[Met Performance] CID:6830



L'Africaine
Metropolitan Opera House, Mon, December 10, 1888


In German



L'Africaine (2)
Giacomo Meyerbeer | Eugène Scribe
Sélika
Katherine Senger-Bettaque

Vasco de Gama
Julius Perotti

Inès
Sophie Traubmann

Nélusko
Alois Grienauer

Pedro/High Priest
Emil Fischer

Diégo
Ludwig Mödlinger

Alvar
Albert Mittelhauser

Grand Inquisitor
Eugene Weiss

Anna
Emmy Miron

Dance
Etiènne Vergé


Conductor
Anton Seidl







Review 1:

Review in The New York Times

METROPOLITAN OPERA HOUSE.

Meyerbeer's opera, "L'Africaine," was performed for the second time at the Metropolitan Opera House last evening. Fräulein Bettaque was substituted for Frau Moran-Olden as Selika in order to give the latter a much-needed rest, and Herr Grinauer took the place of Herr Robinson as Nelusko. Fräulein Senger-Bettaque, it is needless to say, was a charming Selika, and she invested the role with an unexpected amount of dramatic force. Indeed, her performance was highly commendable. She sang the music with taste and expression and, in the second act especially, her work was worthy of praise. Herr Grinauer acted Nelusko with an abundance of vigor, and sang the music with a verve that atoned for his lack of tonal beauty. Fräulein Traubmann was in extremely poor voice, and her singing of the rôle of Ines was at times painfully weak. She has no knowledge whatever of the art of acting and her face is as innocent of expression as the sands of the desert. Herr Perotti poured out his ringing notes with his customary munificence, and acted, as he usually does like an eel on land. Herr Fischer sang and stated his two parts with as much sincerity as their undramatic nature would permit. A word should be said for Herr Eugene Weiss, the grand inquisitor, and that word should be one of disgust. The performance, in general, went with great spirit. The ship was captured and burned in fine style, and the procession was gaudy with an assortment of glories that defy description. This opera has been finely mounted, and the public appears to be well pleased.



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