I’d like to take this oppourtunity to first fill you in on the story of “The Meistersingers from Nürnberg” by Wagner. In short, its about a song competition way back in the day. The singers are trying to be part of the “Master Singers” group in Nurenberg and must compose their own song with original music and text. The winner not only gets to be part of the Master Singers club, but wins the hand of the lovely Eva. Plot twists follow: he loves her, but she loves another, etc. A typical setting for a classic Italian comic opera (even though Wagner is german and wrote well after that time). Got it?
Now that you know the basic plotline you will share my shock in seeing the stage scenery for the first time today. Paintings of dancing skeletons, and old jeep, a massive drop screen featuring a viking skeleton riding a giant bat, and large crude sketches, much like those scratched onto the wall of a mens bathroom stall, including a giant erect ejaculating penis with the text “EGG” written on it direct center stage.
What does this have to do with Wagner, you may ask? I, for one, have no idea! The director, as I’ve mentioned before, likes to tear a piece apart and drag it through the dirt a bit before putting it on stage and this production is no exception. His shows are almost always surrounded by contreversy. But having said that, this theater is I believe the most prominent in the country, he must be doing something right!
I’m going to try and take my camera in tomorrow so I can give you all some visuals…
