Metropolitan Opera Archives

Puccini's opera "The Girl of the Golden West" completed its round of subscription performances at the Metropolitan Opera House last evening. There was an added interest in this presentation of the work in the reentry of Edward Johnson, who had not been heard before in the course of the season, and who sang the role of Mr. Johnson of Sacramento for the first time here. It was not, however, the first time he had impersonated the redeemed outlaw. He had sung the part some years ago in Vienna when he was Edouardo Giovanni. His assumption of the character met with great favor last night.

He was in excellent voice and sang the music with abandon and a passionate utterance, which carried conviction with it from the beginning to the end. He looked well and indeed with his broad flapping chaps in the first scene more like Johnson than some of his predecessors. He made a romantic and winning figure of the hunted man and cooperated with Mme. Jeritza in some highly effective episodes. The soprano, who has modified some of her humorous stage business in the second act, was at her best and in this opera that is something of unusual merit. There was deep intensity in her card scene and more emotion than she is in the habit of displaying in most of her parts.

Mr. Tibbett as Rance has developed an impersonation of strength and subtlety. The outline which he gave at the first performance has filled out and now he is the brave, passionate, sinister Rance to the full. The opera as a whole has been well given in the Metropolitan revival, but at no previous time with quite such force and picturesqueness as last evening. The audience, which packed the theater, was very demonstrative.

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Search by title: La Fanciulla del West,

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