[Met Performance] CID:186770



La Bohème
Metropolitan Opera House, Mon, January 9, 1961




La Bohème (586)
Giacomo Puccini | Luigi Illica/Giuseppe Giacosa
Mimì
Renata Tebaldi

Rodolfo
Richard Tucker

Musetta
Elisabeth Söderström

Marcello
Frank Guarrera

Schaunard
Clifford Harvuot

Colline
Cesare Siepi

Benoit
Fernando Corena

Alcindoro
Lorenzo Alvary

Parpignol
Hal Roberts

Sergeant
Lloyd Strang

Officer
John Frydel


Conductor
Thomas Schippers







Review 1:

Review of John Gruen in the New York Herald Tribune

A New Musetta in 'La Bohème' At the Met

Puccini's "La Bohème" was repeated Monday night at the Metropolitan Opera. Making her first appearance in the role of Musetta was Elizabeth Söderström. Also listed as this season's firsts were Frank Guarrera as Marcello; Clifford Harvout as Schaunard; Fernando Corena as Benoit and Lorenzo Alvary as Alcindoro. Renata Tebaldi repeated her affecting Mimi and Richard Tucker was the excellent Rodolfo. Thomas Schippers again conducted the orchestra.

Miss Söderström's Musetta was realized with appropriate liveliness and coquettishness. While she threw herself into the role with splendid good spirits, it cannot be said that her voice quite matched the animated quality of her characterization. Of generally light texture, the soprano's voice could not always be heard above the orchestra and her diction fell short of its mark, There were, to be sure, some exhilarating high notes that rang true and clear, but a richness of volume and tonal variety were absent during most of her "Waltz" scene and during the quartet of Act III.

The Messrs. Guarrera, Harvout, Corena and Alvary acquitted themselves admirably in their respective roles.



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