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[Met Performance] CID:85760
Tosca
Metropolitan Opera House, Tue, January 1, 1924
Tosca (178)
Giacomo Puccini | Luigi Illica/Giuseppe Giacosa
Presentation by Otto H. Kahn and Murray Hulbert in celebration of the twenty-fifth anniversary of Antonio Scotti's debut with the Metropolitan Opera
Review 1:
From an unsigned Page One account in The New York Times ( Richard Aldrich?)
CITY PAYS TRIBUTE TO ANTONIO SCOTTI IN HIS 25TH SEASON
Baritone in Gala "Tosca" is Met by Stirring Ovation at the Metropolitan
IS SHOWERED WITH GIFTS
Jersey City Iceman Adds Gallery's Acclaim to Praise of City's Leaders
Star is Guest at Dinner
Receives Decoration From His Country at the Hands of the Italian Ambassador
Civic officials and social and artistic leaders in the life of New York joined with a host of citizens of this metropolis last night in celebrating the quarter-centennial season of Antonio Scotti's continuous service to his art and his public at the Metropolitan Opera House. The final curtain closed on a gala "Tosca" given with many more than the usual interruptions of applause, to reopen upon a stage ceremony rarely matched in the Metropolitan's four decades. There followed a dinner and dance at the Hotel Biltmore, where again speeches were made and toasts pledged.
Surrounded by 300 artists, musicians and staff members of the world's premier opera stage where for so many years he has been and still is a most active, popular and vital factor, as well as by the 490 boxholders of the Golden Horseshoe and by 4,000 more enthusiasts from pit to dome of the Metropolitan Opera House, Mr. Scotti received a New Year's greeting unparalleled in living memory of local or foreign operatic annals.
The baritone sang in a $20,000 performance of "Tosca" supported by Mme. Jeritza, thirteenth of the famous women stars with whom he has in his time sung most of the 126 performances of Puccini's Roman tragedy on one stage. For the first time, too, the dearest at operatic villains did a double-turn Jekyll and Hyde specialty, appearing not only In his best-known role, as the Baron Scarpia, but also in his least known- as Scotti as himself.
Showered With Gifts
Acting Mayor Hulbert at the evening's close brought the occasion to a climax with the ceremonial presentation of the municipal flag. Chairman Otto H. Kahn of the Opera Board spoke a personal tribute to the singer, before presenting the gifts. Among these were a silver loving cup of large size from the Metropolitan Opera Company directors; an illuminated set of resolutions from the Metropolitan Opera & Real Estate Company, owners of the theatre: a green-gold medal from the management, a gold cup from fellow-artists and gold cigarette and match cases from the Opera Club.
Henry W. Taft, who read the letter of the Opera Club, was also speaker on behalf of the wider public of musle-loving citizens, from whom came also a huge silver cup purchased by popular subscription. A further spokesman for those other art-lovers of the upper galleries, the "gods" of many a singer's fate in the theatre world, there appeared Thomas McDermott, a Jersey City iceman, who during Scotti's quarter-century has been present at every Scotti performance in the last ten years. His constant attendance came to be counted and his enthusiasm noted so that his name occurred at once when the man was sought who could speak the tribute of the gallery gods. Mr. McDermott said, "I have a great pleasure and privilege in standing on the stage with the greatest artists in the world . I have been coming here twenty-seven years and think I have heard Mr. Scotti in every performance he has given." A high arm gesture to the family circle gallery called others there to witness, while the speaker bowed out and the house rang with the quick applause and laughter of general enjoyment.
There was another shout when Acting Mayor Hulbert, congratulating Scotti on the twenty-five years leading up to this occasion said, "Indeed, I have been the same length of time getting here myself."
Mr. Hulbert praised the Metropolitan and its Directors for "making this city the music center it is," and he hoped for the remainder of Mayor Hylan's Administration that the city might do more to make New York City an artistic community.
"May I not add," he continued, "the wishes of all here present that for years and years to come Mr. Scotti will continue to provide delectation for the citizens of New York, whose flag I now present to him."
"If-and when-you shall have retired to private life,' turning to Scotti, "this flag will remind you of the place you hold in the hearts of the public of this city."
Mr. Scotti, solidly backed up by Ruffo, DeLuca and all the baritones in front line, made his answer brief. He said:
'My dear colleagues, my friends, you know my English. I must say thanks for this tribute, the best, most wonderful moment of my life. I thank you from the bottom of my heart. God bless you all, what you did for me."
Scotti's reply, broken by strong emotion, brought an end only temporarily to the gala night when the opera orchestra played Italy's "Marcia Real." Hundreds of the guests proceeded, as did the occasion's hero, to the supper and dance in his honor, given by the Italy-American Society at 11:20 o'clock at the Biltmore Hotel. There again Mr. Kahn introduced by President Paul D. Cravath, spoke on operatic history as made here during Scotti's time. To the long backward look was added a longer look forward, as Mr. Kahn outlined the duties of the Metropolitan semi-public institution, and the rights of poorer opera-goers, to be considered, he hoped and believed, in the building of a "new and greater Metropolitan Opera House."
(The account, at great length, details the Italian ambassador bringing to Scotti an order bestowed by King Vittorio Emanuele and Premiere Mussolini, speeches by Walter Damrosch and W. J. Henderson, and song contributions of Lucrezia Bori and Rosa Ponselle. The dinner dance went on to the wee hours of the morning. Mrs. Enrico Caruso, Alma Gluck and John McCormack sat in boxes at the "Tosca" performance. There were telegrams from Jean de Reszke, Arthur Mapleson, and Emma Calvé).
Search by season: 1923-24
Search by title: Tosca,
Met careers
Tosca
Metropolitan Opera House, Tue, January 1, 1924
Tosca (178)
Giacomo Puccini | Luigi Illica/Giuseppe Giacosa
- Tosca
- Maria Jeritza
- Cavaradossi
- Miguel Fleta
- Scarpia
- Antonio Scotti
- Sacristan
- Pompilio Malatesta
- Spoletta
- Giordano Paltrinieri
- Angelotti
- Paolo Ananian
- Sciarrone
- Vincenzo Reschiglian
- Shepherd
- Cecil Arden
- Jailer
- Millo Picco
- Conductor
- Roberto Moranzoni
Presentation by Otto H. Kahn and Murray Hulbert in celebration of the twenty-fifth anniversary of Antonio Scotti's debut with the Metropolitan Opera
Review 1:
From an unsigned Page One account in The New York Times ( Richard Aldrich?)
CITY PAYS TRIBUTE TO ANTONIO SCOTTI IN HIS 25TH SEASON
Baritone in Gala "Tosca" is Met by Stirring Ovation at the Metropolitan
IS SHOWERED WITH GIFTS
Jersey City Iceman Adds Gallery's Acclaim to Praise of City's Leaders
Star is Guest at Dinner
Receives Decoration From His Country at the Hands of the Italian Ambassador
Civic officials and social and artistic leaders in the life of New York joined with a host of citizens of this metropolis last night in celebrating the quarter-centennial season of Antonio Scotti's continuous service to his art and his public at the Metropolitan Opera House. The final curtain closed on a gala "Tosca" given with many more than the usual interruptions of applause, to reopen upon a stage ceremony rarely matched in the Metropolitan's four decades. There followed a dinner and dance at the Hotel Biltmore, where again speeches were made and toasts pledged.
Surrounded by 300 artists, musicians and staff members of the world's premier opera stage where for so many years he has been and still is a most active, popular and vital factor, as well as by the 490 boxholders of the Golden Horseshoe and by 4,000 more enthusiasts from pit to dome of the Metropolitan Opera House, Mr. Scotti received a New Year's greeting unparalleled in living memory of local or foreign operatic annals.
The baritone sang in a $20,000 performance of "Tosca" supported by Mme. Jeritza, thirteenth of the famous women stars with whom he has in his time sung most of the 126 performances of Puccini's Roman tragedy on one stage. For the first time, too, the dearest at operatic villains did a double-turn Jekyll and Hyde specialty, appearing not only In his best-known role, as the Baron Scarpia, but also in his least known- as Scotti as himself.
Showered With Gifts
Acting Mayor Hulbert at the evening's close brought the occasion to a climax with the ceremonial presentation of the municipal flag. Chairman Otto H. Kahn of the Opera Board spoke a personal tribute to the singer, before presenting the gifts. Among these were a silver loving cup of large size from the Metropolitan Opera Company directors; an illuminated set of resolutions from the Metropolitan Opera & Real Estate Company, owners of the theatre: a green-gold medal from the management, a gold cup from fellow-artists and gold cigarette and match cases from the Opera Club.
Henry W. Taft, who read the letter of the Opera Club, was also speaker on behalf of the wider public of musle-loving citizens, from whom came also a huge silver cup purchased by popular subscription. A further spokesman for those other art-lovers of the upper galleries, the "gods" of many a singer's fate in the theatre world, there appeared Thomas McDermott, a Jersey City iceman, who during Scotti's quarter-century has been present at every Scotti performance in the last ten years. His constant attendance came to be counted and his enthusiasm noted so that his name occurred at once when the man was sought who could speak the tribute of the gallery gods. Mr. McDermott said, "I have a great pleasure and privilege in standing on the stage with the greatest artists in the world . I have been coming here twenty-seven years and think I have heard Mr. Scotti in every performance he has given." A high arm gesture to the family circle gallery called others there to witness, while the speaker bowed out and the house rang with the quick applause and laughter of general enjoyment.
There was another shout when Acting Mayor Hulbert, congratulating Scotti on the twenty-five years leading up to this occasion said, "Indeed, I have been the same length of time getting here myself."
Mr. Hulbert praised the Metropolitan and its Directors for "making this city the music center it is," and he hoped for the remainder of Mayor Hylan's Administration that the city might do more to make New York City an artistic community.
"May I not add," he continued, "the wishes of all here present that for years and years to come Mr. Scotti will continue to provide delectation for the citizens of New York, whose flag I now present to him."
"If-and when-you shall have retired to private life,' turning to Scotti, "this flag will remind you of the place you hold in the hearts of the public of this city."
Mr. Scotti, solidly backed up by Ruffo, DeLuca and all the baritones in front line, made his answer brief. He said:
'My dear colleagues, my friends, you know my English. I must say thanks for this tribute, the best, most wonderful moment of my life. I thank you from the bottom of my heart. God bless you all, what you did for me."
Scotti's reply, broken by strong emotion, brought an end only temporarily to the gala night when the opera orchestra played Italy's "Marcia Real." Hundreds of the guests proceeded, as did the occasion's hero, to the supper and dance in his honor, given by the Italy-American Society at 11:20 o'clock at the Biltmore Hotel. There again Mr. Kahn introduced by President Paul D. Cravath, spoke on operatic history as made here during Scotti's time. To the long backward look was added a longer look forward, as Mr. Kahn outlined the duties of the Metropolitan semi-public institution, and the rights of poorer opera-goers, to be considered, he hoped and believed, in the building of a "new and greater Metropolitan Opera House."
(The account, at great length, details the Italian ambassador bringing to Scotti an order bestowed by King Vittorio Emanuele and Premiere Mussolini, speeches by Walter Damrosch and W. J. Henderson, and song contributions of Lucrezia Bori and Rosa Ponselle. The dinner dance went on to the wee hours of the morning. Mrs. Enrico Caruso, Alma Gluck and John McCormack sat in boxes at the "Tosca" performance. There were telegrams from Jean de Reszke, Arthur Mapleson, and Emma Calvé).
Search by season: 1923-24
Search by title: Tosca,
Met careers