[Met Performance] CID:155580



Die Fledermaus
Metropolitan Opera House, Thu, January 4, 1951

Debut : Tibor Kozma, Marguerite Piazza


In English



Die Fledermaus (14)
Johann Strauss II | Karl Haffner/Richard Genée
Rosalinde
Marguerite Piazza [Debut]

Eisenstein
Set Svanholm

Adele
Patrice Munsel

Alfred
Eugene Conley

Prince Orlofsky
Jarmila Novotna

Dr. Falke
John Brownlee

Dr. Blind
Paul Franke

Frank
Hugh Thompson

Ida
Nana Gollner

Frosch
Jack Gilford


Conductor
Tibor Kozma [Debut]







Review 1:

John Chapman in the New York Daily News

Marguerite Piazza Adds Gaiety to the Met’s Gay “Fledermaus”

 

Some different people were in the company of “Fledermaus” at the Metropolitan Opera last evening, with varying, but generally acceptable results. It still is Patrice Munsel’s show because Miss Munsel has the best and sauciest role and the best and sauciest songs –and because Miss Munsel is something special as a coloratura comedienne.

 

But a new warmth and a new sense of fun came in with the substitution of Marguerite Piazza for Ljuba Welitsch in the role of Rosalinda. Miss Piazza has the style and looks of a musicocomedienne, an admirable voice and a native command of English which serves the Howard Dietz lyrics as they should be served – clearly. Her second-act song “Some days you are lonely,” was charming last night.

 

I was not entirely happy with the substitution of Jarmila Novotna for Rise Stevens in the role of Price Orlofsky – and here again was a matter of enunciation. The Novotna voice was, of course, a good one when it was singing, but when it was speaking it somehow got lost. It must be very difficult for singers to speak, just as it is for speakers to sing, and it takes a Munsel or a Stevens to work both tricks.

 

Dietz Lyrics Sparkle

 

A second hearing of “Fledermaus” gave me an opportunity to catch up more closely with the lyrics and to realize that Mr. Dietz has done some very adroit work – the most adroit work of fashioning new words for old tunes since Oscar Hammerstein 2nd wrote “Carmen Jones.” His song for the maid, Adele (Miss Munsel) “Look me over once,” is in excellent high humor. Listen, for instance, to these lines: “Look me over once, look me over twice, and examine the line of my spine. Make a resume of my vertebrae, appraising their rare design.” A rare design indeed, for the old Met!

 

As it always has been with the Strauss operetta, the third act is the weakest, and it’s a good thing they have that roustabout comedian, Jack Gilford, playing the jail-keeper. Mr. Gilford does some noble slapstick and pantomime to keep the show moving, and he’ll always be able to tell his grandchildren that he once was a Metropolitan Opera star.

 

Tibor Kozma made his debut as musical conductor, in place of Eugene Ormandy. I thought he handled his singers deftly, but that, somehow, the orchestra was not giving out with the schmaltz as it did under Ormandy. It was as though Mr. Kozma had approached Johann Strauss’ gay and familiar score as if it were an intellectual exercise – which it most certainly is not.

 

The Met announces that, because of the extraordinary demand for “Fledermaus” seats, the box office will begin today the sale of tickets for the evening performances of Jan. 15 and 25 and matinee of Jan. 20. The Jan. 13 performance is already sold out.



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