This day in 1868 saw the first performance of Wagner's Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, a comical three-act opera about a a singing competition in 16th-century Nuremburg. Enjoy the very dramatic aria, "Was duftet doch der Flieder" performed by Gerald Finley as Hans Sachs! https://bit.ly/3RCJ7wa | medici.tv

Six hours in 60 seconds: The drama, spectacle, and soaring artistry of a Wagnerian performance can never be distilled. Nonetheless, we couldn’t resist speeding things up for a change. In this minute-long timelapse, we present a turbo version of Otto Schenk’s colorful—and normally evening-length—production of Wagner’s Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg. On stage through November 14: bit.ly/3zZCuIo Videography by Pete Scalzitti | The Metropolitan Opera