One of Hitler's favourite operas gets standing ovation

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One of Hitler's favourite operas gets standing ovation

By Bridget Davies

Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg
Opera Australia
State Theatre, November 13-22
★★★★

If La Boheme was a sprint, then Opera Australia’s second offering of the spring season is certainly a marathon. Spanning four and a half hours, six with intervals, watching this colossus is not for the faint-hearted.

The Opera Australia ensemble in Opera Australia's 2018 production of Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg at the Arts Centre Melbourne. 

The Opera Australia ensemble in Opera Australia's 2018 production of Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg at the Arts Centre Melbourne.  Credit: Jeff Busby

Hitler loved Meistersinger. Its thematic combination of German pride and purity lent itself nicely to his message. Such was the association with Nazism, it nearly saw Meistersinger turfed onto the operatic scrap heap.

Despite this darkness, it’s as close as Wagner gets to comedy. The story follows newcomer Walther who, after falling in love with Eva, attempts to enter the Master singer competition to win her hand. (Yes, a woman is the prize. Yes, it’s dated.) His audition is rejected but under the guidance of local legend Hans Sachs, who is also in love with Eva, Walther eventually walks away the winner.

Director Kasper Holten’s Meistersinger was widely criticised on debut at Covent Garden, the harshest review labelling it an “abyss of idiocy”. While Opera Australia’s version didn’t warrant this thrashing, it was certainly inconsistent and confusing. The Act II finale takes the cake for the craziest scene I’ve ever witnessed in the theatre.

The singing, on the other hand, is truly masterful. The taxing role of Sachs proved a case of third time lucky, Australian baritone Shane Lowrencev withdrawing just last week - he himself a replacement for the originally billed American James Johnson. Experienced Wagnerian German Michael Kupfer-Radecky triumphantly stepped in. Utterly genuine, you would never have known this portrayal was prepared on such short notice. Warwick Fyfe nails Beckmesser’s sleaze and spite, vocally soaring with almost impossible ease over the 100-odd piece orchestra. Daniel Sumegi’s booming bass-baritone is ever-impressive, Natalie Aroyan’s Eva is lovely and young tenor Nicholas Jones gives a stellar performance as Sachs' apprentice. Steely-toned Stefan Vinke’s Walther is without tenderness but he does manage a heroic demeanour, despite a costume that looks like it was sourced from a Moonee Ponds op shop in 1993.

Conductor Pietari Inkinen expertly guides the superb Orchestra Victoria, crafting an enormous wave of sound into moving bitter-sweetness for the prelude to Act III, which culminated in a standing ovation. If after that many hours an audience jumps to its feet, something’s been done right.

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