Metropolitan Opera Archives

There were three Boston debuts at the Metropolitan Opera Association's open*ing performance of "Tannhäuser" at the Boston Opera House last night. New here were Blanche Thebom, the Venus of the evening, Torsten Ralf who assayed the title role, and Fritz Busch, who conducted. Also unheard in this city before was the Elisabeth of Helen Traubel.

In a performance which was hardly exceptional from any point of view, Miss Thebom's Venus was more than competently sung and quite gracefully acted, even though part of her role in the [first] scene was cut. It was enjoyable to see as Venus a woman of good figure and facial attractiveness, who had grace of movement in the callisthenic type of acting which has become usual with Wagner characters.

Miss Thebom's voice is both well placed and well produced. Perhaps it is not of remarkable size, but it has a pleasant cool clarity that makes definite effect. She sang accurately as to pitch and without any straining for volume or for top notes.

"Tannhäuser" is probably not a supreme test for either singers or conductor. The opera is early and imperfect Wagner, with its decided loungers even though it has thrived in the repertory for more than 100 years, No one really has opportunity to show brilliance in it.

Even so, Mr. Busch's conducting and the performance of Mr. Ralf did not meet expectations. Mr. Busch, a musician of parts and high reputation was inclined in this performance to be stolid.

He did not attempt to make the orchestra shimmer and glow in the Venusburg music that Wagner added for the Paris production of 1861. Nor did he always temper the instrumental volume to the amount of vocal tone coming from the stage, notably in the [first] scene. Yet his conducting was efficient, always steady in pace and not without intensity.

Tenor Sings In German Manner

Mr. Ralf has a large tenor voice in the German manner that carries well. Yet his phrasing of Tannhäuser's music oftentimes was abrupt and, as in his repetition of the song to Venus in the second act, he sometimes was casual with rhythmic outlines. His finest moments were in the Venusburg scene. It will be interesting to hear him next week in "The Mastersingers" and "Die Walküre."

Miss Traubel's progress in musicianship was evident in the evenness which characterized her Elisabeth. She sings with more restraint and with more confidently beautiful tone. The "Dich, teure Halle" came over excellently, with sufficient evenness and no forced tones. The prayer of the third act was some of the best work one has heard from her.

A consistent vocal joy was the Wolfram of Herbert Janssen. How nobly he sang Wolfram's romance of the second act, with great beauty of tone and polish of phrasing. He is an artist, too, in his acting. Small in importance though it was, his delicate and nicely-timed stroking of the harp strings was a clue to Mr. Janssen's care for details.

The Biterolf of Osie Hawkins was outstanding among the minor roles. With a voice of excellent quality Mr. Hawkins sang with good style and the right degree of expression. He is a young man whose career is to be watched.

The stage direction of the contest of song was not the most precise imaginable, but it did get away from the manikin stiffness of the procession which frequently prevails. The pages were in good voice and made that difficult entrance "Wolfram von Eschenbach, beginner!" correctly. The settings? Well, they were ancient and honorable.

During the first intermission H. Wendell Endicott, president of the Boston Opera Association, addressed the audience from the stage. He introduced George A. Sloan, chairman of the board of the Metropolitan Opera Association, and Edward Johnson, general manager, briefly.

Search by season: 1945-46

Search by title: Tannhäuser,

Met careers