Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg
The characters
Learn more about the characters in Wagner's Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg
Hans Sachs
Bass-baritone
- Wise
- Compassionate
- Clever
Photo: Tristram Kenton
- A middle-aged widower who secretly loves Eva
- Based on an historical cobbler-poet who lived from 1494-1576
- Leader of Nuremberg’s Mastersingers, a group of middle-class amateur poets and musicians who earned their living as artisans and took a craftsmanlike approach to writing music, devising a complex system of rules for composing and performing their unaccompanied songs
‘Wahn’ (‘Madness’)
Walther von Stolzing
Tenor
- Daring
- Creative
- Romantic
Photo: Tristram Kenton
- A young, impoverished out-of-towner who has come to Nuremberg to sell his land holdings
- Falls instantly in love with Eva Pogner and enters the Mastersong contest to win her hand
- Cares nothing for the Mastersingers’ complicated rules of songwriting and relies on his own inspiration
Eva Pogner
Soprano
- Independent
- Resourceful
- Romantic
Photo: Tristram Kenton
- Young daughter of wealthy goldsmith Veit Pogner, who offers her hand as prize to the winner of the Mastersong contest
- Falls in love with young Walther at first sight but also has deep feelings for Hans Sachs
- Takes initiative to achieve her goals
Sixtus Beckmesser
Baritone
- Pedantic
- Jealous
- Foolish
Photo: Tristram Kenton
- Nuremberg’s town clerk and a technically knowledgeable Mastersinger
- Expects to win Eva’s hand in the Mastersong contest and bristles when Walther enters the contest
- Foolishly falls into Hans Sachs’ trap
- Beckmesser is thought to be modelled on Eduard Hanslick, one of Wagner’s harshest critics