Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg at the Proms, Royal Albert Hall, July 2010

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I wanted to get to RAH. I wanted to attend a performance at the Proms. So I went. It's a totally different experience as the Proms are for everybody who loves music.

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Twenty-four hours in the life of a city. A meditation on the transformative power of art. A comedy. A celebration of young love. Wagner’s monumental Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg is all this and everything else besides. Running time approximately 6 hours and 15 minutes including one interval of 20 minutes and one interval of 50 minutes.

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Bryn Terfel was great in my opinion. RAH doesn't have good acoustics. I might say it doesn't have acoustics at all. Just echo. But his voice got to everybody. His colleages matched his voice. and let's not forget the chorus and orchestra of the Welsh National Opera. You rock, people!

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Bryn Terfel - Hans Sachs
Raymond Very - Walther von Stoltzing
Amanda Roocroft - Eva
Christopher Purves - Beckmesser
Andrew Tortise - David

Anna Burford - Magdalene
David Soar - Nightwatchman
Brindley Sherratt - Pogner
Simon Thorpe - Kothner
David Stout - Nachtigall
Paul Hodges - Schwartz
Rhys Meirion - Zorn
Andrew Rees - Eisslinger
Stephen Rooke - Moser
Arwel Huw Morgan - Foltz
Geraint Dodd - Vogelgesang
Owen Webb - Ortel
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Chorus and Orchestra of Welsh National Opera,
Lothar Koenigs - conductor
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Royal Albert Hall, outside

The proof :)




And now, inside. It's HUGE



At the end of the first act

During the longer interval (the 50 minute one) some real picnics took place on the steps of RAH and not only. Picnic baskets, bottles of wine, glasses. everybody wanted to make the dinner as enjoyable as possible.

Royal College of Music, across the street from RAH

Back inside




At the very end





RAH by night, waiting for the cast to come out





Amanda Roocroft

Bryn Terfel

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I'll try to repeat the experience next year. It's really worth a trip to London.
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