An extraordinary night at the Opera, with amazing cultural relevance Copyright © Victor Weston 2010

The audience all seemed to stand as one, in euphoric uproar
in tumultuous applause
in the Millennium Centre
at the close by the Welsh National Opera
of its first performance of Wagner's Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg

A truly epic performance in an amazing venue
international and first class
an Opera House with the highest design standards
expressing Welsh cultural identity, in a manner international and first class

said to be Hitler's favourite opera, but none the worse for that
imagine the younger Adolph with Eva together
watching Eva the idealised woman offered as prize
to the knight who broke the mould through ecstasy and imagination

Eva and her knight were charmingly portrayed
to unforgettable strains of extraordinary inspiring music
The staging was lavish, imaginative, full of gaiety and fun
a celebration of life and of romantic love

Hans Sachs sung by Bryn Terfel, how splendid how magnificent
what a voice what a presence what a performance
How appropriate for him this role who has done so much for Welsh culture
as in his Faenol Festival of the arts

The Welsh appreciation of their national icon was palpable and real
in a land and for a people whose love of verse and song
can be traced back to the time of the druids

A tribute to those who continue to represent
the cultural inheritance of any (particular) people
was a message of the opera
every nation and people should be proud to learn
as also for every young man the delight of romantic love