Metropolitan Opera Archives

The current epidemic of grip, which has gone through the Metropolitan Opera's personnel like a threshing-machine, knocked out Helen Traubel, Lauritz Melchior and Herbert Janssen from the company's performance of "Tannhäuser" at the Academy of Music last night.

As a result there were three substitutions in a presentation which preserved elements of interest and novelty, and which attested the resourcefulness of general manager Edward Johnson's organization.

Astrid Varnay appeared as Elisabeth in place of Mme. Traubel, and Torsten Ralf and Alexander Sved replaced the Messrs. Melchior and Janssen as Tannhäuser and Wolfram. These changes hardly caused a ripple in a performance which was smooth and which boasted an unusually eloquent third act.

The opera was handsomely mounted and staged, with all the pomp and pageantry which rightfully belongs to it. We must, however, make exception for the Hall of Song which needs redecorationland whose shabbiness suggests that Landgraf Hermann was in the midst of a serious financial depression,.

Fritz Busch conducted for the first time here. He presented a well-paced performance and kept the orchestra clear and flexible. The new conductor has impressive authority, and he only lacked that ultimate tension which makes for unusual excitement.

The substitute singers showed up reasonably well. Astrid Varnay, the Elisabeth, was the star of the performance. This young woman has the ability to identify herself deeply and inextricably with whatever part she undertakes. She is both convincing and compelling. Furthermore, Miss Varnay's voice has gained in volume and steadiness to an impressive degree since she last appeared here. Often her sincerity and her method of tonal projection are reminiscent of Kirsten Flagstad, which we realize is a compliment of no mean order. Last night, the third act prayer was beautifully sung, and Miss Varnay's presence was a reason to be proud of this young American singer.

Torsten Ralf, the Metropolitan's new Swedish tenor, made his local debut in the title-role last night. Mr. Ralf is a tenor of excellent routine, serious and obviously intelligent. His voice, not an exceptional one, is expertly managed, and he rose impressively to the "Rome Narrative" of the last act, which was by far his best.

Alexander Sved's Wolfram is unusually eloquent. He takes much of the stuffiness out of the part and invests it with a commanding presence and much beautiful and poetic singing. This baritone was a famous Wolfram at Bayreuth before the war, and his knowledge and taste were constantly in evidence.

Blanche Thebom, who sang Venus, made a very fair essayal. Her voice has neither the breadth nor the sumptuousness for the role, as yet, but she sings well with clear fresh tones and the germs of an admirable performance are present. Her scanty, wine-colored attire was more suggestive of a nymph than of the Goddess of Love.

Norman Cordon, suffering very obviously from laryngitis, was practically voiceless as Landgraf Hermann, and probably should have joined Mme. Traubel and Mr. Melchior among the casualties.

Others concerned in this interesting performance were Maxine Stellman, John Garris, Karl Laufkötter, Osie Hawkins and Wellington Ezekiel.

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