[Met Performance] CID:6800



Fidelio
Ballet Divertissement
Metropolitan Opera House, Wed, December 5, 1888




Fidelio (19)
Ludwig van Beethoven | Joseph Sonnleithner
Leonore
Fanny Moran-Olden

Florestan
Max Alvary

Don Pizarro
Joseph Beck

Rocco
Emil Fischer

Marzelline
Katherine Senger-Bettaque

Jaquino
Wilhelm Sedlmayer

Don Fernando
Alois Grienauer

First Prisoner
William Cook

Second Prisoner
Jean Doré


Conductor
Anton Seidl


Director
Theodore Habelmann

Set Designer
Charles Fox, Jr.

Set Designer
William Schaeffer






BALLET DIVERTISSEMENT
Invitation to the Dance {1}
C. M. Weber

Dance...................Etiènne Vergé
Dance...................Miss Louie
Dance...................Josefine Ambroggio

Conductor...............Anton Seidl

Choreographer...........Giovanni Ambroggio

French Minuet and Galop {1}
unknown

Conductor...............Anton Seidl
Choreographer...........Giovanni Ambroggio

Hermesschwingen Waltz {1}
unknown

Dance...................Etiènne Vergé
Dance...................Miss Louie
Dance...................Josefine Ambroggio

Conductor...............Anton Seidl
Choreographer...........Giovanni Ambroggio
Fidelio received three performances this season.
The Ballet Divertissement received two performances this season.

Review 1:

Review in The New York Times

METROPOLITAN OPERA HOUSE.

Beethoven's "Fidelio" was presented at the Metropolitan Opera House before a remarkably large and brilliant audience last evening. The original announcement for the evening was Mozart's "Don Giovanni," but it was found impossible to prepare that and "L'Africaine" in one week, and consequently Beethoven's one opera was given. The production of a great master, working in an uncongenial field, in spite of the fact that its classical severity and the Doric simplicity of its solid orchestration are vastly different from the highly-colored works of more recent writers, maintains its hold on the public esteem. This is, no doubt, largely due to the nature of the subject, for the illustration of the faithful and heroic, devotion always awakens an answering chord in the human breast even in these days of fashionable indifference. Last evening's performance was in most respects commendable. Frau Moran-Olden has no small reputation in Germany for her Leonora. Her treatment of this noble character proved to be replete with sincerity, pathetic earnestness, and genuine dramatic force. The faults of the lady's vocalization have been heretofore noted. The chief of them is uncertainty of attack: She usually begins somewhat below or above the note aimed at, and reaches it by the employment of the portamento. Frequently she falls to reach the proper note, and hence sings out of tune. But for the most part her extraordinarily powerful? voice does its work in a satisfactory manner. Herr Fischer's Rocco is so familiar that we need only note that he never played the part better than he did last evening. Fräulein Bettaque was a charming Marcellina and she sang her music exceedingly well. The fine quartet of the first act was beautifully rendered and had to be repeated in response to an imperative demand. Herr Beck sang and acted Pizarro well and Herr Alvary was a successful Florestan, though he might have invested the rôle with more dignity. 'The chorus of prisoners in the first act did its work well and the performance was conducted with artistic care and feeling by Herr Seidl. After the opera a ballet divertissement was given by the well-trained dancers of the Opera House.



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Search by title: Fidelio, Ballet Divertissement,



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