[Met Performance] CID:85860



Martha
Metropolitan Opera House, Mon, January 7, 1924


In Italian








Review 1:

Review signed P. J. N. in Musical America

The Third 'Martha'

A contest between the conductor and the audience was an unrehearsed feature of the performance of "Martha" on Jan. 7. Beniamino Gigli's singing of "M'appari" so excited the people that they wanted to hear it a second time, and would not be satisfied when the tenor returned again and again to the stage. At last, resolutely ignoring the storm of applause, Gennaro Papi raised his baton, the orchestra struck up the music for the next scene, and Frances Alda as Marta and Pompilio Malatesta as Sir Tristan walked on to sing it. But they could not be heard. After trying to sing in dumb show, they stopped and looked helplessly at each other while the audience, at what it supposed to be a sign of relenting, increased its clamor. Any illusion of the scene had long since been hopelessly destroyed, and at length Mr. Gigli came on again and bowed. Then the audience, perceiving that no encore would be given, allowed the opera to proceed.

It was after the performance of "Martha" on Dec. 27, when Mr. Gigli repeated "M'appari," that announcement was made that the no-encore rule would be rigidly enforced; and in this first test of the new resolution, opera-goers found that the management was inexorable. There were no changes in the cast for this latest performance, the other roles being assumed by Kathleen Howard, who was the Nancy, Giuseppe De Luca the Plunkett, Louis D'Angelo as the Sheriff, and Vincenzo Reschiglian as the Servant.



Search by season: 1923-24

Search by title: Martha,



Met careers