| "Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg" (The Mastersingers of Nuremberg) is an opera in three acts, written and composed by Richard Wagner. It was first performed in Munich, on June 21, 1868. The conductor at the premiere was Hans von Bülow. The story takes place in Nuremberg during the middle of the 16th century. At the time, Nuremberg was an Imperial Free City, and one of the centers of the Renaissance in Northern Europe. The story revolves around the real-life guild of Meistersinger (Master Singers), an association of amateur poets and musicians, mostly from the middle class and often master craftsmen in their main professions. The Mastersingers developed a craftsmanlike approach to music-making, with an intricate system of rules for composing and performing songs. The work draws much of its charm from its faithful depiction of the Nuremberg of the era and the traditions of the Mastersinger guild. One of the main characters, the cobbler-poet Hans Sachs (1494--1576), the most famous of the historical Mastersingers, is based on an actual historical figure. In 1854 Wagner first read Schopenhauer, and was struck by the philosopher's theories on aesthetics where art is a means for escaping from the sufferings of the world, and music is the highest of the arts since it is the only one not involved in representation of the world. It is for this reason that music can communicate emotion without the need for words. In his earlier essay "Opera und Drama" Wagner had derided the staples ... |
