[Met Performance] CID:180460



La Bohème
Metropolitan Opera House, Fri, December 12, 1958




La Bohème (559)
Giacomo Puccini | Luigi Illica/Giuseppe Giacosa
Mimì
Renata Tebaldi

Rodolfo
Eugenio Fernandi

Musetta
Heidi Krall

Marcello
Mario Zanasi

Schaunard
George Cehanovsky

Colline
Nicola Moscona

Benoit
Ezio Flagello

Alcindoro
Alessio De Paolis

Parpignol
Frank D'Elia

Sergeant
Carlo Tomanelli

Officer
Sam Sternberg


Conductor
Thomas Schippers







Review 1:

Review of Jules Franz Simek in Musical America
A performance that breathed high-class artistry, imagination, and true Puccinian piquancy set a perfect frame for Renata Tebaldi's first Mimi of the season. A very inspired Thomas Schippers paced the score with genuine sweep and delicacy, and even the climactic moments in the second act — not always given full justice in Mr. Schippers' conception — foamed with excitement and animation.

Miss Tebaldi's extremely detailed histrionic portrayal was matched by the beauty of her vocalism. Appropriately tempered in dynamics yet employing the natural brilliance of her voice, her "Mi chiamano Mimi" was a lecture in transparent, graceful phrasing and purity of tone production. Although she drew this most beloved [of] Puccini's characters in softest pastel colors, there was infinite variety and completeness in her characterization, and the underlying pathos of her farewell in the third act made this scene a soul-stirring experience.

Her performance seemed to inspire all of her colleagues: Eugenio Fernandi, aside from a few flat tones here and there, sang Rodolfo with great feeling and glistening bel canto; Heidi Krall was a delightfully capricious Musetta (but she should not run around barefoot on Christmas Eve); Mario Zanasi has perfected his portrayal of Marcello to a point where it is difficult to imagine a better interpreter of the role; and Nicola Moscona, who appeared for the first time as Colline this season, rendered his "Vecchia zimmarra semi" with refined restraint and conviction.

All the performers of lesser parts — George Cehanovsky, Ezio Flagello, Frank D'Elia, Alessio De Paolis, Carlo Tomanelli, and Sam Sternberg—deserve collective praise for helping to make the evening truly memorable.


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