[Met Performance] CID:130680



Faust
Metropolitan Opera House, Mon, January 27, 1941




Faust (429)
Charles Gounod | Jules Barbier/Michel Carré
Faust
Charles Kullman

Marguerite
Helen Jepson

Méphistophélès
Norman Cordon

Valentin
Richard Bonelli

Siebel
Helen Olheim

Marthe
Thelma Votipka

Wagner
Wilfred Engelman

Dance
Lillian Moore

Dance
Josef Levinoff


Conductor
Wilfred Pelletier







Review 1:

Review of Francis D. Perkins in the Herald Tribune

Even the Devil Has Cold

Pinza Replaced by Cordon and "Faust" Has American Cast

One cold had deprived Norman Cordon of an opportunity to sing Mephistopheles in "Faust" for the first time here in Christmas Day. Another cold, suffered by Ezio Pinza, gave Mr. Cordon a second opportunity last night in the season's third performance of the Gounod opera at the Metropolitan Opera House with a cast which, by this replacement, became All-American.

Although the tall North Carolinian basso had not represented the best-known operatic fiends before in New York, he had sung the role in the summer opera season in Cincinnati, and his interpretation last night gave no hints of the novice.

Well costumed, his impersonation was dramatically convincing, making Mephistopheles neither too benign nor yet a villain of melodrama; he pursued his nefarious aims with an urbane effectiveness. The role was also well treated from a vocal point of view; more flexibility of phrasing might have been in order for the serenade in the semi-final scene, but the description of the golden calf was laudably sung by one of the Metropolitan's most valuable American artists.

The other principals are well known here in their various roles. Charles Kullman provided some of his best singing of the season as Faust. Helen Jepson was in good vocal form as Marguerite, and Richard Bonelli gave a distinguished interpretation as Valentin. Helen Olheim reappeared as Siebel and Thelma Votipka as Martha, and Wilfred Pelletier again conducted. The second change in the originally scheduled line-up for the evening was the replacement of Arthur Kent by Wilfred Engelman as Wagner. Colds and allied ailments have caused an unusual amount of trouble in the present season, which began its second half yesterday. It is said that the number of changes of cast caused by illness during the last eight weeks has equaled the number thus caused during the entire sixteen weeks of the 1939-40 season.



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