Metropolitan Opera Archives

Lohengrin received four performances this season.
Kautsky & Rottonara Brothers designed the set for Act I, Burghart & Co. the others.

Review 1:

Review in the Brooklyn Eagle:

Besides singing the title role for the first time this season, Mr. Urlus made his debut before a Brooklyn audience and was recognized as a singer of sturdy attainments. His Lohengrin is a truly Germanic hero, with more of manly humanity in it than is generally delineated. Mr. Urlus` voice is of good quality, body and resonance; he uses it with discretion and skill; his tones are more agreeably produced than is the custom of many German tenors, and there is an agreeably frank directness in his style of singing. He sang, last night with careful appreciation of the requirements of the music, although his impersonation did not emphasize the mystical, or ideal, side of the character so much as the heroically human.

Mme. Destinn made a favorable impression despite the fact that her success has generally been associated with dramatic parts, with which Elsa cannot be classed. In this role she has succeeded in getting away from the mannerisms in demeanor and gesture which have been a limitation and she gives to the character the gentle dignity it calls for. There were, however, tendencies to lapse into the dramatically commonplace. Her singing was admirably modulated to the needs of the role.

Mr. Griswold's sure, artistic intelligence and noble voice, once more were agreeably in evidence and his King was a figure of truly regal dignity. Mr. Beurs was an interesting and thoroughly competent Telramund, both in action and in bearing, but his voice is not suited for a forceful interpretation of the part.?A smooth-toned, pleasant voice it is, but it lacks the quality to make it dramatically potential in this role.?Miss Robeson was somewhat given to exaggeration in action apart from which her impersonation was effective. She sang very well. Mr. Hinshaw was a finely resonant Herald.

The chorus and trumpeters on the stage contributed with active intelligence to the realism of the different scenes. Those were splendid climaxes that M. Hertz developed in the first and second acts. Especially admirable and impressive was the unfolding of the last part of the second act, leading up to the entrance into 'the church. The organ was not in perfect tune with the orchestral instruments here, but this was not noticeable enough to seriously mar a glorious finale. The performance was an eloquent pronouncement of the characteristics of the opera.

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