Metropolitan Opera Archives

The Metropolitan Opera production of "Carmen" drew another capacity audience to Public Hall last night. Many members of this huge audience were probably hearing the Bizet masterpiece for the first time, while to many others it was an old, familiar story. But whether the experience was old or new, it was a thrilling one, for this opera, often called the most perfect of operas, had the benefit of a thoroughly competent presentation at the hands of artists who gave their utmost to realize its dramatic potentialities.

Brilliantly conducted by that inexhaustible dynamo of energy, Sir Thomas Beecham, it was a performance to be remembered. And of special interest to many of us, who remember the numerous Carmens who have appeared here in the past, was a new Carmen in the person of Irra Petina. At least, she was new to Cleveland in this role, although we are told she has sung it with success in New York and elsewhere. Previously she had been heard here mainly in minor parts of a comic nature. The artist originally scheduled for the part was Gladys Swarthout, ordered by her physician to give up operatic appearances temporarily.

There was nothing to regret in the substitution. When it comes to operatic achievement, the opera-trained singer still has an advantage over the artist who comes to the top via the movies. And it was obvious that Miss Petina does not lack operatic schooling. It was a pleasure to see that she was perfectly at home in the part, particularly since her work has always pointed to the possibility of her doing something bigger than the smaller parts in which she has been cast.

At this juncture one would hesitate to rank her among the great Carmens. There is too much to compete with here for an overnight ride to fame. But it certainly can be said that she was an extremely competent Carmen, one who, without idealizing or over-dramaticizing the part, made it realistic and convincing. The weakness was a little too strong an inclination to clown. Her beaming smile projected further than her tragic frown. Vocally she has the necessary wide range, and although there is an occasional dull spot in her extensive compass, she produces also great variety of tone color. Her diction was commendable and her acting well routined.

Scores as Micaela

Undaunted by the necessity of appearing two nights in succession, Licia Albanese again scored heavily with her Micaela, a role which she has always enacted with touching tenderness. Her singing showed no signs of fatigue from the heavy assignment of the night before, when she appeared as Violetta in "La Traviata," and she rose to her climaxes with thrilling vibrancy.

The cast was uniformly good, including, as it did, artists who are veterans in their respective roles. The Don Josè of Raul Jobin was of outstanding excellence, not only for the purity of his French, but for his authority, power, warmth and certainty of attack on the high tones. The Metropolitan has few tenors, if any, to compare with this one for evenness and freedom from undue pressure.

Leonard Warren's baritone rang with telling effect as he stalked the stage in all his grandeur as the hero of the bull ring, Escamillo. Few baritones have ever brought the Toreador song to life as he does. And just as in the drama itself he is the rival of Don Josè, so was he vocally the rival of Jobin in emotional fervor and expressive power, though there can be no real rivalry, of course, between a tenor and a baritone.

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