Metropolitan Opera Archives

There is no occasion to say very much of the performance of Puccini's "Tosca" yesterday afternoon in the Metropolitan Opera House, which was saddening. There was no first class protagonist on the stage, so far as the principals were concerned, and hopes that had been aroused of Mr. Antonicelli, the conductor, the previous Monday were, on this occasion, disappointed. The stage management changed a few particulars of the mise-en-scene, without compensatory effect.

This was not only the first "Tosca" of the season. It was the debut in the title role of Elen Dosia, a young and winsome singer -to the eye-born in Greece and educated musically in Paris, where she has sung at the Opera and Opera Comique. And Miss Dosia made her American debut last year with the Chicago company.

Under these circumstances it is hard to understand why her performance particulars were so defective, indeed, in some particulars, amateurish. As a singer the voice is not well supported or focused and therefore has a sort of false resonance, at best, and wanders variably from pitch. As an actress she had her best moments in the scenes of coquetry and jealousy with Mario in the first act. But in passages of real dramatic stress and tragedy she is unconvincing and her gestures artificial. If Miss Dosia has better roles than this one it was unfortunate that she was not reserved for them. But one cannot readily suspect her of finished singing.

Mr. Peerce is not dramatic enough for Mario's role and the same may be said of the intelligent and honest, but undistinguished, Scarpia of Mr. Valentino. Mr. Antonicelli took almost all his tempi too slowly, so that everything lacked incisiveness, tension and significance of detail. In fact the coordination of orchestra and the singers and of the orchestra itself was none too clear and certain. It is impossible to give an opera like "Tosca" its due with such interpretation.

Search by season: 1947-48

Search by title: Tosca,

Met careers