‘The Mastersingers’ ENO 1975, Mackerras

This remarkable Mastersingers was recorded in-house at one of the performances in January 1975. A revival of the famous 1968 production by Glen Byam Shaw and John Blatchley, with sets by Motley, it had long been the preserve of Reginald Goodall, first at Sadler’s Wells, then in the London Coliseum. This revival – which opened on 31 December 1974 – was the first time Charles Mackerras had conducted the work, and his approach, though very different (and a good deal swifter) than Goodall’s had exceptional qualities of its own. Stanley Sadie in The Times (2 January 1975) wrote that ‘I cannot remember, since Beecham’s performances at Covent Garden, a Mastersingers with such vitality … Above all this was a reading full of life, marked by its rhythmic momentum, its colourful, well-detailed realisation of the score, its lyrical warmth, its sympathetic treatment of singers … and above all its strongly affirmative character.’

Several of the principals had sung their roles for Goodall, notably Norman Bailey as an incomparably human and warm-toned Hans Sachs. Alberto Remedios is still in his prime, and from beginning to end, his Walther is an account of passionate conviction and radiant singing, not least in the many iterations of the Prize Song. Margaret Curphey is a powerful and poetic Eva while Gregory Dempsey is a strongly-projected David with the sunniest possible disposition. The most significant new member of the cast for this revival is the Beckmesser of Thomas Hemsley. This was a role he had sung for three consecutive years at Bayreuth (1968­–70) and his is a serious and touching interpretation – quite different from the wittier approach of Derek Hammond-Stroud, but sensitive and acutely characterised. Sarah Walker is a fine Magdalene – making the most of this smaller role – while Gwynne Howell provides a rich and sonorous Pogner and Neil Howlett is a firm and convincing Kothner. The small but important part of the Night Watchman is sung by Christian du Plessis.

With such a strong Wagner tradition established from the late 1960s onwards at Sadler’s Wells/English National Opera, it’s no surprise that the orchestra is on radiant form, and the chorus is magnificent. What makes this such an engrossing account is the quality singled out by Stanley Sadie in his review: this is a life-enhancing Mastersingers of unquenchable vitality. While Goodall’s Mastersingers was always a profoundly satisfying and extremely moving, almost spiritual experience, Mackerras is often thrilling, and I would never want to be without either. As Christopher Grier put it in his review for the Evening Standard (2 January 1975), ‘It is one of the many strengths of Mr Mackerras that he is a great story-teller. Through the score, the singers and the players, he commands total involvement.’ That is apparent throughout, and this long opera seems to fly past, particularly in Act 2, and in the vast expanses of Act 3, culminating in Mackerras’s tumultuous reading of the great final scene on the Feast of St John, at the meadow by the Pegnitz River.

This performance came at a difficult moment in the history of the company: for six weeks, the Coliseum had been closed following the dismissal of 46 stage staff on 31 October 1974, and the theatre only reopened in mid-December. What followed in quick succession were two artistic triumphs for English National Opera and Mackerras: this revival of Mastersingers, given between 31 December 1974 and 18 January 1975, and a glorious new production of Der Rosenkavalier which opened at the end of the same month.

Nigel Simeone, July 2026

Richard Wagner (1813 – 1883)

The Mastersingers of Nuremberg

Track 1: Act 1

Track 2: Act 2

Track 3: Act 3 Scene 1

Track 4: Act 3 Scene 2

The opera is sung in English

This recording was made in house at one of the performances of the opera given at the London Coliseum in January 1975.

The recording is in the Mackerras Collection at Music Preserved.

Remastered by Roger Beardsley.