Metropolitan Opera Archives

Unexpected cast-shuffling brought two familiar artists unfamiliar assignments in the season's final "Boris Godunov" at the Metropolitan Saturday afternoon. Mignon Dunn, who had been scheduled to sing the nurse, was promoted to Marina in place of the indisposed Blanche Thebom. Another switch involved Margaret Roggero, who took over the part vacated by Miss Dunn. (Miss Roggero usually portrays the Czar's son Feodor in the Moussorgsky opera, but she had not been scheduled to do so in this performance). A third replacement was Ezio Flagello, who returned to the role of Varlaam, deputizing for Lorenzo Alvary.

Miss Dunn's Marina was handsome in appearance and exceptionally opulent vocally. The young contralto can still refine her interpretation - at present it is somewhat overdrawn, and her enunciation of the English text is not always clear. But these points may be overlooked due to the emergency conditions. Miss Dunn's Marina is already unusually persuasive and, with added experience, could be ideal.

Miss Roggero might have given the old nurse (which lies rather low for her) a more pointed characterization. Nevertheless, she carried off the character part with the skill and authority one has come to expect from her, and is to be thanked for avoiding caricature.

George London repeated his powerful Boris, and Giorgio Tozzi was again the especially moving Pimen. Others in the lengthy cast included Helen Vanni, Teresa Stratas, Norman Kelley, Brian Sullivan, and Kim Borg. Erich Leinsdorf conducted.

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