[Met Performance] CID:9320



Fidelio
Metropolitan Opera House, Fri, December 26, 1890

Debut : C. W. Ecklemann




Fidelio (24)
Ludwig van Beethoven | Joseph Sonnleithner
Leonore
Antonia Mielke

Florestan
Heinrich Gudehus

Don Pizarro
Juan Luria

Rocco
Emil Fischer

Marzelline
Olga Islar

Jaquino
Adolph Von Hübbenet

Don Fernando
Conrad Behrens

First Prisoner
C. W. Ecklemann [Debut]

Second Prisoner
Wilhelm Schuster


Conductor
Anton Seidl


Director
Theodore Habelmann

Set Designer
Charles Fox, Jr.

Set Designer
William Schaeffer





Fidelio received four performances this season.

Review 1:

Review in The New York Times

METROPOLITAN OPERA HOUSE.

The performance of Beethoven's noble opera, "Fidelio" drew a good-sized audience at the Metropolitan Opera House last night in spite of the opposition of nature, and the enthusiasm was greater than it has been on any other evening of the current season. This proves two things, both of which are interesting - first that his public has not lost its love for good music not written by Wagner, in spite of the dictum of a Brooklyn expert, and secondly, that Beethoven's one dramatic work has as strong a hold as ever on the popular heart. It would be a sad commentary on our taste if it had not. The subject or this work is intensely human and appeals to every living creature with a heart; the great dramatic situation of the second act is, with the aid of Beethoven's mighty musical treatment, one of the strongest episodes in all opera, and the music throughout the work is so lovely that silent admiration is fitter than any words of praise. If ever there was music of the future this is it, for it was written for all time.

The performance last evening was carried out with that spirit of devotion which German artists always bring to the interpretation of this work. Frau Mielke was in good voice and sang Leonora with earnestness and judgment. Her "Abscheulicher" was excellently delivered and won her three hearty recalls. Herr Gudehus worked energetically as Florestan and sang with great feeling. His work was only marred by an occasional lapse from the key, but this can be pardoned in view of his general merit. Herr Fischer's Rocco is too well known to need comment other than a statement that the popular basso was quite up to his best mark last evening. Herr Luria was not a great Pizarro, but then no one ever is; and the representative of the rôle last evening was certainly painstaking. The great quartet of the second act was given by these four singers with such superb effect that the audience called them out four times with tumultuous applause and cheers.

Fräulein Islar was a commendable Marcellina and Herr Hübbenet a tolerable Jacquino. The chorus sang well, and the orchestra played in a masterly manner. Herr Seidl conducted nobly, and the great "Leonora" overture. No. 111, was given magnificently between the second and third acts. In view of the manifest delight of last night's audience, it is a pity that Mr. Stanton announced the opera for only one performance. It is to be hoped that the director will reconsider this decision and present "Fidelio" again. Last night's enthusiasm certainly seemed to demand it.



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