Metropolitan Opera Archives

New York - It is not difficult to recall performances of opera in which individual excellences were many and superior, but had yet so little of mutuality that the singers seemed scarcely aware of being at work on the same opera. In fact, it is difficult to recall opera that was not the sum of its parts rather than an artistic unit.

The Metropolitan's "Le Nozze di Figaro" with the cast which performed it Saturday night is distinctly another variety. The principals seemed to kindle in each other a desire to recreate the merriest opera Mozart ever wrote. Graceful, swift, good-humored, sky-larking, the whole zestful business swam about in the most seraphic of music, conscientiously sung by artists who subordinated personal distinctions to the common objective.

Pinza as Figaro

Honors went to Ezio Pinza, who was in magnificent voice - isn't he always so? - for a bold, swaggering Figaro. With an arrogant foot planted atop the prompter's box, he delivered "Ecco la marcia" so as to bring down the house and produce a serious threat to the rule against encores.

Bidu Sayao was a captivating Susana, lyrical in her histrionics and although her first scenes were vocally subdued and ineffective, she found an improved stride later on and came to "Deh, vieni non tardar" with warmth and expression.

Elisabeth Rethberg's opulent, satiny voice was heard to best advantage in the peak arias "Porgi Amor" and "Dove Sono," being by that time rid of the excessive vibrato with which she began. She was a convincing Countess and found the spirit of the part.

John Brownlee as the Count, Risë Stevens as Cherubino, Alessio de Paolis as Basilio and George Rasely as Don Curzio were also suitably in the picture and contributed important vocal gifts.

New Singer

Salvatore Baccaloni, who is new this season, was Bartolo. He has a strong voice, well articulated and proved his qualifications of style and technique. Irra Petina, who will be remembered for her clever portrayal at Bushnell in the corresponding part in "The Barber of Seville," was a broadly drawn Marcellina. Louis D'Angelo was Antonio; Marita Farell as Barbarina and Helen Olheim and Maxine Stellman as peasant girls completed the cast.

Ettore Panizza conducted a brightly-paced performance and was acclaimed with the principals before the curtain after the second act.

Search by season: 1940-41

Search by title: Le Nozze di Figaro,

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