[Met Performance] CID:26570



Carmen
Metropolitan Opera House, Sat, March 30, 1901




Carmen (142)
Georges Bizet | Henri Meilhac/Ludovic Halévy
Carmen
Rosa Olitzka

Don José
Thomas Salignac

Micaela
Suzanne Adams

Escamillo
Antonio Scotti

Frasquita
Mathilde Bauermeister

Mercédès
Marie Van Cauteren

Remendado
Adolph Von Hübbenet

Dancaïre
Eugène Dufriche

Zuniga
Marcel Journet

Moralès
Jacques Bars


Conductor
Philippe Flon


Director
William Parry





Antonio Scotti repeated the Toreador Song
Carmen received one performance this season.

Review 1:

Review in the New York Times:

Miss Zelie de Lussan, who was heard as Carmen in the Fall in the English version of the opera, was to have sung the title role last night, but she was indisposed. Mr. Grau had before him the choice of a substitution or a change of opera, and he selected the former evil. Consequently, Miss Rosa Olitzka, who had sung the small role of the shepherd in the afternoon, appeared as Carmen in the evening. She was hoarse, and therefore it would be unjust to comment on her singing. She endeavored to atone for her vocal state with acting and abundant movement. Miss Suzanne Adams was the Micaela. Her lovely voice was heard to great advantage in the music, which she sang with faultless intonation and exquisite phrasing. She imparted more vivacity than usual to her acting, but she has not much histrionic skill and little temperament. Her Micaela, however, is her best impersonation, and its musical excellence makes it admirable.

Mr. Scotti was the Escamillo, and as he was in good voice he had the usual success with the Toreador song, which, of course, had to be repeated. Mr. Salignac was a suitable Don José. The Chorus was evidently in high spirits at the close of the season, and the orchestra, under Mr. Flon, did its work well.

Review 2:

Review in unidentified newspaper

YESTERDAY'S MUSIC

The Last of the Opera

"Tannhäuser" was sung at the matinee in the Metropolitan Opera House yesterday with Gadski, Van Dyck, Bertram, Olitzka, Susan Strong, Bars, Hübbenet, Muhlmann and Plançon. Walter Damrosch conducted. The audience was astonishingly large for the opera has been heard several times this season. There was much enthusiasm and the events of Friday night were repeated in miniature - flowers, recalls, smiling, bowing and cheering. Gadski, who sang exceedingly well, bore away with Van Dyck the honors, though Conductor Damrosch ran them a close third.

In the evening, after the chagrin caused by the news of Zelie de Lussan's illness had subsided, the voting in the lobbies stood in favor of Jacques Bars and Bauermeister as opposed to Salignac and Olitzka. "Carmen" was the opera presented, for the first and last time this season. But if the popular voice was for Bars and Bauermeister a cruel management announced Salignac and Olitzka. What this amiable pair of singers did with the respective roles of José and Carmen is now history and it were sheer folly to force from the muse a divulgement of her secrets. Suffice to say that despite his four months' residence here Salignac has not yet become acquainted with the normal pitch of the opera orchestra. Last night he was first sharp and again flat.

As for Rose Olitzka her Carmen is, as we know, a curious blending of Seville and Warsaw. Her dusky, personal beauty and dark, tragic, baritonal voice - these are qualities upon which it is needless to dwell at this late day. Her acting last night was underlined with bluest of dramatic pencils.

Suzanne Adams was a sweet Micaela singing her pretty music, the second air in particular, with beauty of tone. But the evening belonged to Scotti - that is when a fascinated audience would detach vision from Olitzka - for his Toreador was as picturesque, virile and captivating as ever. Of course, he had to repeat his famous song, singing its measures with ?ferocity. His was the triumph of the night, though Miss Adams was well handicapped in act three. Journet was an excellent Zuniga. The quintet did not sound nearly as well as it looked. Flon conducted, and the finale of Bizet the operatic season closed until April 29.



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