[Met Performance] CID:189920



La Forza del Destino
Metropolitan Opera House, Sat, January 20, 1962




La Forza del Destino (104)
Giuseppe Verdi | Francesco Maria Piave
Leonora
Eileen Farrell

Don Alvaro
Jan Peerce

Don Carlo
Anselmo Colzani

Padre Guardiano
Jerome Hines

Preziosilla
Joan Wall

Fra Melitone
Salvatore Baccaloni

Marquis de Calatrava
Louis Sgarro

Curra
Carlotta Ordassy

Trabuco
Andrea Velis

Surgeon
George Cehanovsky


Conductor
George Schick







Review 1:

Review of Judith Robison in the New York Herald Tribune

The Metropolitan Opera's fourth production of Verdi's "La Forza del Destino" Saturday evening was unexpectedly studded with four New York debuts in the opera. Veteran tenor Jan Peerce was heard for the first time in the role of Don Alvaro and sang in the grand Verdi style, full of sobs, sighs, and sentiment, succeeding in transforming the character's rather cardboard psychology into a dynamo of energy and passion. The role of his opposite, Don Carlo, was undertaken by baritone Anselmo Colzani, replacing Mario Sereni. Although Mr. Colzani's voice was resonant and imposing, his personification seemed too phlegmatic for the hot-blooded Spanish Don, and he inclined toward stubborn nastiness rather than aristocratic temper.

Among the minor roles, Andrea Velis sang his first Trabucco with fine, controlled characterization and amusing "antique" voice, while Joan Wall replaced Helen Vanni as the gay, vocally agile Preziosilla. The unbelievable plot as a whole was considerably aided by lyrical, evocative conducting from George Schick, and the old chestnut, in spite of conspicuous cuts, wound up as quite exciting theater.



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