Metropolitan Opera Archives

Gertrude Kappel, the new dramatic soprano from Munich and Vienna, who made such an auspicious debut on Monday with her brilliant performance of Isolde, chalked up another success Friday evening through her memorable interpretation of Brünnhilde in Die Walküre.

Here, at last, after years of experimentation by the powers that be at the Metropolitan, was the high-spirited young goddess of Walhalla as Wagner conceived her, qualified by every test to rank with the great Brünnhildes of tradition. Once she had put the exactions and early nervousness of the introductory "Ho-Yo-To-Ho" behind her, Mme. Kappel sang gloriously, with tones pure and free, with a sensitive regard for the structure of Wagner's thrilling music, with singular expressive power. Her dramatization, moreover, was fit companion to her great singing. Gesture and facial aspect reflected mood and emotion with compelling sincerity. Mme. Kappel was paid the handsome compliment of spontaneous applause, which is not a frequent occurrence in the production of Wagnerian music-drama.

No less excellent, but more familiar, was the poignant Wotan of Friedrich Schorr. A characterization of rare artistic restraint, his performance combined unusual nobility with the tenderness and human quality inherent in the role. Vocally, Mr. Schorr remains superb as always.

Maria Müller, always easy to look at, was a lovely Sieglinde, thanks not only to her pulchritude, but also to her admirable work as a singing actress of high degree.

The versatile Michael Bohnen was an uncommonly savage Hunding in his highly impressive portrayal. Margaret Matzenauer as the contentious Fricka and Walter Kirchhoff as a most unhappy Siegmund rounded out this unusually competent cast. Mr. Bodanzky conducted an orchestra that occasionally lapsed from grace.

Search by season: 1927-28

Search by title: Die Walküre,

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