[Met Performance] CID:130930



Tristan und Isolde
Metropolitan Opera House, Mon, February 17, 1941




Tristan und Isolde (290)
Richard Wagner | Richard Wagner
Tristan
Lauritz Melchior

Isolde
Kirsten Flagstad

Kurwenal
Julius Huehn

Brangäne
Kerstin Thorborg

King Marke
Emanuel List

Melot/Sailor's Voice
Emery Darcy

Shepherd
Karl Laufkötter

Steersman
John Gurney


Conductor
Edwin McArthur







Review 1:

Review of Oscar Thompson in the Sun

M'ARTHUR MAKES DEBUT IN "TRISTAN"

Conducts Wagner Work at the Metropolitan

Before a large audience, Edwin McArthur, best known as accompanist for Kirsten Flagstad, made his debut at the Metropolitan Opera House last night as conductor of "Tristan und Isolde." Mme. Flagstad was the Isolde, as she had been in performances elsewhere conducted by Mr. McArthur.

If the results were not momentous, neither were they materially different from those that have prevailed at "Tristan" performances of the last several seasons. The American conductor knew his score thoroughly and the orchestra played for him much as it has played for Erich Leinsdorf. If there were some unfamiliar rough spots, there also was something of added warmth in the realization of certain parts of the music.

In the first act a momentary snarl was unraveled without a serious contretemps when the orchestral got ahead of Lauritz Melchior, the Tristan, at the phrase "zu Koenig Mark's Land." In the second act the King Marke scene lagged until it all but lost continuity, but it seems fair to charge this to the singer, Emanuel List, quite as much as to the conductor.

The Prelude was tamely played as the entire first act was of rather low contours, orchestrally, as compared to the second and third. Though not lacking in feeling, the "Liebestod" received itself into too much of an accompaniment for Mme. Flagstad, who, however, gave it rather more splendor of tone than usual. Throughout the evening she seemed to be particularly comfortable in her attacks on her highest notes - as if the presence of her accompanist in the pit gave her added confidence - but she joined with Mr. Melchior in some disaffecting departure from the pitch in the love duet of the garden.

Kerstin Thorborg sang Brangäne and Julius Huehn was the Kurvenal, with the smaller parts cared for by Emery Darcy, Karl Laufkötter and John Gurney. Leopold Sachse was Mr. McArthur's collaborator backstage. After having been heartily applauded by the audience each time he entered the pit, the young conductor came before the curtain with the principals at the end of the opera.



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