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Opera Music Plot Synopsis
Richard Wagner: DIE MEISTERSINGER VON NURNBERG

Libretto and Music by Richard Wagner
first performance: Hoftheater, Munich, 21 June 1868
conducted by Hans von Bülow

Cast:
Eva, daughter of Pogner, soprano (Mathilde Mallinger)
Walther von Stolzing, a Franconian knight, tenor (Franz Nachbaur)
Hans Sachs, cobbler, bass (Franz Betz)
Magdalene, nurse to Eva, soprano or mezzo-soprano (Sophie Dietz)
David, apprentice to Sachs, lover of Magdalene, tenor (Karl Schlosser)
Sixtus Beckmesser, town clerk, bass (Gustav Hölzel)
Veit Pogner, goldsmith, bass (Kaspar Bausewein)
Fritz Kothner, baker, bass (Karl Fischer)
Kunz Vogelgesang, furrier, tenor (Karl Heinrich)
Konrad Nachtigall, tinsmith, bass (Eduard Sigl)
Balthasar Zorn, pewterer, tenor (Herr Weixlstorfer)
Ulrich Eisslinger, grocer, tenor (Herr Hoppe)
Augustin Moser, tailor, tenor (Herr Pöppl)
Hermann Ortel, soapboiler, bass (Herr Thoms)
Hans Schwarz, stocking weaver, bass (Herr Grasser)
Hans Foltz, coppersmith, bass (Herr Hayn)
Nightwatchman, bass (Ferdinand Lang)
Chorus of Apprentices, Townfolk, Guildsmen, SSSSAAATTTTTTBBBB
Source for World Premier cast list: Raymond Mander and Joe Mitchenson, The
Wagner Companion (NY: Hawthorne Books, Inc.) 1977.
ACT I - Interior, St. Catherine's Church, Nürnberg. (16th century)
Scene 1 Mass is just ending. The assembled congregation sing a last hymn before
slowly departing (Da zu dir der Heiland kam). Walther von Stolzing, a young
knight from Franconia, has been watching a young lady throughout the mass. The
young lady, Eva Pogner, daughter of the local goldsmith, and her nurse Magdalene
are leaving when Walther entreats her to remain behind. He wishes to speak to
her. Eva seems to have left her handkerchief behind and sends Magdalene back to
their pew in search of it. Walther apologizes for his unseemly breach of
conduct, but in taking time to do so he still has not asked his intended
question when Magdalene reappears with the handkerchief. Eva suddenly remembers
she had a scarf pin and sends the nurse back to look for that. Again,
Magdalene's quick return with the forgotten item interrupts Walther's flow of
words. But they are in luck - Magdalene herself has forgotten her prayer book!
Walther finally asks: "My young lady, tell me, are you betrothed?" Before Eva
can answer, Magdalene returns once more. Seeing that Walther has not moved from
the spot, Magdalene assumes that he is hoping to see Eva's father, Veit Pogner.
When Eva confesses that Walther desires to know whether she was married or
betrothed, Magdalene tries to hurry her along home. David, an apprentice to Hans
Sachs the cobbler and an aspirant to the guild of the Mastersingers, enters.
Although slightly older, Magdalene is David's lover. Her attention is distracted
by his arrival and she answers Walther's question. "The answer isn't an easy
one. Eva is betrothed - her father has promised her hand to the winner of the
upcoming song contest of the Mastersingers." Eva hopes that Walther is a
Mastersinger. He is not.
Eva and Magdalene discuss Eva's feelings for the young stranger. She had seen
him only the day before, but has already fallen deeply in love with him. Eva
likens Walther to Dürer's depiction of David, who overthrew Goliath. Magdalene
calls out "David, David" as Eva talks on, comparing the two. Believing his lover
is calling him, David reappears. He has been preparing the masters' ring for
their traditional meeting held after mass.
Magdalene insists that she and Eva leave, but tells Walther he should stay.
Eva's father will arrive shortly for the meeting. If he really wants Eva's hand,
he is in the right place and at the right time. David, she says, can answer
questions Walther may have concerning the guild of the Mastersingers. With
promises to meet that very evening, Eva and Walther part.
Scene 2 Other apprentices arrive. David starts telling them what needs to be
done before the arrival of the Mastersingers. When the others ask David to help
them prepare the marker's box and he is unwilling to help, the apprentices
deride him, calling him cocky because his master is the cobbler Hans Sachs, a
Mastersinger and a poet.
David busies himself with Walther, running him through what he will be asked to
do during the competition. When Walther questions what the role of the 'Marker'
is, David asks: "Are you a poet? Are you a singer? Were you not a scholar?"
Walther confesses to being none of these. How on earth, David wonders, can
Walther want to become a Master then? Walther, however, doesn't see how his lack
of background could be a problem. Noticing David's obvious displeasure (he has
been muttering about Magdalene getting him into this mess), Walther asks for
David's advice.
In a convoluted manner (Mein Herr! Der Singer meisterschlag), David explains
what he is learning from his Master, Hans Sachs: the theories of the
Mastersingers, the rules for poetry and music, the ordering of stanzas and
strophes, and the 'Aftersong,' which must be neither too short nor too long and
contain no rhyme which has occurred before. "Even after knowing all this, one is
still not yet a Master." Confused by David's melding of the art of singing and
the trade of cobbling, Walther is overwhelmed.
David goes on, explaining the multitudinous tones and melodies that the
Mastersingers have named, which, of course, one must not only be able to name,
but also to sing! The other apprentices impatiently call to David, who instead
answers Walther's question: What is a poet? "When you have become a 'Singer' and
you yourself have added rhymes and words fitting the Masters' tones, then you
become a 'Poet'. When a 'Poet' is able to fashion his own words and new music
from the Masters' tones, then he is a 'Mastersinger'."
David's attention is caught by the box the other apprentices have erected for
the trial, the incorrect box, the one usually used for the 'song-school'. David
helps them to erect the smaller box, which has a stool, a small desk, a chalk
board for the marking and is enclosed by a curtain. As the apprentices chide
David for his thoughts of his own accomplishments, David mutters about Walther:
without being either 'Scholar', 'Singer' or 'Poet' he thinks, because he is a
knight, that he can become a Mastersinger!
Scene 3 Veit Pogner and the town clerk Sixtus Beckmesser are the first of the
Mastersingers to enter. Pogner and Beckmesser seem to agree that Beckmesser will
win the contest - and thus Eva's hand - but Beckmesser is wondering if Eva will
agree to marry him. Although Pogner has pledged his daughter to the winner, she
and she alone has the deciding vote. Beckmesser asks Pogner to speak to Eva on
his behalf. Pogner agrees. Pogner sees Walther, whom he has helped with some
recent estate business. The two men meet most cordially. Beckmesser, too, has
spotted Walther and is none too pleased, sensing a rival - and one more
favorable to the lady - for Eva's hand.
Walther tells Pogner that he wishes to become a Mastersinger, that the Love of
Art was his reason for coming to Nürnberg. He asks to be admitted to the Guild
of Mastersingers.
Pogner greets other Mastersingers, Kunz Vogelgesang and Konrad Nachtigall, as
they enter, telling them of Walther's wishes. Beckmesser, meanwhile, is worrying
himself about the turn of events. He will do his utmost to deny Walther's
aspirations - he is after all the Marker! - but will also try wooing Eva by
serenading her that very evening.
As the other Mastersingers enter, Pogner tells Walther that he would gladly
welcome him into the guild, and agrees to propose him.
The Mastersingers have assembled. Fritz Kothner calls the roll: Hermann Ortel,
Balthasar Zorn, Konrad Nachtigall, Augustin Moser, Hans Sachs, Sixtus
Beckmesser, Ulrich Eisslinger, Hans Foltz, Hans Schwartz - only Niklaus Vogel is
absent, due to illness.
Kothner proposes that they elect the Marker, but others think it best done after
the song festival. Beckmesser asks Kothner if he is in a hurry to get him out of
office: "I'll gladly let you have my place." Pogner deflects all discussion of a
new Marker's election by asking to be allowed to speak. He comments on the
Johannistag festivities (Das schöne Fest, Johannistag) they plan for the
following day, the song competition, German Art, and the ultimate prize to the
winning Mastersinger offered by himself: his daughter's hand in marriage. The
Masters are not exactly happy that Eva may, or may not, agree to the marriage,
but Pogner is adamant that she must have a say in the matter. Beckmesser thinks
the mastersinging should, thus, be kept out entirely, but Pogner says that
although she may refuse the winner, she can choose no other than a Mastersinger.
Sachs suggests that the people be judges of the contest, along with the
Mastersingers: "A woman's opinion, totally unlearned, is equally valid as that
of the people." The Masters deride this suggestion: "Would you abandon the rules
to the people?"
Sachs, who knows the rules as well as anyone, thinks that once in a while the
rules themselves should be put to the test. He thinks this the best way to
ensure that habit and dullness will never take over the Art of the Mastersinger.
"Let us each Johannistag turn to the people to see if they take delight in our
Art."
The Mastersingers comment among themselves, some siding with Sachs, others in
disagreement. Beckmesser, especially, is opposed, commenting that Sachs only
writes street-songs. Pogner, sensing that Sachs is asking too much, in addition
to his own new 'prize,' asks the assembly to accept the rules as he himself had
stated. They agree.
Kothner asks interested bachelors to enter their names for the contest.
Beckmesser suggests the widower Sachs. Sachs retorts that the winner should be
younger than either of them. Pogner takes the opportunity to put forward
Walther. Beckmesser tries to head off this suggestion. Pogner himself stands as
a witness that Walther is nobly and freely born, with estates elsewhere in
Franconia. Sachs comments that noble or peasant, only Art matters. Where has
Walther studied singing? Walther answers (Am stillen Herd) that he learned
poetry through reading the works of the long-dead Walther von der Vogelweide,
and learned to sing in the meadows and the forests. Beckmesser is beside himself
with laughter at the thought that Walther learned to sing from the birds!
Vogelgesang, however, comments that Walther's explanation is itself poetry.
Sachs is willing to listen, no matter who did or didn't teach him. When Walther
again poetically explains that he is indeed ready to provide words to music of
his own invention, the Masters somewhat reluctantly agree to let him try for
entry into the guild.
The marker's box and the singer's chair are made ready. The rules are explained
and Walther takes the singer's chair. He sings on a theme of love (Fanget an!).
Seven faults and a singer is out. Walther's song is a curious novelty to the
Masters and Beckmesser noisily marks fault after fault - though Sachs believes
that they are witnessing something quite new and special. Although tradition
dictates that Walther give up trying, Sachs insists that he should be allowed to
continue. Sachs and Beckmesser argue. Sachs urges Walther to continue, as
Beckmesser explains the too-numerous faults to the other Masters. In the end the
Masters agree that Walther was "sung out and undone."
ACT II - A street in Nürnberg; evening of the same day.
Scene 1 David and the apprentices sing (Johannistag! Johannistag!) as they work.
When Magdalene enters she learns from David that Walther was unsuccessful.
Magdalene is visibly upset; she refuses to give him the food she brought and
rushes back into the house. The apprentices tease David about loving, wooing,
and marrying, alluding to the age difference between him and Magdalene. David is
about to loose his temper, when Sachs comes into view. The other apprentices
scatter and Sachs hustles his apprentice into the workshop.
Scene 2 Pogner and Eva now walk into view. Pogner is of two minds - he would
like to speak to Sachs on a matter, but then thinks better of it. The
Mastersinger contest, Walther, the betrothal of Eva to the contest winner are in
the thoughts of both father and daughter. Eva merely says that as an obedient
child, she only speaks when asked and since Pogner did ask, she questions his
demand that her betrothed be a Master. "A Master of your choice," he answers.
Magdalene appears, beckoning them into the house. Magdalene tells Eva that,
according to David, Walther was not admitted to the guild. Eva decides to ask
Sachs about the matter.
Scene 3 Sachs and David are in the cobbler's workshop. It is getting late. David
departs for bed, leaving Sachs to finish work on some shoes. He reflects on the
impression made upon him by Walther's song (Was duftet doch der Flieder).
Scene 4 Eva arrives at the workshop. Has she come about her new shoes? No, she
has not even tried them on. They speak of the prospective bride and bridegroom.
"Though without knowing who the groom is," she asks Sachs, "how do you know I'll
be a bride?" The topic side-steps to the owner of the shoes Sachs is working on
- Sixtus Beckmesser. "He hopes to win you through his singing," says Sachs,
explaining that Beckmesser is a shoe-in since there are few bachelors around.
"What about widowers?" Eva shows in their discussion, that she would be pleased
enough to have him - one who understands Art - woo her. But Sachs remembers
carrying her as a child and thinks that he would be too old a husband for a
young girl. Though he seems flattered, he doesn't believe she is totally
serious. When Eva berates him for suggesting she find answers to her problems at
home, he agrees that his head is in a whirl: a song trial has caused him pain.
Eva, pretending to be unknowing and disinterested, probes for more information
about Walther's song-trial. Commenting that Walther has no chance whatsoever,
Sachs says: "He who was born a Master, has the worst standing among Masters."
Mildly angry, Eva leaves him. His suspicions of her involvement with Walther is
now confirmed. He vows to help them.
Magdalene, who has been calling her mistress, speaks quickly to Eva as she
leaves the workshop. Eva wants the nurse to tell her father, who has been asking
for her, that she is in bed. Magdalene breaks the news that Herr Beckmesser is
coming to serenade her - Beckmesser has prodded and prodded the nurse for
assurances that Eva would be there, listening. "If only it were Walther coming
to serenade me!" is Eva's only reaction.
Magdalene has troubling thoughts of her own: she regrets her earlier treatment
of David. People arrive in the street, and Magdalene begs her mistress to enter
the house, but Eva is determined to seek out Walther. Eva tells Magdalene that
she must be at the window listening to Beckmesser. It titillates Magdalene to
think that her being serenaded might make David jealous.
Scene 5 Among the many footsteps heard, a pair do indeed belong to Walther. Eva
confesses that only he will be given the prize of her hand. Walther cannot rid
himself of his distaste of the rules of the Masters. He sang, full of love, and
was only derided by them. He asks Eva to run away with him. The horn of the
nightwatchman is heard and the lovers take refuge under a linden tree. Magdalene
tries to entice Eva inside. Eva quickly agrees that she has no choice but to
leave with Walther, and then goes into the house.
Sachs has seen and heard. He is determined to stop any elopement. Eva returns to
Walther's side in Magdalene's dress. As they hurry down the street, Sachs,
deliberately placing a lantern in his window, catches the in-flight pair in a
pool of light. Confused as to whether they should follow an unfamiliar alley or
wait for the cobbler to leave the window, Walther determines to confront Sachs.
Scene 6 But at the same moment, Beckmesser, with lute in hand, appears at the
Pogner residence. Eva restrains Walther from entering Sachs' workshop.
Beckmesser is heard tuning the instrument. Walther's anger turns from Sachs to
"the Marker," but Eva pushes him into a hiding place.
Sachs, in full knowledge that Beckmesser comes to serenade Eva, begins to bellow
as he noisily hammers the shoes on the last (Jerum! Jerum!). Beckmesser
interrupts Sachs' song, an allegory of cobbling shoes for Adam and Eve (=Eva).
Beckmesser is beside himself. How can he serenade Eva when Sachs is howling
away!?! "She'll think it's ME!" He pleads to Sachs for silence. Then Beckmesser
catches sight of Eva (really Magdalene) at the window. He has no time to lose in
argument. Walther and Eva, able to see and hear all, wish to leave, but remain
in hiding. Beckmesser attempts one last time to quiet the cobbler, telling Sachs
he doesn't need the shoes that badly.
Sachs 'reminds' Beckmesser that he is only a writer of street-songs and has no
need to listen to the poetry of Beckmesser. He continues his howling and
hammering. Eva and Walther, still in the shadows, are amused by Beckmesser's
apparent distress. "It's because you've never been Marker," Beckmesser says,
"that you're jealous of me! And I swear you'll never become Marker!"
Sachs sarcastically asks if Beckmesser's tirade was his song. Sachs tries to
strike a bargain: he will act as Marker (hammering on the shoes) while
Beckmesser sings. To shut him up, Beckmesser grudgingly agrees: "Provided you
keep to the rules! Mark nothing which the rules allow me."
Beckmesser tunes the lute, then begins his song (Den Tag seh' ich erscheinen),
which is more often than not interrupted by the 'marks' of the cobbler. Sachs
criticizes him for the rhymes, the rhythms, the melody. "But the soles are
coming along well."
Magdalene, at the window, and still believed by Beckmesser to be Eva, is
obviously not satisfied with the song. Beckmesser stops his quarrelling to
continue the serenading. Just as Sachs finishes the shoes, David peers from his
own window, spotting that it is Magdalene who is being entertained by the
serenade.
Between the singing of cobbler and clerk, and the ensuing row caused by David,
who comes out of the house to beat the hapless serenader, neighbors appear from
all sides. The arriving apprentices sense a fight and soon it is guild against
guild, neighbor shouting to neighbor, quarrels and brawling. Pogner pulls his
daughter (not realizing it is the nurse) inside. As Walther attempts to clear a
path for him and Eva, Sachs escorts the girl into her home, shoves David into
the workshop and brings Walther inside with him. Beckmesser takes off through
the crowd.
Quickly the street empties. The cry of the nightwatchman is heard as he
announces that eleven has struck. The lone man walks up the alley and departs
from view.
ACT III - Inside Sach's Workshop; later, a meadow. The next day (Johannistag).
Scene 1 David arrives with basket in hand. It contains flowers, ribbons, and
food, which he proceeds to eat. He has come from delivering Beckmesser's shoes
and has evidently run into Magdalene. Sachs sits, reading, totally ignoring
David, which causes the young apprentice to wonder if he has provoked the
Master's anger. He assumes it is due to his behavior the day before - especially
because of his assault on Beckmesser.
Sachs closes his book and is more than friendly to his apprentice. They speak of
the day's festivities to come: perhaps there will be a wedding feast! Sachs
suggests the previous evening's "rioting" was a Polterabend - wedding eve
celebrations at the home of the bride.
David brings the conversation back to the Johannistag celebrations. Sachs asks
if David knows his poem, requesting he sing it. David, noting the good mood of
his Master, mistakenly sings the poetry to the melody of Beckmesser's serenade!
He quickly apologizes and starts anew. While singing of Sankt Johannes (St.
John), it dawns on David that it is Hans Sachs' own nameday! David offers the
flowers and cake to Sachs, apologizing for forgetting. Sachs wants David to
enjoy the flowers, ribbons, and food: "So attired, you shall be my stately
herald." But David thinks a 'best man' would be more his lot. While agreeing
that a mistress in the house would indeed be pleasant, David alludes to rumors
that Sachs will himself defeat Beckmesser in the song-contest. Sachs tells David
to go, asking him not to disturb the knight. Walther is still in the house,
asleep.
Alone, Sachs is deep in thought. "Madness! Madness! Everywhere Madness!" (Wahn!
Wahn! Überall Wahn!) Everyone everywhere is out for blood. No one has rewards or
thanks. And a small incident - involving his own apprentice - can cause such
happenings! "But now - on Midsummer Day - we shall see how Sachs can make
madness do nobler work."
Scene 2 Walther enters. "Did you sleep well?" inquires Sachs. Walther answers
that he had a wonderful dream. Sachs hopes that the dream may point ways as to
how Walther can still win Eva's hand. But Walther is quite dejected. Sachs tells
him to not give up hope, and explains that the Masters are honorable men, who,
like all men, make mistakes.
Expecting to fashion a song from Walther's dream, Sachs asks him to describe it.
"Dreams and poetry are friends. Think of your dream and let me worry about the
rest."
Walther describes the rosy light of morning, filled with scent (Morgenlich
leuchtend). His chosen stanzas do not strictly adhere to the rules of the
Masters, but Sachs is impressed and vows to learn from it. A woman now joins him
at his side, sings Walther, a beautiful woman, a beautiful bride. Sachs finds
this 'Aftersong' a bit free in its melody, but does not find it a fault, per se.

As Walther continues his song, Sachs transcribes, marveling at the inventiveness
of phrase and melody. Sachs praises the young knight's efforts, commenting that
he only needs a third section of the same strength as the last two to find the
meaning of his dream. But Walther has grown tired of words; he asks Sachs what
his intentions are. Directing him into an inner room, Sachs indicates to Walther
to dress for the festivities.
Scene 3 Beckmesser arrives, noting that no one occupies the cobbler's shop.
Looking around, he catches sight of the manuscript of Walther's dream. Believing
the poetry to be the work of Sachs, Beckmesser, still stinging from Sachs'
treatment the evening before, is eyeing the script as Sachs re-enters the room.
The two speak of Beckmesser's shoes, which he claims have such thin soles that
he feels the smallest pebble through them. Beckmesser now accuses Sachs of
underhanded pranks so that he may steal Eva for himself: the yowling to keep Eva
from hearing the feelings the serenader wanted to convey; and ultimately the
cudgel to beat him black and blue! Sachs confesses that he has no thoughts of
wooing and will not be entering the song-contest.
Sachs looks for the poem - it's gone! Beckmesser holds it in his hand. He
assumes that this paper is proof that Sachs is entering the contest. Sachs is
simply aghast at the thievery. He agrees that Beckmesser may take the poem with
him ("So that you are not a thief."), and use it in the contest. Beckmesser is
overjoyed by the idea that he will win Eva with a song of the celebrated Hans
Sachs! He extracts a promise from Sachs: he must not claim the poem as his own,
no matter what happens. "I swear never to boast that the song is by me," answers
Sachs. Sachs tells the clerk to study the script carefully. Beckmesser agrees
that Sachs is a good poet, "but no one surpasses me for melody!" However, upon
closer inspection, Beckmesser becomes quite confused by what he is reading. He
rushes off to prepare, telling Sachs that he will guarantee Sachs' election as
Marker.
Scene 4 Eva enters the workshop, just as Sachs is musing on the maliciousness of
the clerk. Eva is beautifully attired. She complains of her shoe pinching,
though it becomes evident through examination that the shoe is a perfect fit!
Sachs, however, blames the stitching and sets about making it right.
Telling Eva that he heard a beautiful song - which just needs a third verse -
Sachs is working at the bench when Walther, now brilliantly attired, comes out
of the back room. To accompany Sachs' work, Walther sings a tender third verse,
gazing lovingly at Eva.
Still working on the "pinching" shoe, Sachs mockingly complains of his lot: as a
shoemaker, as a poet, as a widower. Eva, overcome with emotion, tells Sachs
quite truthfully how dear he is to her (O Sachs! Mein Freund). Sachs wants to
christen the "child," as he calls Walther's mastersong. Summoning David and
Magdalene, he promptly promotes his apprentice to Journeyman so that he may act
as witness to the christening. The two couples and Sachs muse on their good
spirits (Selig, wie die Sonne). Soon all depart for the festival grounds.
Scene 5 In an open meadow, people have congregated. Villagers and guildsmen,
peasants and apprentices enjoy the Johannistag festivities. Finally the
Mastersingers arrives, and the crowd sing out their praise of Hans Sachs of
Nürnberg!
Sachs invites all poets (Euch macht ihr's leicht) to compete for the most
treasured prize offered a Mastersinger - Eva. He quietly asks Beckmesser how the
song comes. Beckmesser is stumped! And he's sure no one else will understand the
poetry either. Kothner calls for the song-contest to commence. Beckmesser, as
the oldest, is chosen to go first. Many people in the audience are unimpressed
by this suitor.
Beckmesser, using the melody of his serenade, tries his best, but it seems that
he has problems reading Sachs' handwriting! Time and again he mistakes one word
for another, turning the poetry into nonsense. The Masters are totally
bewildered, and the people deride him and start to heckle. A furious Beckmesser
blames the catastrophe on the cobbler and confesses that he is not the poet - it
belongs to Sachs! Beckmesser leaves.
Sachs tells the Masters and people that he could never have written such a
beautiful song. Everyone is bewildered: he thinks that song is beautiful?!?
Sachs asks leave to bring forward someone who, unlike Beckmesser, can do justice
to the song. "If that man can meld poetry and melody, he deserves to be named a
Master, doesn't he?" He brings Walther forward.
Walther's song (Morgen ich leuchte in rosigem Schein) charms the entire
assembly, even the Masters are impressed. Pogner pronounces the knight accepted
into the guild. In a moving speech (Verachtet mir die Meister nicht), Sachs
speaks of the worthiness and longevity of German Art. Eva has crowned Walther
with the winner's wreath and the two lovers are united. Removing Walther's
crown, Eva now places it on the head of Sachs, as the assembly sings homage to
German Art - and Nürnberg's dear Hans Sachs.

synopsis copyright Kelly McDonald, 1998