BY JESSICA CARRASCALAO HEARD
Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg
Opera Australia
State Theatre, Arts Centre Melbourne, 13 November
It’s not often that, when you go to a three-act opera, one of the intervals is a whole 70 minutes long so you can get a bite to eat; because Act 3 is at least two hours long. But that’s exactly what happened on opening night at Opera Australia’s production of Wagner’s Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg.
I’ll admit I was a little worried. I very much enjoy going to the theatre, but in long productions I get fidgety and tend to want snacks (clearly they saw me coming). And this was a biggie. Curtain up for Act 1 at 4pm, and by the time the curtain finally dropped at the end of Act 3, it was past 10pm.
It was a marathon for everyone, but especially the performers. A challenge of physical stamina, certainly. But also, a challenge to hold the audience’s attention for such a long period of time.
And, oh boy, they did it in spades. Not once did I fidget, or reach for the Malteasers. It goes without saying that the music was excellent – I wouldn’t expect anything less. But I’m pretty sure what captured my attention was this: they put all of their musicality and performance energy into portraying convincing emotions and characters.
Here’s what I gleaned from the performance.
1. If you want to still be able to perform at the end of Act 3, pace yourself. Especially if you’re playing Hans Sachs.
I was in awe of the vocal stamina of all the leads in this, but in particular that of baritone Michael Kupfer-Radecky, who played Hans Sachs. Throughout the opera, and particularly in Act 3, there were very long stretches of time where Sachs sings continuously, scene after scene, with other characters coming entering and exiting. Kupfer-Radecky managed his voice well by holding back a little in the first two acts of the show. This allowed him (with the help of some blocked-in sips of water) to use his voice effectively to fully convey intensity of emotion at climactic points in Act 3.
2. When you learn your roles, learn them well, because you might get a phone call.
You never know when you might be called in at the last minute, as Kupfer-Radecky was. The third Sachs for this production, he stepped into the role just a couple of weeks before opening night. But for all the audience could tell, it was as though he had been there for the entire rehearsal period. He played the character with certainty and self-assurance.
3. Yet again, it was hammered home: the importance of dynamics.
The first long stretch of solo singing comes in Act 1, and it was not sung by Sachs. Sachs’ apprentice David (tenor Nicholas Jones) explains to Walther von Stolzing (tenor Stefan Vinke) the rules of Meistersinging so that Walther might be able to win his beloved Eva’s hand in marriage.
It’s not the most riveting part of the opera, and this section could have been a real snooze for the audience. But it wasn’t, because Jones developed his character while creating beautiful music, through his use of tone and dynamics. He engaged with the context and importance of the scene, and his musicality made it interesting for the audience to listen to.
4. Your whole body needs to be involved in your character.
Baritone Warwick Fyfe used body language masterfully to deepen his portrayal of Beckmesser, which could easily have been a one-dimensional comic figure. The defeated slouch, the sharp and anxious mannerisms – all combined with an intense, expressive face – turned Beckmesser into a tragic but believable figure.
We all know this person. We’ve all been this person at some point. He anxiously grips tightly on whatever little power he wields, because he knows that without it he has nothing. He tries his best to get what he wants, and goes about it in all the wrong ways. Beckmesser was still a source of comedy, but with every peal of laughter came a ripple of sympathy.
5. Characterisation has to be strong from the very beginning.
This was so important to the success of the show, but particularly for the heroine Eva (soprano Natalie Aroyan) and her maid Magdalene (mezzo soprano Dominica Matthews). They appear at the start of Act 1 and then are not seen again for quite a while. But they were not forgotten. Both Aroyan and Matthews left memorable, clear first impressions of their characters, which they were then able to build upon when they returned later in the show.
Also:
This isn’t really about character, but I’ll say it anyway. If you’re someone who loves the stage, at some stage you’re going to be asked to do some super crazy things. Embrace it. It will be GLORIOUS. You might have to wear an animal mask. Or faun legs. Or just one faun leg. Or a giant, golden rhino-horn phallus. Or you may have to scramble up walls and then hang topsy-turvy next to an upside down throne. Just go with it.
And, in case you haven’t seen Die Meistersinger yet, I won’t say anything else.
Images supplied. Credit: Jeff Busby.
