Metropolitan Opera Archives

Gertrude Kappel had another opportunity last night to demonstrate the measurable superiority of her "Walküre" Wish Maiden to her avenging and atoning Brünnhilde of the "Götterdämmerung" stage. One is seldom more conscious of the magnitude of Wagner's demands on the scenic and emotional versatility of his interpreters than when a single artist endeavors to incorporate the daughter of Wotan in the full extent of her threefold aspect (barring, of course, the rare singing actress of gifts commensurate to the task).

Mme. Kappel does not boast this range of versatility. She cannot transcend her limitations of mold and temperament in a manner or a degree to embody the touching pertubation of the early goddess and the epic wrath and majestic exaltation of the goddess grown woman with equal plausibility and effect.

The beholder was struck anew yesterday with the beautiful sensitiveness of the soprano's Valkyr, with the logic of its composition, with its apt and unfaltering design. In its plasticity and grace her performance rewards the eye no less than it compensates the imagination. Mme. Kappel captures the essential Brünnhilde of this drama just as decisively as she misses the rapture, the storm and tragic purgation of the divine twilight. Her battle cry gave her last night much of the same trouble as before, but otherwise there was much to delight in her singing.

The representation brought forward the season's third Sieglinde, this time Florence Easton. The performance is an acquaintance of long and honorable standing, and it was distinguished last night, as usual, by Mme. Easton's unfailing intelligence and sound musicianship. It realizes Wagner's intentions in may respects more happily than various other Sieglindes of sturdier frame and greater extravagance, even if the music sometimes taxes her low range.

Mme. Branzell repeated her familiar Fricka and Mr. Schorr, his admired Wotan. Mr. Kirchhoff, slated for Siegmund, fell an eleventh hour victim to the scourge of indisposition and the melancholy son of Wälse passed into the keeping of Mr. Laubenthal. Greater misfortunes than this substitution can be imagined though Mr. Laubenthal did some conscionable shouting.

As the caveman Hunding, Mr. Gustafson, supplanting the truculent Mr. Bohnen, was the real thing in the way of a domesticated, milk-fed barbarian.

Search by season: 1927-28

Search by title: Die Walküre,

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