Metropolitan Opera Archives

Last night's operatic climate at the Public Hall was as great a change from that of Tuesday as was the weather and the Wagnerian sultriness was relieved by a cool little breeze in the shape of Donizetti's "Daughter of the Regiment." This time the attendance registered a clean sweep, and the roving field glasses failed to reveal an empty seat.

"The Daughter of the Regiment" is a slight, unpretentious piece which never aimed at being anything but light entertainment. Our father's generation thought of it as hopelessly outmoded, but it is sufficiently remote now so that its resurrection seems animated by a certain freshness, especially when done as it was last night with much liveliness and high spirits.

Like Musical Comedy

It contains many easy tunes, some snappy choruses, some coloratura stunts on the tonal flying trapeze, some cute costumes and dancing, and a fair amount of custard-pie comedy. Indeed, to the naked ear, it is indistinguishable from what we usually call musical comedy.

Originally leveled at the tired business man of Paris of 1840, it turns out to be pretty good medicine for the tired business man, as well as tired doctor, lawyer, merchant chief - and music critic - of Cleveland of 1941.

Chief vocal feature of the show was the singing of the famous coloratura soprano Lily Pons, in the title role. She developed some charming phrases in her slower numbers, especially the air: "Il faut partir," toward the end of the second act.

For the rest, her rapid high work is amazingly nimble, but a number of passages prompted the reflection that standards of accuracy among vocalists are apparently not the same as among instrumentalists.

Baccaloni Gets Laughs

Low comedy principal was Salvatore Baccaloni, who played the part of Sergeant Sulpice. His barking, stomping, tummy-thrusting and other vehemences, together with his spheroid dimensions, succeeded in eliciting a good many laughs.

Irra Petina was again cast as a funny old lady, the Marquise de Berkenfeld. She succeeded in achieving excellent humor and good singing at the same time. The third act scene between her, Mr. Baccaloni and Miss Pons, in which she belabors the piano trying to guide her niece through a fashionable aria aghast the sergeant's irreverent distractions was the comic high spot of the opera.

The part of Tonio, the Daughter's lover, was agreeably sung by Raoul Jobin, Smaller parts were all competently done:Hortenstus by Louis D'Angelo, others by Arthur Kent, Lodovico Oliviero, Maria Savage, Alexia Kosloff and William Fisher.

The audience throughout the performance gave every evidence of genuine enjoyment.

Search by season: 1940-41

Search by title: La Fille du Régiment,

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