[Met Performance] CID:49280



Faust
Metropolitan Opera House, Sat, December 10, 1910 Matinee


Debut : Léon Rothier




Faust (278)
Charles Gounod | Jules Barbier/Michel Carré
Faust
Hermann Jadlowker

Marguerite
Geraldine Farrar

Méphistophélès
Léon Rothier [Debut]

Valentin
Dinh Gilly

Siebel
Rita Fornia

Marthe
Marie Mattfeld

Wagner
Bernard Bégué


Conductor
Vittorio Podesti


Director
Jules Speck

Set Designer
Kautsky & Rottonara Brothers

Costume Designer
Blaschke & Cie







Review 1:

Review of Algernon St. John Brenon in the Telegraph

"FAUST' AGAIN AT METROPOLITAN

Cast in Old Opera is Respectable, if Not Sensational, and Rothier of Paris Makes Debut

M. GILLY PLEASES AT LEAST

Gounod's travesty of the first part of Goethe's "Faust" was seen last night at the Metropolitan Opera House. Like the Iliad of Homer the reputation of this opera is assured. No one criticizes it any longer. It is accepted like the worst novels of Sir Walter Scott. The numbers that were most popular on the occasion of its production some half century ago in Paris still remain the most popular ones.

The cast proffered last night was respectable, if not sensational. That which has happened to Miss Geraldine Farrar's voice is difficult to describe. It seems as if at times it had become the voice of a woman much older that Miss Farrar. For psychological reasons the high notes of the soprano voice are always the last to go.

The highest notes of Miss Farrar's voice are still resonant, musical and eloquent. Her medium voice is frayed, threadbare, open to painful effort to be eloquent and vigorous, while her lower voice, at least in this part, bears a strong resemblance to the snakes in Ireland. Her acting, as always was the acting of an artist of supreme and eager intelligence, original in device and design, accurate and projected in idea and presentment.

The debutante of the performance was M. Rothier of Paris, who sang Mephistopheles. His voice was ensepnichred in his throat, and his costume and acting were conventional. It need hardly be said that the age of the scarlet Mephistopheles is over, just as the age of Gounod's "Faust" is over. Mr. Herman Jadlowker as Faust passed the dead centre of mediocrity, and Miss Rita Fornia as Siebel demonstrated once again her vivacious understanding, her excellent school of singing.

The honors of the performance fell to M. Dinh Gilly as Valentin. The youthful musicality of his splendid voice, the rare clearness of his enunciation of his transparent elocution, gave a touch of veritable inspiration to a performance that was not exactly alive with "sacred fire." M. Vittorio Podesti conducted, straight-forwardly enough.

Faust received five performances this season.



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