Metropolitan Opera Archives

At the Metropolitan Opera House last night Richard Wagner's Die Walkure, which is one of the most familiar in the Ring Cycle because of its frequent repetition, was given with somewhat unusual circumstances. In this instance a 'guest performance' of the role of Sieglinde was given by Miss Maude Fay, a dramatic soprano, who was born in California and has achieved distinction in grand opera in Munich. She is a striking embodiment of the character from the pictorial standpoint. Tall and handsome, she fills the stage with her presence. She is, moreover, a very intelligent actress.

Her work as a singer cannot be praised unreservedly. Her upper tones are clear and true, but her middle register lacks power and color. She has the rare art of conveying the meaning of every word across the footlights and supplementing the words with illuminative pantomime.

For the rest, the performance was a familiar one. Artur Bodansky conducted admirably and the cast included Johannes Sembach as an effective Siegmund, Basil Ruysdael as Hunding, Carl Braun as a noble presentment of Wotan, Mme. Gadski as Brunnhilde, Mme. Homer as Fricka and a group of younger singers as Die Walkure.

Search by season: 1915-16

Search by title: Die Walküre,

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