[Met Performance] CID:95430



Lohengrin
Metropolitan Opera House, Wed, February 16, 1927 Matinee










Review 1:

Review signed M. W. in the New York Tribune

Jeritza's Farewell Of Season Is Vivid Elsa in 'Lohengrin'

Metropolitan Matinee Offers Wagnerian Cycle [Start]

Yesterday's operas at the Metropolitan belonged in the category of the old and battle scarred, but to each was brought on this occasion an element of interest which made them worthy of some detailed remark.

The afternoon's "Lohengrin" marked the [beginning] of Mr. Gatti's current Wagnerian Cycle in an auspiciously crowded auditorium and also served to subtract from the remaining weeks of the season the glamorous presence of Maria Jeritza. Excellent and gifted artists remain, but no one singer in the organization so combines vitality of voice and art with that peculiar quality of theatrical magnetism which fills the stage with color and light. Yesterday Jeritza was in fine voice and seemed determined to invest the inadequacies of Elsa's character with some of her own vivid and positive personality.

Karin Branzell was equally vigorous as Ortrud, and the two prima donnas flourished their cloaks in a whirl of indignant color which gave to the stilted scene of Act II a certain authentic excitement.

Friedrich Schorr enriched the machinations of Telramund with his best singing and, while it cannot be said that Mr. Bohnen's heart was very deeply concerned with the reactions of King Henry, he was only sparing of his emotions, not of his dignity nor his voice. Cehanovsky sang a somewhat tentative Herald, and Mr. Laubenthal was, as ever, a personable Lohengrin. Mr. Bodanzky conducted with some expenditure of the magic he is storing up for the imminent devotional labors of the "Ring."

At the conclusion of the performance, as was to be expected, there was a round dozen recalls for the departing prima donna and a gracious exchange of greetings over the footlights when a large group of enthusiasts pressed close to the orchestra rim for a last glimpse of their favorite until next season.



Search by season: 1926-27

Search by title: Lohengrin,



Met careers