[Met Performance] CID:2230



Faust
Metropolitan Opera House, Sat, March 15, 1884 Matinee



In Italian



Faust (16)
Charles Gounod | Jules Barbier/Michel Carré
Faust
Victor Capoul

Marguerite
Christine Nilsson

Méphistophélès
Franco Novara

Valentin
Giuseppe Kaschmann

Siebel
Louise Lablache

Marthe
Emily Lablache

Wagner
Ludovico Contini


Conductor
Auguste Vianesi







Review 1:

Review in the Herald:

METROPOLITAN OPERA HOUSE

A performance of "Faust" yesterday afternoon at the Metropolitan Opera House brought the first week of Mr. Abbey's spring season to a close. The performance differed in several respects from the brilliant ones which were interpreted through the fall season; yet, such is the strength of Mr. Abbey's resources, it was, nevertheless, an excellent entertainment. Mr. Capoul replaced Signor Campanini in the title rôle. Herr Kaschmann was the Valentino in place of Signor Del Puente, and Mlle Louise Lablache, by essaying the part of Siebel, emphasized the absence of Mme. Scalchi. The weakness of the cast in the parts of Faust and Siebel brought it to pass several times in the course of the afternoon interest in the performance began to flag, but each time salvation came from the warm and sympathetic singing and acting of Mme. Nilsson. There was no loss in the substitution of Herr Kaschmann for Signor Del Puente for he was graceful, energetic and manly in action and impassioned in his singing. One change from the first performances at the new house which was made before the end of the fall season is hardly commendable. The church scene has been transferred from the interior to the exterior, we suppose with the aim of saving a change of scenery. The effect, however, is to make a confused serenade and murder follow hard on the heels of the soldiers' return which, in turn, occurs immediately after Margherita's faint in the street. Mme. Nilsson rises to such an exalted plane in the church scene that it is a pity that all the accessories cannot be kept in harmony. The whole embarrassment might be avoided and the original intentions of the composer be carried out if the murder were made to precede the scene in, not outside, the church.



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