[Met Concert or Gala] CID:186510



Gala Performance
Metropolitan Opera House, Wed, December 14, 1960




Gala Performance



Metropolitan Opera House
December 14, 1960
Benefit for the Employees' Welfare Fund

GALA PERFORMANCE

Nabucco: Overture
Conductor...............George Schick


Don Carlo: Act III, Scene 1

Elisabeth of Valois.....Mary Curtis-Verna
Rodrigo.................Frank Guarrera
Princess Eboli..........Irene Dalis
Philip II...............Cesare Siepi
Grand Inquisitor........William Wilderman
Count of Lerma..........Paul Franke

Conductor...............Kurt Adler

Director................Margaret Webster
Staged by...............Nathaniel Merrill
Designer................Rolf Gérard


Madama Butterfly: Act II

Cio-Cio-San.............Renata Tebaldi
Suzuki..................Rosalind Elias
Sharpless...............Clifford Harvuot
Goro....................Alessio De Paolis
Yamadori................George Cehanovsky
Dolore..................Gloria Kapilow

Conductor...............Jean Morel

Director................Yoshio Aoyama
Designer................Motohiro Nagasaka


Oberon: Ocean thou mighty monster
Eileen Farrell

Prince Igor: No sleep, no rest
George London

Conductor...............Ignace Strasfogel


Luisa Miller: Quando le sere al placido
Jan Peerce

Rigoletto: Caro nome
Lily Pons [Last appearance]

Giuditta: Meine Lippen sie küssen so heiss
Leonie Rysanek

New Moon: Wanting you
Elisabeth Söderström
Frank Guarrera

Conductor...............Martin Rich


Mefistofele: L'altra notte
Licia Albanese

Andrea Chénier: Final Duet
Zinka Milanov
Richard Tucker

Conductor...............Fausto Cleva


Der Zigeunerbaron: Wherever I roam
Nicolai Gedda
Metropolitan Opera Chorus
Ignace Strasfogel, Conductor

[English text by Maurice Valency, third verse by John Gutman.]

There was one Gala Performance this season.






Don Carlo: Act III, Scene 1
Madama Butterfly: Act II
Oberon: Ocean thou mighty monster
Eileen Farrell
Prince Igor: No sleep, no rest
George London
Luisa Miller: Quando le sere al placido
Jan Peerce
Rigoletto: Caro nome
Lily Pons [Last appearance
Giuditta: Meine Lippen sie küssen so heiss
Leonie Rysanek
New Moon: Wanting you
Elisabeth Söderström
Frank Guarrera
Mefistofele: L'altra notte
Licia Albanese
Andrea Chénier: Final Duet
Zinka Milanov
Richard Tucker
Der Zigeunerbaron: Wherever I roam
Nicolai Gedda
Metropolitan Opera Chorus
Ignace Strasfogel, Conductor
English text by Maurice Valency, third verse by John Gutman.
There was one Gala Performance this season.

Review 1:

Review of Wriston Locklair in the February 1961 issue of Musical America

The aftermath of a 17-inch snowfall did not deter a huge audience from sloshing its way to the Metropolitan Opera House for a three-part gala performance on Dec. 14. Proceeds from the event, which exceeded $45,000 went in the Employees' Welfare Fund.

With 17 of the company's major singers putting in an appearance, excitement was high. The first ovation was for Renata Tebaldi, who made her first appearance of the season singing Cio-Cio-San in the second act of Puccini's "Madama Butterfly." She seemed nervous and tense during the first 15 minutes or so of the scene. "Un bel di" found her a beat or two ahead of the orchestra, but she was in good form from then on, especially in the gorgeous duet with Suzuki, appealingly sung by Rosalind Elias. Others in this act were Clifford Harvuot, Alessio De Paolis, George Cehanovsky and Gloria Hapilow. Jean Morel conducted.

An affectionate greeting was extended to Lily Pons as she was led down a staircase to participate in the finale of the program. Miss Pons, who has not been heard at the Met in three seasons, offered "Caro nome" from Rigoletto. Eileen Farrell brought a roar of cheers for her singing of "Ocean, thou mighty monster" from Weber's "Oberon."

Other singers heard in arias or duets were George London, Jan Peerce, Leonie Rysanek, Elizabeth Soederstroem. Frank Guarrera (substituting for the indisposed Robert Merrill), Licia Albanese, Zinka Milanov, Richard Tucker and Nicolai Gedda, who sang an excerpt from "Gypsy Baron."

The long evening began with Act III, Scene I from Don Carlo with Cesare Sicpi, William Wilderman, Mary Curtis-Verna, Irene Dalis, Frank Guarrera and Paul Franke. Kurt Adler conducted.

Others in the pit during the program included Ignace Strasfogel, Martin Rich, Fausto Cleva and George Schick.



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