Metropolitan Opera Archives

The season's first presentation of Leoncavallo's "Zaza" with Geraldine Farrar, of course, in her vivid and daring picturization of the title role, Martinelli as Dufresne, and De Luca as Cascart, began the week at the Metropolitan. The production had its familiar realism to commend it, and its much-maligned music in several instances succeeded in distracting attention from the play. Mme. Farrar's singing, though guarded, disclosed again a newly-found freedom and smoothness. Mr. Martinelli, as a rather leonine hero, utilized his excellent endowments without stint. His air at the [start] of the third act brought him an ovation. Mr. De Luca's vocalism was suave, and his impersonation of Cascart had the ring of sincerity. Kathleen Howard was Zaza's bibulous mother, and the army of smaller figurants included Myrtle Schaaf, Minnie Egener, Cecil Arden, Millo Picco, Angelo Bada, Paolo Ananian, Pompilio Malatesta, Mario Laurenti, Louis D'Angelo, Giordano Paltrinieri, Pietro Audisio, Phyllis White and Veni Warwick. There was also the reliable little Miss Quintina, who seems well on the way to becoming a "diseuse," as Toto. Mr. Moranzoni conducted.

Search by season: 1921-22

Search by title: Zazà,

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