Metropolitan Opera Archives

The continued illness of Grete Stückgold, who was to have sung Sieglinde in last night's performance of "Die Walküre," caused a reapportionment of the roles. Mme. Easton, who had been cast as Brünnhilde, was drafted for the part of Siegmund's sister and bride; Mme. Matzenauer, who had been billed as Fricka, was asked to impersonate Brünnhilde, and Mme. Julia Claussen was called upon to sing Fricka. The masculine trio of principals was unaffected by transmigrations, and Mr. Laubenthal appeared as Siegmund, Mr. Mayr as Hunding and Mr. Friedrich Schorr, making his reentrty for the current season, as Wotan.

Mr. Schorr was again the lordly and dramatic All-Father familiar in past seasons to Metropolitan audiences - a god who knew how to sing. Mme. Matzenauer, unheard here as Brünnhilde for several years, had difficulty with the Wish Maiden's upper notes, but when the music lay more comfortably within her range, she sang with moving eloquence and beauty. Mme. Claussen was an indifferent Fricka. Mme. Easton and Mr. Laubetnthal sang the lovers as they have often sung them here before.

Mr. Bodanzky's conducting had its ups and downs. It was at its best - nobly touching and poetical - in the musical and dramatic climax of the score, in incomparable "Farewell."

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