Metropolitan Opera Archives

The Metropolitan Opera Company returned to Boston last night after a year's absence with a rousing performance of Verdi's rarely given opera, "The Masked Ball.' It was their first appearance at the Opera House in four years, and the old theater was jammed to the rafters.

Reams could be written on the early trials and tribulations of Verdi's opera of royal passions and hates. As originally written it was a story of King Gustave III of Sweden, who was actually murdered at a masked ball. Due to the political unrest in Italy at the time it was written, Verdi was forced to change his characters and locale; and the opera, as finally presented, was laid in Boston, of all places, with its hero Riccardo, governor of Boston.

In its present revival, the Metropolitan has gone back to the original setting of Sweden, but has left all the characters their Italo-American names. So the hero is still Riccardo, with his confidant, Renato, and the latter's wife Amelia, while the two conspirators have the good old New England names of Samuel and Tom. And the chorus, in one scene greets this Swedish nobleman with the song, "Oh Son of Gallant England."

In spite of the vicissitudes of characters and setting, last night's was a really outstanding performance. Bruno Walter has directed the production with true fervor, and the results, both in the playing of the orchestra and the singing of the artists, was well worthy of the applause it received.

The outstanding performance of the evening was Zinka Milanov as Amelia. She sang gloriously throughout the evening and gave the role its proper dramatic fervor. Jan Peerce sang Riccardo in true old Italian opera style. Dramatically he did not stand out so well, but his singing was very fine.

Leonard Warren, as Renato, had the plum of the evening, of course, with the aria "Eri tu," and brought down the house with it. Dramatically he was very stiff, and his voice had a breathiness, especially in the pianissimo passages, that was not always pleasing. But his pitch is true, and in the more bravura sections he was much more satisfying. Very special praise is due to Kerstin Thorborg, who sang the small but dramatic part of the soothsayer. She brought to the role the superb artistry that we have come to take for granted from this truly superlative performer. She was in magnificent voice, and from what we could see from behind our post, she was equally good dramatically.

Frances Greer was pert and charming in one of opera's best page roles. She didn't look very masculine, it is true, but her personality is good and she has an exquisite lyric soprano voice. Virgilio Lazzari and Nicola Moscona were good as the two conspirators, especially in the scene by the scaffold.

As a whole, the stage production was good, most of the scenery having been designed especially for this present revival. Some of it, though, still had the rather moth-eaten appearance of so many of the Metropolitan's productions. The last act really blossomed out with gay and colorful costumes.

Mr. Johnson came out between the acts to tell us how glad the company is to return to Boston. And we're glad too, and would be more so if they would present more unhackneyed operas like this one.

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