[Met Performance] CID:186050



Madama Butterfly
Metropolitan Opera House, Sat, October 29, 1960

Debut : Gabriella Tucci, Gloria Kapilow




Madama Butterfly (405)
Giacomo Puccini | Luigi Illica/ Giuseppe Giacosa
Cio-Cio-San
Gabriella Tucci [Debut]

Pinkerton
Carlo Bergonzi

Suzuki
Helen Vanni

Sharpless
Clifford Harvuot

Goro
Alessio De Paolis

Bonze
Osie Hawkins

Yamadori
George Cehanovsky

Dolore
Gloria Kapilow [Debut]

Kate Pinkerton
Joan Wall

Commissioner
Roald Reitan

Registrar
Kurt Kessler


Conductor
Jean Morel


Production
Yoshio Aoyama

Designer
Motohiro Nagasaka





Madama Butterfly received eleven performances this season.

Review 1:

Review of Rafael Kammerer in the December 1960 issue of Musical America

Several "firsts" marked the season's initial performance of this Puccini favorite, the most important of which was the New York operatic debut of the young Italian soprano, Gabriella Tucci, in the title role. Jean Morel, conducting the opera for the first time at The Metropolitan, and Helen Vanni, singing her first Suzuki with the company, were the others.

The Roman-born Miss Tucci, who made her American debut with the San Francisco Opera Company just a year ago and who has had eight years of operatic experience behind her in her native country, possesses, besides her personal attractiveness, a well-trained voice of velvety smoothness and excellent quality. She also proved to he an actress of stature whose mobile facial expressions and graceful bodily movements mirrored the emotional inflections of the role as readily as her voice did.

As the hapless Cio-Cio-San, she made the transition from the hopeful bride to the spurned wife and the final denouement with convincing naturalness and without resorting to the usual flutteritngs.

Helen Vanni's Suzuki was another distinguished characterization. By toning down the kow-towing of the role, she introduced a note of refreshing naturalness into the part that was both appealing and sympathy winning. Her acting was matched by her vocal achievement.

Although Mr. Bergonzi was in good vocal trim, he did not look or act the part of an American officer very convincingly. Mr. Harvuot's Sharpless was in every way an exemplary characterization. The other members of the well-chosen cast all turned in admirable performances.

Except for a few places where singers and orchestra were not together, and for a somewhat slow-paced first act. Mr. Morel had his forces under control and showed an evident sympathy for the score.



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