[Met Performance] CID:112350



Don Giovanni
Metropolitan Opera House, Sat, December 17, 1932 Matinee Broadcast





Don Giovanni (86)
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | Lorenzo Da Ponte
Don Giovanni
Ezio Pinza

Donna Anna
Rosa Ponselle

Don Ottavio
Tito Schipa

Donna Elvira
Maria Müller

Leporello
Tancredi Pasero

Zerlina
Editha Fleischer

Masetto
Pompilio Malatesta

Commendatore
Léon Rothier


Conductor
Tullio Serafin


Director
Hanns Niedecken-Gebhard

Designer
Joseph Urban

Choreographer
Rosina Galli





Photograph of Tito Schipa as Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni.

Review 1:

Review of Jerome D. Bohm in the New York Herald Tribune

'Don Giovanni' Back on Stage at Metropolitan

Schipa, Pasero and Malatesta Take Roles in Opera Here for First Time

With three important changes in cast since its previous presentation here, Mozart's "Don Giovanni" returned to the stage of the Metropolitan Opera House yesterday afternoon. The title part was again impersonated by Ezio Pinza and the three feminine figures, Donna Anna, Donna Elvira and Zerlina, were, as heretofore, Mmes. Ponselle, Müller and Fleischer, respectively. New in their parts were Mr. Schipa as Don Ottavio, Mr. Pasero, as Leporello, and Mr. Malatesta, as Masseto. The Commendatore was, again, Mr. Rothier.

It is difficult to realize when listening to Mozart's imperishable melodies, that "Don Giovanni" has reached the operatic age of 145 years. The gift for dramatic characterization with simplest of means seems no less remarkable today, despite the growth in instrumentation. The pathos, tragedy, tenderness and humor welded with patrician taste will, in all likelihood, still be heard when atonality has gone to its place of rest in the music dictionaries.

Of the singers concerned in yesterday's presentation, Miss Fleischer must once more be given first place for mastery of the Mozartean style allied to warm-textured. flowing delivery of the music, as well as for her thorough comprehension of Zerlina's characteristics. Miss Ponselle seemed somewhat ill at ease; the formal restraint imposed by Donna Anna's music and behavior becomes her less than more turbulent parts. Then, too, her voice, lovely as ever in piano, had not the roundness in forte in the upper range one would have wished to hear and there was some slurring noticeable in bravura passages. Mme. Müller, on the other hand, sang her music with all the abandon of an "Aida"; fluency and cleanness of line was there concomitant with a somewhat shrill quality of tone.

Mr. Pinza's Don remains a richly voiced delineation, but wanting in some of the essentials of the part, histrionically. When he mimed his servant Leporello, he was convincing; but as the aristocratic seducer, he was, fine figure and handsome features notwithstanding, not credible. Mr. Pasero sang well as Leporello, without being much more than conventionally effective dramatically. The Masseto of Mr. Malatesta was in the same vein of entertaining clowning as that of his predecessor in the part, Mr. D'Angelo. Mr. Rothier lent distinction to the lines of the Commendatore. After a somewhat tame reading of the overture, Mr. Serafin infused the remainder of the score with vitality and no little finesse. The audience was one of the largest of the season and liberal in its applause.



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