Metropolitan Opera Archives

When Antonio Scotti sings Marcello the painter, in "La Bohème" you may be sure of a fine performance of the entire opera. He infuses life and pathos and likewise bonhomie into the whole opera, as well as into his own impersonation. Last night's performance was made of unusual excellence by his presence in the cast. New interest was also given the Mimi of Maria Mueller, who sang the music with much charm and gave a very realistic and often pathetic presentation. It is not often that the death scene in the last act is so well conceived and so convincingly portrayed as it was last night.

Miss Müller succeeded beyond expectation in making her robust and virile figure look wasted by the dread white scourge and filled one with sympathy and concern from the moment the anxious bohemians prepared the couch for her; and Rodopho, who was the ever ready substitute Tokatyan, instead of Lauri-Volpi as announced, made his part thrilling with solicitude for his sweetheart. The other bohemians, D'Angelo and Didur gave their roles just the right touch of verisimilitude and all sang well. Tokatyan's singing was delightfully resonant and pleasing and Colline's song of farewell to his beautiful old coat, which he pawns to get medicine for the dying Mimi, was imbued with convincing fervor and pathos. The Musetta of Louise Hunter, the young American from the South, was vivacious and tuneful and delightfully easy to look at.

"La Bohème" was preceded by "Petrushka," the Stravinsky burlesque and ballet. It was precisely like its former performances, brilliantly colorful and full of life and interest, and made doubly so by the beautiful dancing and miming of Rosina Galli, Adolph Bohm and Bonfiglio and the superb conducting of Serafin. The house was large and appreciative.

The Emergency Fund of the Opera benefited by the proceeds from a packed house in the afternoon. The audience was highly appreciative and with good reason, for Bori and Johnson were at their best in the second act of "Romeo and Juliet" which is saying a good deal; Larsen-Todsen, with her sister Valkyries, and Bohnen were great in the third act of "Die Walküre," Bourskaya, Martinelli, De Luca and others charmed in the second act of "Carmen," and Mario and Gordon and Errolle, Danise and Mardones gave the fourth act of "Rigoletto" to much enthusiasm.

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Search by title: Petrouchka, La Bohème,

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