In writing Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, Wagner turned to Johann Christoph Wagenseil’s 1697 historical study, Buch von der Meister-Singer holdseligen Kunst Anfang (Book of the Mastersingers’ Fair Art), for the basis of his libretto. He even used the names of real Nuremberg master singers, the titles of actual songs, the rules for song competitions, the list of mistakes/penalties and various technical expressions in and throughout his opera.