Metropolitan Opera Archives

Nicola Moscona made his first appearance of the season as Sarastro in this performance. The cast was otherwise unchanged. Fritz Stiedry conducted a warm-hearted, unaffected performance that captured both the charm and the nobility of the music. The “Magic Flute” in English translation loses the quaint appeal that it possesses in the original German, but it still delights audiences in its modernized and vulgarized form. In a sense, it is the most perfect of all operas, because its inspired nonsense, its juxtaposition of Handelian grandeur with eighteenth-century slapstick, its piercing, tragic arias, coming close on the heels of effervescent ensembles, represent the most absolute freedom of fantasy ever achieved. Credo quia impossible est – I believe because it is impossible – has an artistic as well as a religious significance. The “Magic Flute” is a divine sublimation of many facets of human life, and those who approach it as a confused comedy are missing its point.

Mr. Moscona sang with deep feeling that gave the Masonic episodes an impressive atmosphere of ritual. His voice was fresh and rotund in quality, even when he was growling down in the cellarge of the low F’s of the part. Paul Schoeffler’s singing as the High Priest was distinguished in style as well as sonority. Richard Tucker’s Tamino is still in process of formation; his voice sounded exciting in the role and he achieved phrases of great beauty, even though he still sang the music more in the style of Verdi than Mozart. Eleanor Steber is usually her best in Mozart, and her performance of Pamina’s “Ach, ich fühl’s” (to give the aria its familiar title) was memorably lovely in line and tonal coloring. John Brownlee romped through the role of Papageno in winning fashion, ably partnered at the close by Lillian Raymondi as Papagena. Erna Berger sang the Queen of the Night’s arias with a finesse and authority that offset a few flickers on top notes.

The other members of the cast, Lucine Amara, Thelma Votipka, Martha Lipton, Leslie Chabay, Genevieve Warner, Paula Lenchner, Herta Glaz, Thomas Hayward, Clifford Harvout, Emery Darcy, and Lawrence Davidson, all deserve praise. There was not a careless ensemble throughout the evening. The English diction and stage deportment could be improved, however, notably in the cases of the Three Ladies and the two Priests. “The Magic Flute” has improved noticeably this season in co-ordination and finish of vocalism.

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