[Met Performance] CID:127760



Aida
Metropolitan Opera House, Fri, January 26, 1940




Aida (438)
Giuseppe Verdi | Antonio Ghislanzoni
Aida
Zinka Milanov

Radamès
Arthur Carron

Amneris
Rose Bampton

Amonasro
Leonard Warren

Ramfis
Virgilio Lazzari

King
Louis D'Angelo

Messenger
Lodovico Oliviero

Priestess
Thelma Votipka

Dance
Ruthanna Boris

Dance
Grant Mouradoff


Conductor
Ettore Panizza







Review 1:

Review in The New York Times

Rose Bampton, Soprano Now, Saves "Aida" Singing Contralto First Times in Three Years

Rose Bampton, young American singer, helped save a performance of "Aida" at the Metropolitan Opera House last night by agreeing to sing the contralto role of Amneris at an hour and a half's notice. Miss Bampton, who began her operatic career as a contralto, converted her voice into a soprano three years ago and she has not sung the role Amneris since that time. Only a week ago she appeared at the Metropolitan in the role of Aida.

Miss Bampton's hurried substitution was necessitated by the illness of Bruna Castagna, who rehearsed briefly yesterday afternoon and found herself incapable of going on. Opera officials attempted to reach several other available contraltos, but could not find one prepared to sing the role of Amneris at short notice.

Someone suggested Miss Bampton. The management called her with hesitation, but she agreed to undertake the task. Her singing last night gave no indication of the fact that Miss Bampton had not appeared in this role for three years and that she had not had time to rehearse it.

Miss Castagna's was not the only illness last night. There were two other substitutions because of colds. Arthur Carron, the English tenor, replaced Giovanni Martinelli in the role of Radames. Mr. Martinelli has been ill with a cold and he could not sing in "La Gioconda" in Philadelphia on Tuesday. Louis D'Angelo took the place of John Gurney as the King.

In the other principal roles were Zinka Milanov as Aida, Leonard Warren as Amonasro and Virgilio Lazzari as Ramfis. The cast was rounded out by Thelma Votipka and Lodovico Oliviero. Ettore Panizza was the conductor.

Before the beginning of the second act, Lucrezia Bori, former Metropolitan Opera soprano and now a member of the board, introduced George A. Sloan, chairman of the executive committee. Mr. Sloan spoke about the campaign to raise $1,000,000 for the opera.



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