Metropolitan Opera Archives

Sandor Konya sang the role of Dick Johnson last night at the Metropolitan Opera's subscription performance of Puccini's "La Fanciulla del West." This was the Hungarian tenor's second role of the season, the first having been a highly laudable Lohengrin, Moving from the Teutonic waters of Wagner to the glowing and impassioned world of Puccini caused not the slightest alteration in Mr. Konya's power to hold fast to a role and make it a convincing and forceful characterization.

His voice is an instrument of many shades. It is of a size that encompasses a whole spectrum of dynamics. It can soar with intensity or spin and weave softly in any register. Last year the tenor performed the role in San Francisco in his American operatic debut, thus a familiarity with the character aided in making his a most flowing performance. If fault can be found, it would be in terms of an exaggeration of gestures and an over-abundance of posturing that seemed out of place in a "strong man of the American West."

Also appearing as firsts were Osie Hawkins as Happy and Roald Reitan as Larkens. They both acquitted themselves admirably in their respective roles. Dorothy Kirsten was the effectual Minnie; Anselmo Colzani was Jack Rance, and Fausto Cleva was the conductor.

Search by season: 1961-62

Search by title: La Fanciulla del West,

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