Metropolitan Opera Archives

Wagner's "Siegfried" had it first performance of the season at the Metropolitan Opera House yesterday, when the afternoon "Ring" subscription series, restaged and recostumed, completed its third chapter. From the standpoint of novelty, the major interest in the performance was provided by the new sets and lighting designed by Lee Simonson. The first act set was relatively conservative and proved satisfying, except that there seemed to be too many straight lines in the outlines of the rocks in Mime's cave. The second act was placed in duly sylvan surroundings; a possible debatable point was the size of most of the trees, whose dimensions seemed to be nearer those of Californian redwoods than of European forest trees. There was a new and effective dragon, with protuberant scales and a serrated ridge along his back, well defined teeth and a quite expressive countenance.

The third act opened before a high rocky wall pierced by the mouth of a cave, as prescribed in Wagner's stage directions. Erda emerged to her full height, instead of partially, as before. After Siegfried had shattered Wotan's spear, the mountain side became diaphanous, revealing waxing flames behind it; and withdrawn veils disclosed Brünnhilde's rock. This vaporizing of the apparently solid mountain wall proved rather disadvantageous to the effectiveness of the stage illusion at this point, although the flames were unusually convincing; and no hissing steam, as in former days, competed with the music.

Musically, the performance was well proportioned and integrated under Fritz Stiedry's direction, although there was some variation in the degree of its emotional persuasiveness; a sense of expressive penetration, however, increased gradually, if not constantly, as the music-drama progressed, and the orchestra was in good form. Except for Gerhard Pechner as a commendable, if not unduly malevolent, Alberich, the members of the cast had sung their roles here on previous occasions. Mr. Svanholm, making his first 1947-48 Metropolitan appearance, was a dramatically satisfying Siegfried, Youthful in appearance and spirited in demeanor; his singing, if slightly dry in tone quality here and there, was musical in timbre and texture, and well wrought in regard to phrasing and continuity of vocal line. Miss Traubel was an expressive Brünnhilde, singing with ample power, good dynamic and expressive shading and, for the most part, with firm and well concentrated tones. An avoidance of certain lofty notes, including the optional high C at the close did not alter this general impression. Mr. Berglund sang well and eloquently as the Wanderer; Mr. Garris provided a convincing characterization of Mime, and sang his lines musically.

Kerstin Thorborg's Erda sang with impressive dignity; Mr. Ernster gave a very commendable interpretation of the draconian Fafner's music, and Miss Conner gave the Forest Bird an appealing, if not always fully-focused, voice.

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