Latest news with #DieMeistersingervonNürnberg
Spectator
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Spectator
The glorious elitism of Glyndebourne
There is nowhere in May more beautiful than England with the hawthorn out, the clear light and a thousand shades of green. And there is nowhere more beautiful in England than Glyndebourne, the Sussex opera house between the Downs and the coast. Every visit to the ancestral pile of the Christie family brings joy and we lucky folk who caught the new production of Parsifal were granted double rations. Wagner's final music drama is a first for Glyndebourne and completes a triptych of the Master's late work, following productions of Tristan und Isolde and Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg. As Larkin wrote of Sidney Bechet: 'Oh play that thing!' Music-lovers have been coming to this blessed plot of land outside Lewes since 1934 when John Christie invited three refugees from Germany to establish a shrine to Mozart.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Renowned Wagner tenor Peter Seiffert dies aged 71
The renowned German opera singer Peter Seiffert has died at the age of 71, his agency reported on Tuesday. Seiffert, a celebrated interpreter of Wagner, passed away on Monday in his adopted home near the Austrian city of Salzburg after suffering from a severe illness. The Bayreuth Festival, the annual celebration of Wagner music, released an obituary stating, "The opera world loses a truly great, a wonderful singer with him." Seiffert, known for the lightness of his voice, portrayed the title role in Wagner's "Lohengrin" and Walther von Stolzing in "Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg" (The Master-Singers of Nuremberg) at the festival from 1996 to 2005. The festival noted that Seiffert impressed not only with his voice but also with his profound character interpretation. Bavarian Minister of Arts Markus Blume praised Seiffert, saying, "He was not just a singer but also a storyteller, magician and charmer." The conservative politician highlighted the strong connection Seiffert had with Bayreuth and the Bavarian State Opera, noting the audience in Bavaria adored him. Seiffert was born in 1954 in Düsseldorf as the son of singer and pop composer Helmut Seiffert. He began his career in the late 1970s at the Deutsche Oper am Rhein in Düsseldorf and Duisburg. From 1984 to 1992, he was a member of the ensemble at the Deutsche Oper Berlin. His career also took him to many major opera houses in cities such as Vienna, Milan, London and New York. Seiffert's signature roles included not only Wagnerian heroes like Parsifal, Tannhäuser or Tristan but also characters from French and Italian works, such as the title role in Verdi's "Otello." Seiffert was awarded the German honorific title of Kammersänger (Chamber Singer) for distinguished singers of opera and classical music multiple times.
The Guardian
20-02-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
A night with the Melbourne opera
A raised stage, orchestra pit and tiered seating bank were built into the Royal Exhibition Building, which has been a part of Melbourne's culture for 140 years. Costumes, designed by Karine Larché, are hung up backstage. Audiences experience a 4.5-hour production of Wagner's epic comedy, with multiple intervals across the afternoon and evening and themed catering. Internationally acclaimed Wagner mastreo, Anthony Negus, mid performance. A member of the chorus getting ready backstage. Melbourne Opera describes Die Meistersinger as 'central to understanding Wagner's ideas on the role of music in society'. The performance space was specifically designed to showcase the intricate paint and plasterwork of the recently restored Royal Exhibition Building. James Egglestone, performing as the young knight Walther von Stolzing, alongside Lee Abrahmsen as Eva Pogner. Lee Abrahmsen, as Eva, looks on from the wings. Conductor Anthony Negus takes in the room during a quiet moment before the show. Negus conducting the orchestra, with past collaborator Suzanne Chaundy as director. The orchestra warms up and tunes before the performance. Melbourne Opera has regularly presented works by Richard Wagner including Ring Cycle in Bendigo (2023), Rheingold (2021) and Die Valkyrie (2022). The opera is set in 16th-century Nuremberg and revolves around a guild of amateur poets and musicians called the Mastersingers. James Egglestone brings Von Stolzing to life. Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg is unique among Wagner's work as the only comedy in his mature operas. Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg is the only mature Wagner opera based on an entirely original story, and in which no supernatural or magical powers or events feature. The set for the Melbourne spectacle was designed by Andrew Bailey. The chorus waiting backstage for the final performance. The chorus entering the stage for the final performance. Four performances of Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg take place at the Royal Exhibition Building between 16 and 22 February.
