[Met Performance] CID:42120



Tosca
Metropolitan Opera House, Wed, November 25, 1908




Tosca (53)
Giacomo Puccini | Luigi Illica/Giuseppe Giacosa
Tosca
Emma Eames

Cavaradossi
Enrico Caruso

Scarpia
Antonio Scotti

Sacristan
Concetto Paterna

Spoletta
Angelo Badà

Angelotti
Paolo Ananian

Sciarrone
Bernard Bégué

Shepherd
Maria Ranzow

Jailer
Edoardo Missiano


Conductor
Arturo Toscanini







Review 1:

Review of Sylvester Rawling in the Evening World

Toscanini the Star of "Tosca" at the Metropolitan Opera House

Leads the Orchestra in a Poignant Rendering of the Score - Chorus is Excellent

Toscanini was the star of Puccini's opera, "Tosca," which he conducted for the first time at the Metropolitan Opera House last night. He seemed to use the score merely as an opportunity to display the virtuosity of his leadership. He played upon the orchestra as if it were really a single instrument. His nuances were delightful, his crescendos were captivating, his climaxes were superb. The ending of the first act in the church with the cardinal's procession, Scarpia proclaiming, the worshipers rejoicing, the guns booming and the bells tolling - always effective - took on new significance. The effect was overwhelming.

The cast was the same as on Saturday afternoon. Eames, in the title part, was a beautiful picture, but Toscanini's rapid tempo in the second act seemed to disconcert her, and, it must be said the other principal singers were more or less swamped in the surge of the orchestra. Caruso, as Mario, and Scotti, as Scarpia, repeated their effective impersonations. The chorus at the end of the first act sang splendidly. Nothing so effective has been accomplished at this house for a long time. The audience was large and enthusiastic.



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