[Met Performance] CID:124500



Aida
Metropolitan Opera House, Thu, December 29, 1938




Aida (428)
Giuseppe Verdi | Antonio Ghislanzoni
Aida
Maria Caniglia

Radamès
Galliano Masini

Amneris
Bruna Castagna

Amonasro
Lawrence Tibbett

Ramfis
Nicola Moscona

King
Norman Cordon

Messenger
Giordano Paltrinieri

Priestess
Thelma Votipka

Dance
Maria Gambarelli


Conductor
Ettore Panizza







Review 1:

Review of Oscar Thompson in the Sun

MASINI APPEARS IN RADAMES ROLE

Tibbett in "Aida" Cast With Caniglia and Castagna

"Aida" at the Metropolitan last night presented two of Edward Johnson's new Italian singers as the lovers who suffocate lyrically in a tomb beneath the Temple of Phta. The Nile Princess of Maria Caniglia was appraised some weeks ago when she first assayed the role in these surroundings. But the only previous appearance here of Galliano Masini as Radames was at a benefit performance in which reviewers were not invited. Hence he may be singled out from his follows in last night's repetition for the comment that had to be withheld twelve days ago.

The delayed verdict is that the new tenor is a good Radames, if not in any respect an overpowering one. His is not a voice of heroic caliber, but it has a bright resonance that vitalizes what he sings. Neither is he heroic in appearance, yet he looks less like a bundle wrapped up in a crazy quilt than some of his fellow Egyptian captains of the line. Last night he was restrained for the most part, in both song and action, though the old windmill patters graced his palpably nervous delivery of "Celeste Aida." It was something to hear his fresh upper tones, with their youthful ring, even when it was to be suspected that their production was too "open" for the future good of the voice. Mr. Masini is a lyric tenor, as modern operatic tenors go, but he knows how to point a phrase like that with which Radames surrenders his sword, so as to give it genuine dramatic effect.

Conforming to past patterns, Lawrence Tibbett was a sonorous Amonasro and Bruna Castagna a rich-voiced Amneris. Norman Cordon sang the King and Nicola Moscona, Ramfis, with Giordano Paltrinieri and Thelma Votipka to complete the roll of singers under Ettore Panizza's baton. Hearty applause brought the usual procession of principals before the curtain.



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