Metropolitan Opera Archives

Manon received eight performances this season.
Rychtarik designed the set for Act III, the Cours la Reine.

Review 1:

Review of Olin Downes in The New York Times

ALBANESE SINGS MANON AT 'MET'

Di Stefano Takes the Role of Des Grieux in Massenet Opera - Fausto Cleva Conducts

It can be said that the performance of Massenet's "Manon" last night at the Metropolitan Opera House was in general livelier, with more energy and drive in it, than any previous "Manon" in our experience of this theatre. But it cannot be said that this was an interpretation either sensitively and affectingly communicative of the true natures of Massenet's adorable opera.

It was heavy-handed, maladroit and without the distinction of the French style. There was some care taken with diction, especially in the first act, which was the best achievement of the evening, and an ensemble, including the trio of light o'loves, which moved fast. But the farther it went, the more this presentation violated the quality of the opera and vulgarized it.

It may be urged that in this vast theatre, which is too large anyhow for "Manon" to make its full effect, a degree of multiplication of tone and gesture is necessary for the benefit of those in the galleries as well as those in the parquet. But no such explanation could possibly excuse, for example, Mr. Stefano's maltreatment of Des Grieux' music, sung in the worst sob and slur style. Add to this an impersonation totally without distinction of manner, which is most unfortunate for this elegant part.

We preferred also Miss Albanese's first act to anything that she did later. Her picture of the young girl, sensuous, amoral rather than immoral, burning for Paris, and Des Grieux for the asking, was that of an authoritative and perceptive artist. Her singing of "Voyons, Manon," and of the duet with Des Grieux, "Nous vivrons á Paris," etc., started at first in artistic fashion.

We say naught of the Cours la Reine episode. But by the time of the convent scene it appeared that Miss Albanese, too, had succumbed to what seemed a veritable contagion of bad style and self-defeating exaggeration. There was no reason for Des Grieux to resist there in a moral struggle. He hadn't with her, except to out-shout her, which he did.

Mr. Singher, the swaggering Lescaut, was one of the two principals on the stage who showed a sense of proportion, and a sure knowledge of the how and the way of his part. The other was Mr. De Paolis, always intelligent, amusing, authoritative in a second role. It is true that he, with his sidekick, George Cehanovsky, the Bretigny, had to contend with the farcical effect of white-feathered headdresses. That gave them the look of a pair of disguised Indian chiefs participating in an aristocratic masquerade.

But Mr. Hines, the heavy father of Des Grieux, knew nothing at all of the characterization of his role, and was evidently uncomfortable in it. The stage direction was cluttered with nonessential detail. Mr. Cleva interpreted the score with energy, drive, with tempi that were prevailingly too fast, and with a heavy hand that reeked not of the subtleties and graces of Massenet's score, and sometimes overpowered the singers.

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