Metropolitan Opera Archives

William Gerard Hamilton, statesman, delivered his first speech on November 6, 1775, and his eloquence was such that he eclipsed every other orator except the great Pitt. Whether he physically exhausted himself in that one magnificent outburst no one knows, but he was never able to approach it again and people became so disgusted with his failure that, as De Quincy tells us, they would not speak to him.

A sad fate indeed was that of "Single Speech Hamilton." It was sadder than that of a single opera Montemezzi because, for the composer, people feel rather sorry. Last night at the Metropolitan they used his one great success, "L'Amore dei Tre Re," as a curtain raiser for Puccini's one act opera buffa "Gianni Schicchi," which probably is not a masterpiece. The hour for opera buffa has not yet struck anyhow. The casual operagoer (and most of them are casual in the way they take their opera) does not immerse his spirits in the champagne of a comedy of intrigue delivered to him in a tongue he does not comprehend. He impatiently waits for the grand aria or duo, which is not in the scheme, and goes away convinced that he has been cheated of his rights and incidentally of his cash.

With the tragic work, the "opera seria" he is far better satisfied, for it is easier to get a vague notion of the story and to catch the salient moods of the music. So, after all, the curtain raiser of last evening bore off the honors. The performance was in its essentials a replica of that which preceded it. Miss Bori and Mr. Johnson were the lovers and they are ideal representatives of the unhappy pair. Both were in good voice and their singing in the second act reached a high level of passionate expression. Mr. Tibbettt repeated his manly and grieved husband. Ezio Pinza, who has moved to a useful member of the company, was a good Archibaldo, and Mr. Serafin again conducted with discretion.

Puccini's merry little farce went with gusto. The one important change in the cast was made in the appearance of Elda Vettori as Lauretta. In which role she was pleading with Mr. De Luca who was delightfully humorous as Schicchi.

Search by season: 1926-27

Search by title: L'Amore dei Tre Re, Gianni Schicchi,

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