[Met Performance] CID:82570



Die Walküre
Metropolitan Opera House, Wed, December 27, 1922




Die Walküre (196)
Richard Wagner | Richard Wagner
Brünnhilde
Margarete Matzenauer

Siegmund
Curt Taucher

Sieglinde
Elisabeth Rethberg

Wotan
Clarence Whitehill

Fricka
Jeanne Gordon

Hunding
Paul Bender

Gerhilde
Marie Tiffany

Grimgerde
Marion Telva

Helmwige
Mary Mellish

Ortlinde
Laura Robertson

Rossweisse
Flora Perini

Schwertleite
Kathleen Howard

Siegrune
Raymonde Delaunois

Waltraute
Henriette Wakefield


Conductor
Artur Bodanzky







Review 1:

Review of W. J. Henderson in the Sun

Elisabeth Rethberg a New Sieglinde

Praiseworthy Portrayal at the Metropolitan Fitting Well into Performance of 'Die Walküre.'

"Die Walküre" was repeated at the Metropolitan Opera House last evening. It was the second performance of the work this season, and incidentally brought forward the second Sieglinde of Miss Elizabeth Rethberg. This valuable young soprano had been heard in two Italian roles of widely divergent types, Aida and Nedda. She had not previously appeared in a German part. Her Sieglinde had several important merits, namely youth, pleasing appearance, understanding, temperament, and a fresh and warm quality of tone. If all these had been revealed in great brilliance, hers would have been a great Sieglinde.

But Miss Rethberg fell a little short of realizing the figure of the daughter of the mysterious stranger who in the Norse legend drove the sword into the Branstock. The absence of the heroic element was doubtless not felt by most of the audience because the charm and sensibility of the impersonation absorbed the attention. Miss. Rethberg's voice is perhaps a trifle light for the grand Wagnerian roles, and it sounded a little tired just before the end of the act when she uttered the exultant cry of recognition of Siegmund. But her Sieglinde was very praiseworthy and fitted well into the general scheme of the performance.

Mr. Tauscher's Siegmund does not grow larger on acquaintance. It remains commendable because of its intelligence, its clear delivery of the text and its fervor. He was in good voice last evening and his impersonation went for its full value. Mme. Matzenauer's Brünnhilde is so familiar that it needs no comment. The same thing might be said of Mr. Whitehill's Wotan, but the sterling character of the barytone's delineation of the emotions of a worried one-eyed god calls for renewed praise. So, too, does the brutal and sinister Hunding of Mr. Bender, a valuable addition to the Wagnerian forces of the house.

There was a choir of vigorous Valkyrs, who would have been called forty years ago "the untuneful nine," But those days have fled, now that we are learning to love the latest French fashions in music. Mr. Bodanzky conducted last evening, and there was a typical Monday night audience.



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