Metropolitan Opera Archives

Review 1:

Review of Jack Diether in Musical America
Only three days after his exciting Metropolitan debut in “Cosi tan tutte,” John Alexander was dramatically called in to replace Nicolai Gedda in the role
Hoffmann in Offenbach's opera. Thus, his solid New York musical stage training enabled Mr. Alexander to become all in one week a Metropolitan star of brilliant expectations.

His Hoffmann was easy and relaxed at the beginning, and rose effortlessly to the peaks of romantic irony uniquely afforded by this work, starting with his sardonic “Légende de Klein zach.” The voice was strong, with ringing high tones, yet always lyric. He made no attempt to dominate the bizarre events in an obtrusive manner. But permitted fate and the sinister Mr. London always to have the last word.

The Canadian contralto Gladys Kriese had to content herself with a less auspicious debut, singing only in ensemble with Mr. London and Miss Amara, but acquitting herself well.

Mignon Dunn was a fascinatingly slithery Giulietta. She slithered with her voice as well as with her long legs supplying an unusually good measure of the sex appeal in which the opera as a whole is singularly short (always excepting the implied proximity of La Stella).

Joan Wall was a suitably straight forward counterpart to the poet as his faithful friend, and the other faces were familiar.

Search by season: 1961-62

Search by title: Les Contes d'Hoffmann,

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