Wagner: Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Bayreuth, 1984)

Wolfgang Wagner took over the direction of the Bayreuth Festival with his brother Wieland after World War II and staged Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg there a total of three times. In the second of these productions, from 1981, he succeeded in taking the nationalistic sting out of his grandfather's only mature comedy, concentrating entirely on human relationships and even bringing about a reconciliation between the adversaries Sachs and Beckmesser. In these roles Bernd Weikl and Hermann Prey, two of the most distinguished singers of their generation, prove compelling sparring partners. Completing the trio of principal male roles is Siegfried Jerusalem, who caused a sensation all over the world as a Wagner tenor.

Soloists: 

Martin Egel (Baritone), Mari Anne Häggander (Soprano), Siegfried Jerusalem (Tenor), Andras Molnar (Tenor), Hermann Prey (Baritone), Manfred Schenk (Bass), Marga Schiml (Mezzo-Soprano), Jef Vermeersch (Baritone), Bernd Weikl (Baritone)

Ensembles: 

Bayreuth Festival Chorus, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra

Conductor: 

Horst Stein