[Met Performance] CID:76920



La Bohème
Metropolitan Opera House, Fri, January 28, 1921




La Bohème (180)
Giacomo Puccini | Luigi Illica/Giuseppe Giacosa
Mimì
Lucrezia Bori

Rodolfo
Beniamino Gigli

Musetta
Anne Roselle

Marcello
Antonio Scotti

Schaunard
Millo Picco

Colline
Giovanni Martino

Benoit
Pompilio Malatesta

Alcindoro
Paolo Ananian

Parpignol
Pietro Audisio

Sergeant
Vincenzo Reschiglian


Conductor
Gennaro Papi







Review 1:

Review of Richard Aldrich in The New York Times

The performance of Puccini's "La Bohème" last evening at the Metropolitan Opera House was an occasion of exceptional interest to many people in the audience, because it brought back to the stage Miss Lucrezia Bori, after an absence of six years. These have been years of anxiety to her friends and admirers, of whom she gained many in her seasons in the Metropolitan Company, because the reason for her leaving it was the loss of her voice.

This was said to be due to an unskillful, or, at any rate, unsuccessful operation on her vocal chords. The restoration of it was a matter of uncertainty and of patient waiting. On her return to New York a few weeks ago she was reported to have regained fully her voice. The interest of last evening's performance, in which she took the part of Mimi, was to see whether the six years had accomplished what they were reported to have done.

It appeared that they had. Her entrance in the first act was greeted with a long continued and demonstrative welcome. Her singing of the music that follows disclosed apparently the old quality, the old power and volume, the old style. Now, Miss Bori's voice was never one of the great voices that have been heard on the stage of the Metropolitan. It was agreeable, expressive, admirably used-the vehicle of some really artistic singing; and it now once more has all these qualities, for which the esteem in which she was held before will be enhanced. Artistic singing is something to be highly valued and cherished at the Metropolitan Opera House today more than ever. But quite as valuable an element in Miss Bori's impersonations was-and is-the gracious and insinuating charm of her acting, the power of closely identifying herself with the character she represents; her mirth, gayety and vivacity, her pathetic and poetical intensity. Within her range, which is not, naturally, one of the widest, she was, and will unquestionably continue to be, one of the most delightful and artistic members of the company. The warmth of her welcome last evening showed very clearly that she had not been forgotten, and that unfaded memories were joined with glad anticipations.

The performance enlisted otherwise singers who have appeared before in "La Bohéme" this season. Mr. Scotti, the Marcello was easily the leader of the four Bohemians in accomplished Bohemianism-they were otherwise rather a dull lot. Yet Mr. Gigli sang much of the music artistically and in beautiful voice, mingled with some of the characteristic extravagances of the Italian tenors, which are discouraging to those of his admirers who do not shout "bravo" and who wish that he would always be as artistic as he can. But for such self-restraint as he did show he is entitled to much credit.



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