Metropolitan Opera Archives

In the matter of opera in English the Metropolitan pursues a sensibly selective policy. It was just as fitting that last evening’s “The Magic Flute” should be sung in English as that Monday’s “Traviata” be sung in the original language.

ENCHANTING MUSIC

It is 19 years since “The Magic Flute” was heard at the Opera House and nine years since the Metropolitan last give it in Boston, in the second of the two seasons in which it tenanted the Metropolitan Theatre.

We hear “Figaro” and even “Don Giovanni” much more often, and it is well that that is so. “The Magic Flute” is full of enchanting music, it also, offers much of wondrous solemnity. But Schikenader’s fantasy is thin stuff dramatically, and the constant changes of scenery – 15 scenes in two acts – finally becomes wearisome.

Brownlee Shines

In certain respects this performance did not come up to its predecessor. For one thing, Fritz Stiedry, who conducted, does not have the way with Mozart that Bruno Walter has. His forte is Wagner and late Verdi, which is not to say that evening’s orchestral performance was not an excellent one. Instead of Charles Kullman as Tamino we had Richard Tucker, who created less illusion, but sang admirably. As far as the principals were concerned this was, in fact, a wholly different cast. So, dropping comparisons, let it be said that John Brownlee particularly stole the show as Papageno and that Lillian Raymondi made him a most charming mate. As Pamina Eleanor Steber was a treat to both eye and ear.

Sung Nobly

Jerome Hines provided a properly impressive Sarastro and sang the music nobly. He was likewise ably supported by the priestly chorus.

In the role of the Queen of the Night, Erna Berger, making her operatic debut here, though we have heard her in recital, was a bit disappointing vocally. For the moment, at least, the exacting music exacted a bit too much of her.

Paul Schoeffler was fully adequate to the small part of High Priest, but more has been made of Monostatos than was made of that delightful monster by Leslie Chabay. The various Priests, Ladies, Genii and Guards handled their several assignments satisfactorily.

To get back to the matter of the English language, it is a virtual necessity in the case of “The Magic Flute” by reason of the long stretches of spoken dialogue. Indeed, spoken dialogue is one of the Met’s pretexts of presenting opera in the vernacular, another being the comic element, though here there has been some lack of consistency.

As before, the translation used last night was the thrice-admirable one by Ruth and Thomas Martin, of whose skill we have had a taste on other occasions. The settings were those designed by Richard Rychtarik in 1941 and hence familiar to us, if the word may be used. Anyway, they lend the visual appeal so important in this particular work. The capacity audience was enthusiastic and somewhat more discrete in the matter of applause than that of the previous evening. On the other hand, there was less incitement to handclapping.

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