Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg

England's Glyndebourne Festival isn't exactly noted for Wagner productions, but director David McVicar uses the site's smallish stage deftly in his 2011 mounting of the composer's warmest, most humane opera, which recounts how wise cobbler Hans Sachs intervenes to ensure that the young knight Walther wins the hand of the lovely Eva in a singing contest in which Walther is pitted against the obnoxious Beckmesser. This 1868 opera emerges as both a genial paean to true love and a song of praise to the innovative artist (a role that Wagner clearly felt described him perfectly) in McVicar's staging, which updates the action from the 16th century to the early 19th and features attractive sets and costumes while otherwise adopting a traditional approach. Conductor Vladimir Jurowski emphasizes clarity and swiftness over majesty and lushness in the performance he draws from the London Philharmonic, and Marco Jentzsch (Walther) and Anna Gabler (Eva) are somewhat raw in their singing. But Gerald Finley is an absolutely splendid Sachs both vocally and dramatically, and Johannes Martin Kränzle makes Beckmesser a pathetic fool. Fine supporting turns from Topi Lehtipuu as Sachs's apprentice, David, and Alastair Miles as Eva's father, Pogner, further enhance the production. Presented in DTS 5.1 (DTS-HD 5.1 on the Blu-ray version) and LPCM stereo, extras include a cast gallery, a behind-the-scenes featurette on the production, and a look at the “baggage” carried by the opera—which was, after all, Hitler's favorite. Far preferable to the misguided 2008 Bayreuth production (VL-7/11), this is highly recommended. (F. Swietek)