[Met Tour] CID:156650



La Bohème
Boston Opera House, Boston, Massachusetts, Wed, April 11, 1951 Matinee





La Bohème (452)
Giacomo Puccini | Luigi Illica/Giuseppe Giacosa
Mimì
Victoria de los Angeles

Rodolfo
Giuseppe Di Stefano

Musetta
Lois Hunt

Marcello
Frank Valentino

Schaunard
George Cehanovsky

Colline
Nicola Moscona

Benoit
Lorenzo Alvary

Alcindoro
Lawrence Davidson

Parpignol
Paul Franke

Sergeant
Carlo Tomanelli


Conductor
Fausto Cleva







Review 1:

Warren Storey Smith in the Boston Post

SPANISH SOPRANO AT OPERA

 

Star of “La Boheme” Is Victoria De Los Angeles

The Metropolitan Opera’s “La Boheme” at the Opera House yesterday afternoon was notable for the appearance in it of the Spanish soprano Victoria de los Angeles who, if not quite the utterly phenomenal vocalist we had been led to expect, is still no ordinary singer.

TO SING SATURDAY

She may impress even more when we hear her as Marguerite on Saturday night; it is quite conceivable that Mimi is not her best role.

This performance also established some sort of record in the matter of decibels. Wagner and Strauss have the reputation for being noisy boys in the opera house, yet Puccini, with fewer instruments, can often outdo them.

Routine Performance

This is probably a combination of orchestral texture, temperamental Italian conductors and the fact that Puccini so often doubles the vocal melody and the orchestra, and then everyone tries to beat out everyone else.

It is also possible that Fausto Cleva, who conducted what was no better than a routine performance, misjudged the sensitive acoustics of the theatre. It would not be the first time that this has happened. By Saturday night, when he conducts “Faust,” where the temptation to dynamic excess is not so great, he may have got on to himself.

Close to Deafening

Vehement in the pit, this “Boheme” was no less so on the stage, the racket achieved in the second act being close to deafening, as Giuseppe di Stefano poured out opulent tones in lavish fashion, and Miss De los Angeles sometimes cut loose.

A rather shrill Musetta and quite on the acid side, Lois Hung did her bit in the ensemble based on Musetta’s waltz. More moderate were the Marcello of Francesco Valentino, the Colline of Nicola Moscona, and the Schaunad of George Cehanovsky.

Overdo Horseplay

Mr. Valentino really sang very well, and Mr. Moscona bade farewell to his coat with proper unction. But all four Bohemians were inclined to overdo their horseplay. Besides being vocally vehement, the performance was often physically violent.

Twice this week we have seen rather husky ladies perish on the stage from consumption. Yet Miss Rigal, in “Traviata” came far nearer creating the impression that she was dying of a wasting disease than did plump little Miss De los Angeles, who looked in the pink of health, even to the last.

Never, by the way. Have I found the final scene so unmoving, nor have I ever encountered a Mimi who touched me as little as this one. To judge from this one appearance, the new soprano’s histrionic gifts are decidedly limited.

What she does have is a voice that is warm, rich lustrous and free flowing, inclined to be edgy when she puts the pressure on it, and not fully controlled in the topmost register. If her acting is not particularly expressive, her singing makes up for it, and her two concert appearances of next season are to be eagerly anticipated.  To get back to the others, it might be mentioned that, for once, the roles of Benoit and Alcindoro were not assigned to the same singer. Lorenzo Alvary took the one and Lawrence Davidson the other. Both were capable.



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