[Met Performance] CID:1180

Metropolitan Opera Premiere, New Production

Robert le Diable
Metropolitan Opera House, Mon, November 19, 1883

Debut : Nicola Stagi


In Italian



Robert le Diable (1)
Giacomo Meyerbeer | Eugène Scribe/Casimir Delavigne/Germain Delavigne
Robert
Roberto Stagno

Isabelle
Alwina Valleria

Bertram
Giovanni Mirabella

Alice
Emmy Fursch-Madi

Raimbaut
Nicola Stagi [Debut]

Herald
Vincenzo Fornaris

Abbess/Dance
Malvina Cavalazzi


Conductor
Auguste Vianesi


Director
Mr. Corani

Director
Mr. Abbiati

Set Designer
Charles Fox, Jr.

Set Designer
William Schaeffer

Set Designer
Gaspar Maeder

Set Designer
Mr. Thompson

Costume Designer
D. Ascoli

Costume Designer
Henry Dazian

Composer
Giacomo Meyerbeer

Giacomo Meyerbeer



Translation by unknown
Stagi, who made his debut on this occasion, also played the viola and cello in the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra.
Robert le Diable received seven performances in Italian this season.
Alternate titles: Roberto il Diavolo; Robert the Devil.
The roles of Lady and Cavalier were not performed

Review 1:

Review from the New York Tribune:

For a few moments last night the audience that had gathered in the new opera house to see and hear "Roberto il Diavolo" seemed inclined to ignore Meyerbeer's sober second thought, and accept the work as a comic instead of a romantic opera. The wicked nuns called back to life by the incantations of Bertram, amidst the ruins of the cloister, appeared to have been stinted by the undertaker in the matter of shrouds, and the procession of gray-wrapped figures in "cutty sarks" caused the liveliest merriment until the transformation took place and Madam Cavalazzi's lovely face, form and art, restored the illusion of the play. The episode was amusing, however, and called to mind how strained a shift Meyerbeer and Scribe were put to when they abandoned the Opera Comique and remodeled their plans of "Robert" to fit the Grand Opera. But despite its absurdities the opera is always gladly seen a few times in each season, for it is full of brilliant music composed to show off the voices of both the lyric and the dramatic soprano, the lyric and dramatic tenor, and the principal basso. The representation last night had many brilliant moments, but also several dull quarter-hours. If the opera was brought out as a show-piece for Signor Stagno, it failed of its purpose, for the honors were not only borne off but fairly won by Madame Fursch-Madi who impersonated Alice. This lady is in the front rank of Mr. Abbey's artists in respect of dramatic knowledge and skill and musical intelligence. A strain put upon her voice injures its quality and blurs her intonation, and it so happened that the "Van, van!" last night was marred by several faulty notes, but the excellence of the acting and the expressiveness and correctness of her singing in all the other numbers brought compensation for the disappointment. After Madame Fursch-Madi in the order of merit among the singers came Madame Valleria, who was the Isabella of the occasion, and who made glittering work out of her bravura music. The men are less easily ordered. Signor Stagno's admirers will doubtless claim the first place among them and in the performance for him, but the claim will be hotly contested by those of the audience who do not believe that one note makes a song or one song an opera.

Signor Mirabella was an imposing and picturesque Bertram, and sang the music for the greater part effectively. M. Capoul gave up the part of Rambaldo to Signor Stagi, one of Signor Vianesi's instrumentalists, who has disclosed himself as possessing an agreeable tenor voice which seems to have the promise of better things in it. The opera was well mounted and brilliantly dressed.



Search by season: 1883-84

Search by title: Robert le Diable,



Met careers