A Book of Operas: Their Histories, Their Plots, and Their Music

XV. "Die meistersinger von Nurnberg" : "Ridendo castigat mores" ; Wagner's adherence to classical ideals of tragedy and comedy ; the subject of the satire in "Die meistersinger" ; Wagenseil's book on Nuremberg ; Plot of the comedy ; The Church of St. Catherine in Nuremberg ; A relic of the mastersingers ; Mastersongs in the municipal Library ; Wagner's chorus of mastersingers ; A poem by Sixtus Beckmesser ; The German drama in Nuremberg ; Hans Sachs's plays ; His Tannhauser tragedy ; "Tristram and Iseult" ; "The Wittenberg Nightingale" and "Wach'auf!" ; Wagner's quotation from an authentic mastersong melody ; Romanticism and classicism ; The prelude to "Die meistersinger" -- XVI. "Lohengrin" : Wolfram von Eschenbach's story of Loherangrin ; Other sources of the Lohengrin legend ; "Der jungere titurel" and "Le Chevalier au Cygne" ; The plot of Wagner's opera ; A mixture of myths ; Relationship of the Figaro operas ; Contradictions between "Lohengrin" and "Parsifal" ; The forbidden question ; Wagner's love of theatrical effect ; The finale of "Tannhauser" ; The law of taboo in "Lohengrin" ; Jupiter and Semele ; Cupid and Psyche ; The saga of Skeaf ; King Henry, the Fowler -- XVII. "Hansel und Gretel" : Wagner's influence and his successors ; Engelbert Humperdinck ; Myths and fairy tales ; Origin of "Hansel und Gretel" ; First performances ; An application of Wagernian principles ; The prelude ; The prayer theme ; The counter-charm ; Theme of fulfillment ; Story of the opera ; A relic of an old Christmas song ; Theme of the witch ; The theme of promise ; "Ring around a Rosy" ; The "Knusperwalzer."