German bass-baritone Theo Adam sings the role of the generous philosopher-poet Hans Sachs in this dazzling performance at the Metropolitan Opera from January 15, 1972 of Wagner’s only comedy, with Spanish soprano Pilar Lorengar as Eva and American tenor James King as the young hero Walther von Stolzing.

Thomas Schippers conducts the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Chorus with a cast that includes the famous German character singer Benno Kusche (as the pathetic villain Beckmesser) and a host of much-admired American singers including Shirley Love (Magdalene), Loren Driscoll (David), Ezio Flagello (Pogner), Donald Gramm (Kothner) and – in a small role, early in his career – the Met’s current (2011) Hans Sachs, James Morris (Schwarz).