Metropolitan Opera Archives

Bellini's "La Sonnambula," which was given for the first time this season yesterday afternoon by the forces of the Metropolitan Opera House at the New Theatre, is undoubtedly of the right operatic dimensions for that playhouse. It also gives opportunity for the florid art of such singers as Mme. Hidalgo and Mr. Bonci to be heard at its best advantage. When it is performed at the Metropolitan, as it was five seasons ago, there were well-grounded complaints that the house is too large for the opera. So what more natural than that it would be briefly rescued from the oblivion into which it persists in falling as a piece for the repertory of The New Theatre?

It can scarcely be believed that "La Sonnambula" makes any very urgent appeal to any considerable portion of the musical public of today. Its recent record in the New York opera houses seems to declare that fact. It was given three times last season at the Manhattan on behalf of Mme. Tetrazzini, and its renewal at the Metropolitan five seasons ago, as a similar service for Mme. Sembrich's art, resulted in no more than two performances. It is indeed one of the most faded of the works of the Italian list. It falls very gently on ears attuned to the musical and dramatic pungencies or the newer Italian school. It flows serenely and mellifluously - mostly in thirds and sixths - without seriously ruffling the emotional surface and without violating and of the suave conventionalities of its kind.

Mr. Bonci, who was the Elvino, did most of the good singing that was heard in yesterday's performance. It is the kind of music in which his finished art is at its best, the kind for which the quality of his voice is best fitted. Mr. Segurola also sang well, and presented an impressively aristocratic appearance as Count Rodolfo. Of the Amina of Mme. Hidalgo too much was not to be expected after the disclosures she had previously made of her voice and skill. Some of her singing was of agreeable fluency and even brilliancy, but there was a good deal of shrillness and brittle quality some of her higher tones.

The performance was not notable for its animation, especially in the singing and stage demeanor of the chorus, and there was ground for some suspicion that Mr. Podesti had not had opportunity for thorough drill of either chorus or orchestra. The audience was large, but was its size determined by the attractiveness of "La Sonnambula," or of the Russian dancers, Mme. Pavlova and Mr. Mordkin, who appeared with the ballet in the first act of "Coppelia" after the opera?

Search by season: 1909-10

Search by title: La Sonnambula, Coppélia,

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