[Met Performance] CID:11120



La Traviata
Metropolitan Opera House, Wed, March 30, 1892




La Traviata (8)
Giuseppe Verdi | Francesco Maria Piave
Violetta
Adelina Patti

Alfredo
Fernando Valero

Germont
Giuseppe Del Puente

Flora
Ida Klein [Last performance]

Gastone
Antonio Rinaldini

Baron Douphol
Antonio De Vaschetti

Dr. Grenvil
Lodovico Viviani

Annina
Mathilde Bauermeister

Dance
Rebecca Salmoiraghi [Last performance]


Conductor
Luigi Arditi







Review 1:

Review in The New York Times

MME. PATTI AS VIOLETTA

The second night of Messrs. Abbey and Grau's supplementary season of opera was devoted to a performance of Verdi's "La Traviata," an opera which has served a very agreeable purpose of late years as a vehicle for the display of Mme Adelina Patti's voice and art. Of course, a large audience was present, and there was the customary display of curiosity as to Mme. Patti's personal appearance, her costumes, and her diamonds. This is one of the penalties of greatness. People are always curious to know what a celebrity looks like, and it is Mme. Patti's fate to draw to the Metropolitan Opera House hundreds of persons who do not know the story of so hackneyed a work as "La Traviata," and who, therefore, divide their attention between their libretti and their opera glasses. It is a notable fact that curiosity always takes the place of enthusiasm with these persona at the beginning of the opera and only retires to a second place under the influence of a voice that is one of the wonders of its time; so that "Ah, fors e lui" gets less applause than the finale of the card scene.

Mme. Patti was in good voice last night and sang with her customary judgment. Time is very kind to her, or perhaps it would be more truthful to say that the old scythe bearer cannot compete with the artist's admirable care of her precious organ of song and her perfect use of it. Last night the matchless beauty of that silver-flute tone, for which the most famous of all sopranos in the history of music has always been noted, seemed to be quite as rich as it ever was. There is no denying the fact that Mme. Patti's upper register demands more restraint on the part of the singer than it used to, but the middle register is so lovely that the very small defects occasionally manifest in the highest notes may pass without comment.

As for the singer's delivery, it is as perfect in its art as ever it was, and the art calls for all the more praise in that it never attempts anything beyond its scope. In spite of traditions to the contrary, we do not regard Violotta as one of the great prima donna's most advantageous roles; but it is, nevertheless, one in which she is still able to delight, even those who have been familiar with her singing for a respectable number of years. She received last night the customary tributes of flowers and applause, and, as usual, introduced her favorite addition to the music of Italian opera, "Home, Sweet Home."

Creditable assistance was given to the soprano by Signor Valero as Alfredo and Signor de/ Puente as Germont. As for the rest, little need be said. The minor characters and the chorus are but the margin to the pages of Verdi's version of "Camille." Signor Arditi conducted, and the orchestra had no serious trouble with the simple score.



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