Metropolitan Opera Archives

One of the most unusual musical events of recent years was presented last night at the Metropolitan Opera House for the benefit of the Red Cross War Fund of Greater New York. It was an Opera Festival, including not only parts of four operas given in full regalia, but a closing event called "Salute to the Colors" that enlisted virtually all the members of the Metropolitan Opera Company. At 8:15 P. M., when Sir Thomas Beecham, the first of the festival's five conductors, took his position on the podium, 3,500 persons filled every available seat in the house and several hundred others stood in the aisles. Earle R. Lewis, assistant manager and treasurer of the Metropolitan Opera Association, pointed out earlier in the day that all 900 members of the Metropolitan's organization donated their services.

Works Given in Four Languages

An international flavor, befitting the principles of the Red Cross, was given to the festival by presenting the opera excerpts in German, Italian, French and English. With Sir Thomas leading the orchestra, the first opera was Johann Sebastian Bach's "Phoebus and Pan," sung in English and including a ballet. The singers were Stella Andreva, Anna Kaskas, Frederick Jagel, Arthur Carron, Emery Darcy and John Brownlee.

After an intermission, the overture and Act III of Mozart's "Le Nozze di Figaro" was presented The orchestra for this presentation was under the direction of Ettore Panizza, and the cast included John Brownlee, Elisabeth Rethberg, Licia Albanese, Ezio Pinza, Jarmila Novotna, Irra Petina, Alessio De Paolis, George Rasely, Salvatore Baccaloni, Louis D'Angelo, Marita Farell, Helen Olheim and Maxine Stellman.

Then followed the playing of Beethoven's "Leonore" No. 3 overture under the direction of Bruno Walter. The second scene from the third act of Wagner's "Lohengrin" was the third operatic offering, with the orchestra under the direction of Erich Leinsdorf. The cast included Norman Cordon, Lauritz Melchior, Astrid Varnay, Kerstin Thorborg and Gerhard Pechner.

Sir Thomas took the baton again for Act IV of Bizet's "Carmen," with a cast including Lily Djanel as Carmen, Thelma Votipka, Helen Olheim, Charles Kullman and Leonard Warren. Wilfred Pelletier then led the orchestra in Victor Herbert's "American Fantasy."

"The audience applauded the musical numbers enthuriastically, but its most ardent approval was reserved for "Salute to the Colors."

A Red Cross Tableau

The rising of the curtain for the final number revealed on a raised platform a group of Red Cross nurses, soldiers, sailors and marines. Behind them, still higher, were the principals and singers of the Metropolitan Company, and still farther fack on the raised platform were chorus and ballet. Mr. Pelletier then led the orchestra in Sousa's "Stars and Stripes Forever" as two Red Cross nurses, each carrying a Red Cross and an American flag, entered, flanked by a squad of soldiers, sailors and marines.

The entire assemblage then sang a stanza of "America, the Beautiful," followed by "The Star-Spangled Banner." As the audience filed out, Mr. Pelletier again led the orchestra in the Sousa march."

All the boxes in the house, at $100 each, were sold, as were all single seats, priced from $2.20 to $11. Heading the list of patrons in the audience was Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt. The Mayor and Mrs. La Guardia were guests in the box of George A. Sloan, president of the Metropolitan Opera Association. In the same box were Admiral and Mrs. Adolphus Andrews and Mr. and Mrs. Jarvis Cromwell. Norman H. Davis, chairman of the central committee of the Red Cross, was the guest of Mr. and Mrs. Cornelius N. Bliss, chairman of the opera's board of directors. Mrs. August Belmont had among her guests Major Gen. and Mrs. Irving J. Phillipson, Major Gen. and Mrs. Frank Ross McCoy, Gouverneur Morris, Michael Florinsky and Miss Jane Tiffany. The Russian Ambassador, Maxim Litvinoff, and his wife were guests in the box of Allen Wardwell, member of the Metropolitan board of directors.

Search by season: 1941-42

Search by title: American Red Cross Festival Performance, Phoebus and Pan,

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