Cruel Future

At the heart of Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg lies a classic tale of spiritual development in which a young man learns humility and respect on the path to realising his potential. Alongside it one finds a scathing critique of pedantry and artistic conservatism with Beckmesser acting as Wagner’s personal piñata, suffering a torrent of physical and psychological blows that seem almost disproportionate to his crimes. Just as we forgive Walther his arrogance, the tragedy of Beckmesser is often obscured by a screen of comedic bluster. But what if Walther could care less about songcraft and tradition; and what if Beckmesser, beaten by common thugs, betrayed by his only friend, and robbed of his one chance at married life, turned out to have a genuine human breaking point?

David Bösch used this pessimistic reading as the unexpected terminal…