Metropolitan Opera Archives

Translation by Henry E. Krehbiel, musical editor of the New York Tribune.
Parsifal received four performances this season.

Review 1:

Review of Oscar Thompson in Musical America

The First 'Parsifal'

Coming, as it did, between the newly revived "Ernani" of Thursday evening and the colossally accelerated "Boris Godounoff" of Friday night, when Feodor Chaliapin made operatic history, the Friday matinee of "Parsifal" - the first representation this season of Wagner's "consecrational festival play" - apparently received a minimum of advance attention. The orchestra played effectively under Mr. Bodanzky and the chorus sang sonorously, but not uniformly so. Sembach, as the guileless one, was in poor voice. Mme. Matzenauer's embodiment of the thrice-transformed Kundry had its familiar dramatic merits, but the role remained, as it always has been, too high for her. Gustafson was more successful with the music of Gurnemanz than he was with the character. Ananian's voice never has been of the proper timbre and weight for Titurel. Of all the principals, only Clarence Whitehill, an Amfortas scarcely to be surpassed even when hoarseness handicaps his vocal powers, bore high the torch of Wagner, though Didur's Klingsor was effective within limitations. Nor was the management of the lighting and some details of stage business altogether up to the Metropolitan's usual high standards. Some changes in the cast are to be noted. George Meader appeared for the first time as one of the esquires. Marion Telva sang in place of Jeanne Gordon and Myrtle Schaaf was another newcomer.

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