Metropolitan Opera Archives

Two operas heard on several occasions this season, but not as a double bill offering were presented in the Metropolitan Opera House last night before a large and brilliant assemblage. They were "Hansel und Gretel," which opened the entertainment of the evening and "Cavalleria Rusticana," which brought forward Enrico Caruso in a role which he has impersonated rarely since the days of Conried.

Probably the management had relied largely of the great Italian tenor for the attraction the duplicate entertainment evidently exerted on the public last night, although the presence of so potent a 'star' as Johanna Gadski in the cast of Mascagni's opera was an item not to be overlooked. But Caruso's reappearance as Turiddu did not represent the only unusual feature of the evening. Giulio Gatti-Casazza's Monday subscribers who, if memory serves, have not heard the operatic version of Grimm's fairy tale in recent years, were privileged to welcome back Louise Homer in a character she dropped from her repertory recently, though it was she who created in the Metropolitan Opera House not only the sorceress of "Hansel und Gretel," but the witch of "Konigskinder."

Except for Mme. Homer, the cast of Humperdink's opera was the familiar one, including as it did Marie Mattfeld and Bella Alten in the title roles, Lila Robeson as the mother, Otto Goritz as the father, Stella de Mette as the Sandman, and Anna Case as the Dew Fairy. With Giulio Gatti-Casazza's two American contraltos singing in the same work the performance under the direction of Otto Hertz, proved to be an exceptionally good one. Mme. Homer entered into the humor of her role with spirit and zest; Miss Robeson gave a vivid portrayal of Gertrude; Bella Alten was as charming a Gretel as ever, and Otto Goritz repeated a characteristically funny impersonation of Peter.

Under the vigorous baton Giorgio Polacco, "Cavalleria Rusticana" also received an eloquent performance. Caruso infused into the role of Turiddu a dramatic intensity that it lacks in the hands of other tenors. Mme. Gadski metamorphosed into a Sicilian woman of tawny complexion and raven locks, sang Santuzza with great plentitude of tone. Maria Duchene as Lola, Dinh Gilly as Alfio and Jeanne Maubourg as Lucia were the other singers of the evening.

Search by season: 1912-13

Search by title: Hänsel und Gretel, Cavalleria Rusticana,

Met careers