Metropolitan Opera Archives

In "Parsifal" at the Metropolitan Opera House last evening the performance of the Good Friday scene attained a height of solemn beauty rarely achieved anywhere.

Mr. List as the aged Gurnemanz sang with a fineness of art, and an exaltation of spirit that went far to establish the mood of the scene, and the dignity and tenderness of Mr. Melchior as Parsifal in both action and song could not be commended too warmly.

As the repentant Kundry, with only four notes to sing in an entire act, Mme. Flagstad was more impressive dramatically than she had been in the earlier scenes and she looked as though she had stepped from some great Italian religious painting of the Renaissance.

Orchestra Does Well

The orchestra, too, did surprisingly well, even for ears that had recently listened to much of the Good Friday music played by the Philharmonic Symphony under direction of Toscanini and the Philadelphia Orchestra under the direction of Mr. Stokowski.

Mr. Bodanzky evidently put forth his best powers in his conducting of this scene.

In other parts of the opera we found Mr. Melchior and Mr. List, singing admirably and Mr. Schorr an eloquent Amfortas.

Vocally Mme. Flagstad was uneven, though her delivery was always musicianly, carefully considered and skillful. Indeed, her voice sounded somewhat tired and shrill until the final pages of Act II when the many high notes rang out in strength and splendor.

Klingsor a Caricature

Klingsor as presented by Arnold Gabor was a preposterous caricature, and it would be hard to decide whether the Flower Maidens were more trying to the eyes or to the ears. Fortunately the temple scenes were done with the customary impressiveness.

The audience taxed the capacity of the vast theater. The performance was given for the benefit of the New York City Visiting Committee and the Hospital Music Committee of the State Charities Aid Association.

Search by season: 1935-36

Search by title: Parsifal,

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