[Met Performance] CID:158390



Rigoletto
Metropolitan Opera House, Sat, December 22, 1951




Rigoletto (312)
Giuseppe Verdi | Francesco Maria Piave
Rigoletto
Leonard Warren

Gilda
Lily Pons

Duke of Mantua
Giuseppe Di Stefano

Maddalena
Jean Madeira

Sparafucile
Nicola Moscona

Monterone
Norman Scott

Borsa
Alessio De Paolis

Marullo
George Cehanovsky

Count Ceprano
Lawrence Davidson

Countess Ceprano
Anne Bollinger

Giovanna
Thelma Votipka

Page
Margaret Roggero

Guard
Algerd Brazis


Conductor
Alberto Erede







Review 1:

Review of James Hinton Jr. in Musical America
Two leading singers took on familiar assignments for the first time in the Metropolitan’s new production of “Rigoletto” - Lily Pons as Gilda and Giuseppe di Stefano as the Duke. Miss Pons, as in her seasonal debut in “Lucia di Lammermoor,” looked attractive and moved with grace and assurance, if not always in accord with Herbert Graf’s stage direction. Her singing, too, was assured, although not frequently tonally attractive. She attacked the coloratura passages with spirit and vocalized them cleanly, slowing down the tempos to be sure of the notes. Her pitch was generally accurate except on tones at or above high C, which were usually flat.

Mr. Di Stefano looked a little on the lumpy side in his Renaissance costume and did not act with much point or snap. His voice sounded extremely well except when he squeezed it over the pitch, but he did not seem entirely sure of the notes.

The rest of the cast was familiar – Leonard Warren, Nicola Moscona (in splendid voice), Norman Scott, Thelma Votipka, Jean Madeira, and a standard lineup of courtiers. Alberto Erede conducted.



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