[Met Performance] CID:82430



Carmen
Metropolitan Opera House, Sat, December 16, 1922




Carmen (278)
Georges Bizet | Henri Meilhac/Ludovic Halévy
Carmen
Florence Easton

Don José
Edward Johnson

Micaela
Queena Mario

Escamillo
Giuseppe De Luca

Frasquita
Charlotte Ryan

Mercédès
Marion Telva

Remendado
George Meader

Dancaïre
Paolo Ananian

Zuniga
Louis D'Angelo

Moralès
Vincenzo Reschiglian

Dance
Rosina Galli

Dance
Giuseppe Bonfiglio


Conductor
Louis Hasselmans







Review 1:

Review signed J. A. H. in musical America

A Popular 'Carmen'

"Carmen" was given at the popular Saturday night performance on Dec. 16, with Florence Easton again the Mérimée-Bizet heroine. It was a performance of high quality throughout and especial interest centered in the first appearance here of Edward Johnson as José. Mr. Johnson made the part a more or less naive one and built up his characterization with finesse. His struggle against the seductions of Carmen in the first act was admirable and the final scene he acted with a dignity not usually given it. It was whispered around the opera house that Mr. Johnson had never met either Miss Easton or Miss Mario until they appeared on the stage at this performance. If this is true, it may have accounted in a measure for the unusual spontaneity of the action all the evening. The tenor's singing was very beautiful at all times and after the "Flower Song" he was accorded an ovation which, however, he was artist enough not to acknowledge until the end of the act.

Miss Easton's Carmen exhibited all the features of carefully thought-out "business" and was dramatically consistent and vocally fine. Miss Mario sang her duet with Mr. Johnson and her aria in the third act with exquisite tone. She also has obvious gifts for characterization and her appearances in other roles will be awaited with interest. Mr. De Luca did all that can be done with Escamillo, which is to sing the part well. The remaining rôles were assumed by Charlotte Ryan, Marion Telva, Paolo Ananian, George Meader, Louis D'Angelo and Vincenzo Reschiglian. Louis Hasselmans conducted. A word should be said about the new stage business for which Mr. Wymetal is probably responsible. Mr. De Luca, in singing the second verse of his aria, stood on the table and the girls and men of the chorus sat around on the floor to listen, a simple but effective bit. In the smuggler scene the curtain rose on an empty stage and the chorus sang offstage, coming nearer and nearer and finally entering with their contraband goods. This is just the sort of thing the Metropolitan production has needed for some time and gratitude is in order that it has come!



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