Metropolitan Opera Archives

Cavalleria Rusticana received three performances this season.
Pagliacci received two performances this season.

Review 1:

Francis D. Perkins in the Herald Tribune

Another capacity audience heard the season's first performances of Mascagni's "Cavlleria Rusticana" and Leoncavallo's "Pagliacci" in the evening, with a new Santuzza, Gina Cigna, in the former work. Her understanding of the role, and the emotional fervor of her interpretation, merited much praise. Her singing was expressively effective, although the tone sometimes was marked by more vigor than fluency; there was also a certain unsteadiness in it at first, followed by a gain in volume and firmness. Frederick Jagel did good work as Turiddu, and Anna Kaskas sang with tonal warmth as Lola; Carlo Tagliabue, in his first appearance here as Alfio, gave a vigorous performance. Lucielle Browning was the Lucia.

For "Pagliacci," the principals were Hilda Burke as Nedda, Arthur Carron as Canio and Richard Bonelli as Tonio, with Giordano Paltrinieri and George Cehanovsky as Beppe and Silvio. Mr. Papi completing a busy day, conducted both operas. [?Barbieri di Seviglia? in the afternoon]

Search by season: 1937-38

Search by title: Cavalleria Rusticana, Pagliacci,

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