[Met Performance] CID:11570



Hamlet
Metropolitan Opera House, Wed, December 6, 1893

Debut : Consuelo Domenech, Miss Stocchetti




Hamlet (7)
Ambroise Thomas | Michel Carré/Jules Barbier
Hamlet
Jean Lassalle

Ophélie
Nellie Melba

Claudius
Pol Plançon

Gertrude
Consuelo Domenech [Debut]

Laerte
Georges Mauguière

Polonius
Antonio De Vaschetti

Horatio
Giuseppe Cernusco

Marcellus
Antonio Rinaldini

Ghost
Lodovico Viviani

Dance
Miss Santori

Dance
Miss Stocchetti [Debut]


Conductor
Enrico Bevignani


Director
Armand Castelmary





Hamlet received one performance this season.
New York Times review of W.J. Henderson:
Ambroise Thomas conceived Shakespeare's melancholy Dane in an exceedingly melancholy mood. The average American is not too familiar with "Hamlet" as a drama to take kindly to it in its operatic guise, and if he missed nothing else he would miss the familiar quotations which are at least recognizable. That adjective cannot be applied to the majority of M. Thomas's dramatic ideas. One fails to recognize them on a second meeting for the simple reason that they lack clear-cut outline. This remark does not apply to Hamlet's drinking song, which is even better than Girofle's. It is probable that the opera was put on to enable a famous baritone to appear in one of his favorite roles.
M. Lassalle is celebrated for his performance of Hamlet, and justly so. It may be that M. Faure, the creator of the part gave a more impassioned performance than M. Lassalle, but his work could not have been any more finished or intellegent. Lassalle's conception of Hamlet is as good as the operatic version will permit. He was in excellent voice last night and that is saying that he sang in a vigorous and sonorous manner. The Ophelia was Mme. Melba, who, it is needless to say, added very greatly to the general strength of the performance. Her splendid voice was heard again with great delight, and she achieved a triumph in the mad scene, which, it must be admitted, is more consistent than Donizetti's in "Lucia."
Another element of strength in the cast was M. Plancon, whose King Claudius was a dignified and dramatic performance. His noble voice and finished delivery were heartily and deservedly applauded. The other principal singers were Mlle. Domenech as Queen Gertrude, M. Maugiere as Laertes, Signor Viviani as the Ghost, Signor Cernusco as Horatio, and Signor Vaschetti as Polonius. Signor Bevignani conducted. The chorus cannot be said to have distinguished itself, but the orchestra played admirably.
Photographs of Nellie Melba as Ophélie by Reutlinger, Paris.

Review 1:

Review of W.J. Henderson:

Ambroise Thomas conceived Shakespeare's melancholy Dane in an exceedingly melancholy mood. The average American is not too familiar with "Hamlet" as a drama to take kindly to it in its operatic guise, and if he missed nothing else he would miss the familiar quotations which are at least recognizable. That adjective cannot be applied to the majority of M. Thomas's dramatic ideas. One fails to recognize them on a second meeting for the simple reason that they lack clear-cut outline. This remark does not apply to Hamlet's drinking song, which is even better than Girofle's. It is probable that the opera was put on to enable a famous baritone to appear in one of his favorite roles.

M. Lassalle is celebrated for his performance of Hamlet, and justly so. It may be that M. Faure, the creator of the part gave a more impassioned performance than M. Lassalle, but his work could not have been any more finished or intellegent. Lassalle's conception of Hamlet is as good as the operatic version will permit. He was in excellent voice last night and that is saying that he sang in a vigorous and sonorous manner. The Ophelia was Mme. Melba, who, it is needless to say, added very greatly to the general strength of the performance. Her splendid voice was heard again with great delight, and she achieved a triumph in the mad scene, which, it must be admitted, is more consistent than Donizetti's in "Lucia."

Another element of strength in the cast was M. Plancon, whose King Claudius was a dignified and dramatic performance. His noble voice and finished delivery were heartily and deservedly applauded. The other principal singers were Mlle. Domenech as Queen Gertrude, M. Maugiere as Laertes, Signor Viviani as the Ghost, Signor Cernusco as Horatio, and Signor Vaschetti as Polonius. Signor Bevignani conducted. The chorus cannot be said to have distinguished itself, but the orchestra played admirably.

Photographs of Nellie Melba as Ophélie by Reutlinger, Paris.



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