Metropolitan Opera Archives

Tannhäuser received thirteen performances this season.
Traubel's costumes were designed by Adrian.

Review 1:

Review of Irving Kolodin in the Sun

FIRST "TANNHÄUSER"

Most of the impressive elements in last night's "Tannhäuser" at the Metropolitan (the first time since the season before last) derived from the poise, breadth and authority of the conducting by Fritz Busch, the singing of the chorus, and the playing of the orchestra. All of these showed the benefit of fresh preparation by Busch, with some notably excellent results in the ensembles of the second act. It was a new and welcome experience to observe the guests in the Hall of Song march in proudly (together, too) and sing as if they had a reason for being there.

However, Busch had another ill-balanced cast to contend with, and the heights to which he could raise them were distinctly variable. Helen Traubel did some beautiful singing as Elisabeth, difficult as it is for her to present an illusion in this role. Blanche Thebom, undertaking her first Venus, vocalized much of it with good resonant tone, but it will take many a repetition before she can find ease and security in this deceptively and complex part. She has made a promising start, but one imagines she will get along with it better if she dispenses with at least half of the stylized gestures she utilized.

Another new impersonation was the Wolfram of Martial Singher. An intelligent and conscientious effort, it remained a whole flight of steps down from the kind of lyric baritone virtuosity required to match the opportunities Wagner offered. Lauritz Melchior's Tannhäuser has never ranked among his best accomplishments, and the constant stress on power cannot make good the diminishing sheen of the voice. Norman Cordon was an able Hermann and the associated singers included John Garris, Wellington Ezekiel, Osie Hawkins and Karl Laufkötter.

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