Metropolitan Opera Archives

All the crowds and commotion downtown last night were not entirely inspired by the excessive excitements of the election. The annual inaugural of the Metropolitan Opera Company's season in the Academy proved the pivotal point for the throngs that brought a blaze of brilliance to Broad and Locust streets, such as is seen in the city at no other time of the year, or place, than at the opera {inaugural]. And on this occasion the actual offering vied vitally with the society exhibit to an unwonted degree, for the formidable footlight forces consisted of the triumphant trio of Jeritza, Martinelli and Scotti in the enduring, if artificial, sensations of "Tosca."

It was an operatic election that was assured from the outset. The full ticket of Jeritza, Martinelli and Scotti swept into victory by a landslide, the vociferous voters giving them a veritable ovation, as was only to be expected, for the identical combination in the identical work created the identical impression a little over a year ago at the second performance in the Metropolitan's previous season series, so last night simply found history repeating itself to the final inflection. Perhaps part of the enthusiasm of the audience was inspired by the circumstance that we were spared this year, the kind of inaugural that aroused resentment last season when a mediocre "Martha" was the offering.

About such familiar factors as the opera and its interpreters, there is virtually nothing to say at this day. Maria Jeritza, fresh from her summer abroad, seemed even more exuberant than ever in acting, and sang in her characteristic style, with much explosive force in dramatic scenes, and also considerable beauty as in the second act "Vissi d'arte," and the love duet, the former still marked by the original bit of business she injected into it four years ago. Giovanni Martinelli sang with a more mellow beauty than he has exhibited on some former occasions, and well merited the applause he got after both the "Racondita armonia" and E lucevan le stelle." As he is the Metropolitan's miracle man, time has laid no heavy hand, indeed, hardly a finger, upon his scheming and sinister Baron Scarpia, which still effaces any other before the public today and, vocally, also he need make no apologies to the part.

Of some news interest was the debut of Dorthea Flexner, a young mezzo-soprano of Allentown, Pa., who sang a minor role but had no opportunity to show what stage presence she possesses, but disclosed a voice of genuine beauty, excellently employed. Other roles were taken by Messrs. Bada, Malatesta, D'Angelo, Picco and Reschiglian. Tullio Serafin conducted with a fine sense of the dramatic depths of the score.

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