard Wagner repeatedly use in their opera. Therefore “Meesterusinger” was held by national socialists as a well -known German opera with great passage and severity, but is a comical aspects for singing competition. This is the same that is central for new production by Opera and Musical Director Mathius Davids at this year’s Bereth Festival.
Davids told the press at Bereth, “Die Meesterusinger” has many comic positions and moments in Liberetto. “Oral comedy and position is comedy,” and some characters clearly fall under the category of comic roles. “I am searching for more and more comic elements that can come as a surprise.”
In the festival program, he raises the question of whether the “honor of the German master” which has been extracted in the final can be really understood as everything that is not “German and real”.
“Can we not all become Masters if we finally learn to treat ourselves and others with more love?”
The dye Meesteringer’s premiere at the Beruth Festival will be held on 25 July, the festival will end on 26 August.
This article was original in German.
