[Met Performance] CID:15140



Faust
Metropolitan Opera House, Sat, April 27, 1895 Matinee





Faust (88)
Charles Gounod | Jules Barbier/Michel Carré
Faust
Jean de Reszke

Marguerite
Nellie Melba

Méphistophélès
Edouard de Reszke

Valentin
Maurizio Bensaude

Siebel
Sofia Scalchi

Marthe
Mathilde Bauermeister

Wagner
Antonio De Vaschetti


Conductor
Anton Seidl





At the conclusion of the performance and after numerous curtain calls, Jean de Reszke, Nellie Melba, and Edouard de Reszke sang the trio from "Robert le Diable" without accompaniment as an encore.

Review 1:

Review in The New York Times

The matinée at the Metropolitan Opera House yesterday afternoon was not the last performance of the season, but it was the last matinée, and the audience made an event of it. The opera was "Faust." And as soon as the curtain went down on the trio of the last act, the mass of enthusiasts surged toward the stage and settled down to the business of calling out the Messrs.. De Reszke and Mme. Melba. Again and again the tired but smiling artists went to the footlights, and still the cheers and applause continued. On the tenth recall the three artists, to the intense delight of their admirers, sang without accompaniment the trio from "Robert le Diable." Seven more recalls followed, and flowers rained on the stage Mme. Melba picked up the flowers and pelted the audience with them. Finally she leaned forward and shook hands with the woman nearest the stage. Of course, her associates had to do the same thing. At length the lights were turned off and the ushers gently but firmly induced the audience to depart. As Alfred Jingle remarked, when he rushed in and out of the wine shop and wrote the poem, it was "a glorious time."

The performance itself did not merit so large an amount of enthusiasm, though it drew an audience that packed the house. The artistic hero of the occasion was M. Edouard de Reszke, who, being in good voice and having the best part in the opera, was facile princeps. M. Edouard [Jean] de Reszke sang with his customary sentiment and elegance, but it was evident he needed a rest. Mme. Melba was altogether out of condition, and was frequently off the pitch. Signor Bensaude was the Valentine, and Mme. Scalchi the Siebel, Signor Mancinelli and Bevignani having sailed for England, where the season opens in about two weeks, Anton Seidl conducted yesterday afternoon.



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