Metropolitan Opera Archives

The season's final performance of "Der Rosenkavalier" was signalized by Leonie Rysanek's first performance of the role of the Marschallin at the Metropolitan. There were also four seasonal "firsts". Hilde Güden (in her only appearance here this season), as Sophie; Rise Stevens, as Octavian; Martha Lipton, as Annina; and Albert Da Costa, as the Singer.

Be it said from the outset that Miss Rysanek had to contend with a singularly lackluster performance. Erich Leinsdorf, who had conducted the first performance of the season with such verve, merely waved his stick on this occasion, totally without inspiration. And Oscar Czerwenka, whose Ochs had possessed animation and vivid detail, went through this performance in an inexcusably careless fashion. Even his make-up was slipshod.

Nonetheless, Miss Rysanek wove a potent spell, and during the famous

monologue not a breath was to be heard in the house-always the acid test. Her fine-spun, transparent, incredibly delicate tones were exquisitely phrased and her diction was impeccable.

Psychologically, this is different from any Marschallin I have encountered. Miss Rysanek makes the woman very introspective-almost Stanislavskian-and we see her feelings by peering deep within-as if looking down a deep well. Once she realizes that it is "heute", not "morgen" that she must make her great renunciation, the Marschallin never emerges from her inner tragic quietness. I am afraid that the audience missed some of the subtlety of this conception, owing to the uninspired conducting and generally perfunctory atmosphere.

Miss Stevens has long been world-famous as Octavian. She was careful with her voice and knew just which phrases to bring out. Many of them were fresh and gleaming in quality. Octavian has matured a bit-but he is still an impetuous lover and impish in the last act.

Miss Güden's voice carved its accustomed silver arabesques with faultless line and shape. But on this occasion, one could scarcely say that she was much concerned with the role, dramatically. Sophie looked and acted as if this were her third or fourth wedding-not her first! Miss Lipton and Mr. Da Costa were both excellent. The real fault of this performance lay not with the singers but with the conductor. Please, Mr. Leinsdorf -you began so well!

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