Metropolitan Opera Archives

Lauritz Melchior, the Danish tenor, who has been too infrequently heard here in opera since he had his New York debut last season, appeared at the Metropolitan last evening as Siegmund in "Die Walküre," the part in which he made so marked an impression at Bayreuth. Mr. Melchior offered a carefully elaborated and often moving performance last night, especially in the first act narrative. But he gave Mr. Bodanzky, the conductor, some anxious moments by reason of the slowness with which, after the Bayreuth tradition, he sang certain phrases in the love scene.

Mr. Bodanzky had other troubles last night. His brass went back on him in the Prelude to the first act; his woodwinds played badly out of tune at the beginning of Brünnhilde's Supplication in the great final scene with Wotan, and Mr. Bohnen, who sang the all-Father, indulged in some curious and perturbing distortions of Wagner's melodic and rhythmic patterns. Mme. Larsen-Todsen, as Brünnhilde, Miss Müller as Sieglinde, Miss Branzell as Fricka and Mr. Ludikar as Hunding comported themselves as usual.

Search by season: 1926-27

Search by title: Die Walküre,

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