[Met Performance] CID:132060



Madama Butterfly
Metropolitan Opera House, Sat, November 29, 1941




Madama Butterfly (259)
Giacomo Puccini | Luigi Illica/ Giuseppe Giacosa
Cio-Cio-San
Licia Albanese

Pinkerton
Armand Tokatyan

Suzuki
Lucielle Browning

Sharpless
John Brownlee

Goro
Alessio De Paolis

Bonze
John Gurney

Yamadori
George Cehanovsky

Kate Pinkerton
Maxine Stellman

Commissioner
Wilfred Engelman


Conductor
Ettore Panizza


Director
Désiré Defrère

Set Designer
Joseph Urban





Madama Butterfly received one performance this season.

Review 1:

Review of Edward Smith in Variety

"BUTTERFLY"

First "Butterfly" of the Met's season was presented Saturday evening (29) to a sold-out house. Performance was excellent in all respects.

Licia Albanese, as Butterfly, sang and looked her best. The Italian soprano chose to omit the high D flat in "Ancora un passo," which she sang last year, but her subsequent arias, "Ieri son salita," "Un bel di vedremo" and "Tu piccolo iddio," were flawless in their range and beautiful in tone. Her acting was poignant and fully realized the text.

Armand Tokatyan, after 18 years service at the Met, is apparently getting better. His top notes, in which the score abounds, were superb. The tenor reserved his climax for "Addio fiorito assil," in which a "B-flat" followed by the "A" brought a surge of applause from the house. He is one of the few Pinkertons to look and act his part with ease and grace.

John Brownlee voiced Sharpless' music with his customary aplomb, reaching his high point with the dramatic acting following the duet, "Ora a Noi," with Miss Albanese. Lucielle Browning was a big-voiced Suzuki. Ettore Panizza conducting his third opera in two days brought out all the richness of the Puccini score.



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