Earth and Space News: Met Opera Debuted Schenk's Staging of Die Meistersinger Jan. 14, 1993

Summary: Met Opera debuted Schenk's staging of Die Meistersinger Jan. 14, 1993, in the opera house's 379th performance of Richard Wagner's historical opera.

Austrian opera and theater director Otto Schenk's new Met Opera staging of Richard Wagner's Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg debuted at the opera house Thursday, Jan. 14, 1993; Nov. 8, 2010, photo of Otto Schenk at Burgtheater, Vienna, Austria: Manfred Werner-Tsui, Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Met Opera debuted Schenk's staging of Die Meistersinger Jan. 14, 1993, in the opera company's 379th performance of the historical, comedic opera about 16th-century Nuremburg's guild for meistersinger ("master-singers") by German Romantic era composer-librettist Richard Wagner (May 22, 1813-Feb. 13, 1883).

The United States premiere of Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg had been held Monday, Jan. 4, 1886, at the Metropolitan Opera. The opera had received eight performances, including the premiere, in the 1885-1886 season. The second through eighth, closing performances had taken place Friday, Jan. 8; Monday, Jan. 11; Saturday, Jan. 16; Friday, Jan. 29; Wednesday, Feb. 3; Saturday, Feb. 6; and Monday, Feb. 22.

Met Opera's most recent new production of Die Meistersinger dates to the 1992-1993 season's staging by Otto Schenk (born June 12, 1930). The Austrian opera and theater director had made his Met Opera debut Friday, Oct. 4, 1968, in the opera company's 490th performance of Tosca by Italian opera composer Giacomo Puccini (Dec. 22, 1858-Nov. 29, 1924).

The production's sets were designed by Günther Schneider-Siemssen (June 7, 1926-June 2, 2015). The German-born Austrian scenic designer had made his Met Opera debut Tuesday, Nov. 21, 1967, in the opera company's 400th performance of Wagner's Die Walküre.

Costumes were designed by Rolf Langenfass (June 9, 1944-April 20, 2012). The German-Austrian costume and set designer had made his Met Opera debut Monday, Sept. 22, 1986, in the opera company's 446th performance of Wagner's Die Walküre.

Gil Wechsler (born Feb. 5, 1942) was the new production's lighting designer. The American theatrical lighting designer had made his Met Opera debut Tuesday, Jan. 18, 1977, in the opera company's 74th performance of Le Prophète by German Jewish opera composer Giacomo Meyerbeer (Sep. 5, 1791-May 2, 1864).

Carmen De Lavallade (born March 6, 1931) choreographed the new production. The American dancer and choreographer had made her Met Opera debut Saturday, Nov. 19, 1955, in the opera company's 587th performance of Aida by Italian opera composer Giuseppe Verdi (Oct. 10, 1813-Jan. 27, 1901).

Schenk's new staging received eight performances, including the debut, in the 1992-1993 season. The debut through eighth, closing performances were offered Thursday, Jan. 14; Monday, Jan. 18; Saturday, Jan. 23; Tuesday, Jan. 26; Saturday, Jan. 30; Tuesday, Feb. 2; Saturday, Feb. 6; and Wednesday, Feb. 10.

James Levine (June 23, 1943-March 9, 2021) conducted all eight performances of Schenk's new production of Die Meistersinger. Met Opera's second Music Director had made his Met Opera debut Saturday, June 5, 1971, in the opera company's 539th performance of Puccini's Tosca.

Donald McIntyre (born Oct. 22, 1934) sang the title role of historical Hans Sach, cobbler and meistersinger (master-singer) in all eight performances of Otto Schenk's new staging. The New Zealander operatic bass-baritone had made his Met Opera debut Saturday, Feb. 15, 1975, as Wotan in the opera company's 109th performance of Wagner's Das Rheingold.

Karita Mattila (born Sep. 5, 1960) appeared in seven performances as Eva Pogner, whose hand in marriage is worth fast-tracking as a meistersinger for neophyte Walther von Stolzing. She sang the role in the first through fifth performances and also in the seventh and eighth, closing performances. The Finnish operatic soprano had made her Met Opera debut Thursday, March 22, 1990, as Donna Elvira in the opera company's 388th performance of Don Giovanni by Classical Era composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Jan. 27, 1756-Dec. 5, 1791).

Karita Mattila shared the role with Gwynne Geyer, who sang Eva in the new production's sixth performance, Tuesday, Feb. 2, 1993. The American operatic soprano had made her Met Opera debut Thursday, March 12, 1992, as a Flower Maiden in the opera company's 265th performance of Wagner's Parsifal.

Francisco Araiza (born Oct. 4, 1950) appeared in the new production's first six performances as Walter von Stolzing, the young knight who wins both Nuremberg's meistersinger contest and Eva Pogner. The Mexican operatic tenor had made his Met Opera debut Monday, March 12, 1984, as Belmonte in the opera company's 24th performance of Mozart's Die Entführung aus dem Serail.

Francisco Araiza shared the role with Ben Heppner (born Jan. 14, 1956, as Thomas Bernard Heppner), who sang the knightly meistersinger in the new production's seventh (Saturday, Feb. 6) and eighth, closing (Wednesday, Feb. 10) performances. The Canadian dramatic tenor had made his Met Opera debut Wednesday, Dec. 11, 1991, as in the title role in the opera company's 36th performance of Mozart's Idomeneo.

Wendy White (born 1953) sang Magdalene, Eva's companion, in the opening (Thursday, Jan. 14) and sixth (Tuesday, Feb. 2) performances. The American mezzo-soprano had made her Met Opera debut Monday, Oct. 16, 1989, as Flora in the opera company's 731st performance of Verdi's La Traviata.

Wendy White shared the role with Birgitta Svendén (born March 26, 1952, as Birgitta Lundberg), who sang Magdalene in the new production's second through fifth and seventh through eighth, closing performances. The Swedish operatic mezzo-soprano had made her Met Opera debut Wednesday, Sep. 28, 1988, as Erda in the opera company's 123rd performance of Wagner's Das Rheingold.

Lars Magnusson (born March 10, 1955) sang David, apprenticed to Hans Sachs, in the new production's first six performances. The Swedish operatic tenor had made his Met Opera debut Monday, Feb. 26, 1990, as Pedrillo in the opera company's 45th performance of Mozart's Die Entführung aus dem Serail.

Lars Magnusson shared the role with Anthony Laciura (born Sep. 27, 1951), who sang David in the new production's seventh (Saturday, Feb. 6) and eighth, closing (Wednesday, Feb. 10) performances. The American operatic tenor had made his Met Opera debut Monday, Sep. 20, 1982, as Faninal's major-domo in the opera opera company's 277th performance of Der Rosenkavalier by German composer Richard Strauss (June 11, 1864-Sep. 8, 1949).

Hermann Prey (July 11, 1929-July 23, 1998) sang master-singing town clerk Beckmesser in the new production's first five and eighth, closing performances. The German lyric baritone had made his Met Opera debut Saturday, Dec. 17, 1960, as Wolfram in the opera opera company's 379th performance of Wagner's Tannhäuser.

Hermann Prey shared the role with Gottfried Hornik (born Aug. 5, 1940), who sang Beckmesser in the new production's sixth (Tuesday, Feb. 2) and seventh (Saturday, Feb. 6) performances. The Austrian operatic baritone had made his Met Opera debut Thursday, Oct. 30, 1986, as Faninal in the opera opera company's 308th performance of Strauss's Der Rosenkavalier.

John Del Carlo (Sep. 21, 1951-Oct. 29, 2016) sang master-singing baker Kothner in the new production's first four and eighth, closing performances. The American operatic bass-baritone had made his Met Opera debut in the new production's opening performance, Thursday, Jan. 14, 1993.

John Del Carlo shared the role with Alan Held (born 1959), who sang Kothner in the new production's fifth through seventh performances (Saturday, Jan. 30; Tuesday, Feb. 2; Saturday, Feb. 6). The American bass-baritone had made his Met Opera debut Monday, April 17, 1989, as Mr. Redburn in the opera opera companye's 33rd performance of Billy Budd by Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten (Nov. 22, 1913-Dec. 4, 1976).

Jan-Hendrik Rootering (born March 18, 1950) sang the role of Eva's master-singing goldsmith father, Veit Pogner, in the first seven of the new production's eight performances. The German operatic bass-baritone had made his Met Opera debut Thursday, Jan. 15, 1987, as Hermann in the opera opera company's 442nd performance of Wagner's Tannhäuser.

Jan-Hendrik Rootering shared the role with John Macurdy (March 18, 1929-May 7, 2020), who sang Pogner in the new production's eighth, closing performance (Wednesday, Feb. 10). The American operatic bass had made his Met Opera debut Saturday, Dec. 8, 1962, as Tom in the opera opera company's 83rd performance of Verdi's Un Ballo in Maschera.

Julien Robbins sang the Night Watchman in all eight performances of Schenk's new staging. The American bass-baritone had made his Met Opera debu Monday, Oct. 29, 1979, as the King in the opera opera company's 875th performance of Verdi's Aida.

Schenk's staging was not rostered for performance in the two seasons (1993-1994; 1994-1995) following the new production's debut season, 1992-1993. The first of six revivals was staged in the 1995-1996 season. The sixth revival took place in the 2014-2015 season. A seventh revival is slated for the 2021-2022 season.

The takeaways for Met Opera's debut of Otto Schenk's staging of Die Meistersinger on Thursday, Jan. 14, 1993, are that the Austrian opera and theater director's new production debut marked the Wagnerian opera's 379th performance at Met Opera; that Schenk's new staging received eight performances in the 1992-1993 season; that six revivals have been staged between Met Opera's 1995-1996 and 2014-2015 seasons; and that Schenk's staging receives its seventh revival in the 2021-2022 season.

Richard Wagner's Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg concerns historical cobbler and meistersinger Hans Sachs (Nov. 5, 1494-Jan. 19, 1576); bronze statue of Hans Sachs sculpted by Johann Konrad Krausser (March 31, 1815-Jan. 25, 1873); cast by Christoph Albrecht Lenz, Kunstgießerei Lenz (Lenz Art Foundry) owner, 1858-1894; and unveiled June 24, 1974; Hans Sachs Platz, Nuremberg, Bavaria, southeastern Germany; July 18, 2005: jailbird, CC BY SA 2.0 Germany, via Wikimedia Commons

Acknowledgment

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

Image credits:

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Karita Mattila @MattilaKarita. Replying to @DrDavidVernon. "Yes! Was lucky to work with great directors, particularly Otto Schenk at the Met (1993). His ”pep talk” words for me before opening night: ”You might not get good reviews but I love what you’re doing.” He wanted my Eva so lively, physical, and that suited me well. Was different." Twitter. Dec. 27, 2018.
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Monday, June 20, 2022

Met Opera Debuted Schenk's Staging of Die Meistersinger Jan. 14, 1993

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