Metropolitan Opera Archives

The Metropolitan Opera Association presented "Mignon" at the Civic Opera House last night, and Jennie Tourel sang the title role in a performance that must have erased, in large part, her memories of the last time she enacted that unfortunate young lady in Chicago. Miss Tourel sang and acted a superb Mignon on the same stage in November, 1942, in the midst of general incompetency that marked the nadir of recent Chicago Opera Company seasons. Last night surrounded by a more capable cast and with Sir Thomas Beecham conducting briskly and authoritatively she proved an even better Mignon - a small, resolute figure filled with a staunchness that expressed itself in splendidly projected song.

Miss Tourel has sung the mezzo-soprano role several hundred times in Europe, and her execution is assured and thoughtful. Her singing is simple and modest, her voice is soft and rich, her conception of the part is integrated and consistent. She imparts the gamin quality of Mignon without finding herself forced into undignified antics, and she reveals the complete beauty of an aria like "Connais tu le pays" without permitting it to stand out as a landmark in the pattern of her performance.

Last night's "Mignon" also brought the Chicago debut of Patrice Munsel, 18 year old soprano who has been one of the sensations of the Met's current season. Miss Munsel appears on first acquaintance to be a better actress than a singer, although she has remarkable vocal equipment which she uses with powerful effect. Her range is broad and she possesses a stage instinct which makes the sparkle of her work phenomenal for a singer of her tender years. She is a natural - although her place in the scheme of things operatic will be difficult to determine until she has been heard in many more roles over the course of several seasons.

James Melton made his first appearance of the Metropolitan's two week season here as Wilhelm Meister the student loved by both the soprano and the mezzo. His vocal work is as sincere and charming as ever, but his histrionism, while it has improved since the Civic Opera House last heard his tenor, still is on the naïve side.

Ezio Pinza, who was forced to miss Wednesday night's "Magic Flute," still was reported indisposed last night, and Virgilio Lazzari, veteran basso of Chicago Opera sang Lothario, the addled old minstrel who recovers his mental equilibrium in time to claim the heroine as his daughter in the final act. Mr. Lazzari proved a stronger replacement than the Met's own roster was able to provide last Wednesday. He sang with a dignity and a reserve ideally suited to the role.

Lucielle Browning sang the part of Frederic, one of those male roles which operatic tradition has bestowed upon the contralto, and did it with an aplomb that combined buffo characterization delightfully with vocal grace.

Even the smaller roles in "Mignon" are somewhat fat and Donald Dame as Laerte and John Gurney as Jarno did their parts in a production whose musical merits made up for the opera's lack of plot. "Mignon" is hard to present convincingly, despite its popular overture and familiar arias, but Sir Thomas Beecham and the folks on stage did satisfactorily by it last night.

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