[Met Performance] CID:216310



Simon Boccanegra
Metropolitan Opera House, Thu, October 17, 1968

Debut : Rita Orlandi-Malaspina, Ann Florio, Rod MacWherter




Simon Boccanegra (54)
Giuseppe Verdi | Francesco Maria Piave/Arrigo Boito
Simon Boccanegra
Cornell MacNeil

Amelia
Rita Orlandi-Malaspina [Debut]

Gabriele Adorno
Richard Tucker

Jacopo Fiesco
Nicolai Ghiaurov

Paolo Albiani
Sherrill Milnes

Pietro
Paul Plishka

Maid
Ann Florio [Debut]

Captain
Rod MacWherter [Debut]


Conductor
Francesco Molinari-Pradelli


Production
Margaret Webster

Set Designer
Frederick Fox

Costume Designer
Motley

Stage Director
Nikolaus Lehnhoff





Simon Boccanegra received ten performances this season.

Review 1:

Review of Irving Kolodin in the November 2, 1964 issue of the Saturday

The evening was operatically rich on both sides of the Lincoln Center Plaza, as it also brought back the Metropolitan's solid production of Verdi's "Simon. Boccanegra." Even without such past performers as Tozzi, Siepi, and Hines, it was strongly cast with Nicolai Ghiaurov ( Fiesco) and Sherrill Milnes (Paolo) new in their roles, balanced by Cornell MacNeil (as Simon) and Richard Tucker (Gabriele). Much of their effort overlapped the happenings in the State Theater, but time and proximity permitted attention to the debut of Rita Orlandi as Amelia. Hers is not yet a diamond of a voice, however rough, but it is the kind of Italian talent one likes to welcome at the Met. That is, both voice and artistry are at the point where contact with demanding standards can smooth rough edges and refine a certain kind of artistic coarseness. There is no guarantee that such will be the ease, but the strength of Orlandi's sound, the fervor latent in its use, suggest a real spinto aptitude. Further comment on "Simon" and Francesco Molinari-Pradelli's conducting of it must await another occasion.



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