[Met Performance] CID:243820



Fidelio
Metropolitan Opera House, Fri, January 2, 1976

Debut : John Mauceri




Fidelio (132)
Ludwig van Beethoven | Joseph Sonnleithner
Leonore
Gwyneth Jones

Florestan
Jess Thomas

Don Pizarro
Donald McIntyre

Rocco
John Macurdy

Marzelline
Judith Blegen

Jaquino
Kenneth Riegel

Don Fernando
James Morris

First Prisoner
Douglas Ahlstedt

Second Prisoner
Arthur Thompson

Captain
Harold Sternberg


Conductor
John Mauceri [Debut]


Production
Otto Schenk

Designer
Boris Aronson





The performance is dedicated to the memory of Bruno Walter on the occasion of the hundredth anniversary of his birth this year, September 15, 1976. The Metropolitan Opera is deeply grateful to the Bruno Walter Foundation for its generous contribution.
Fidelio received eleven performances this season.

Review 1:

Review of John Rockwell in The New York Times

The Metropolitan Opera's current production of Beethoven's "Fidelio' which the company revived Friday night, dates back to Dec. 16, 1970, the 200th anniversary of the composer's birth.

The production - directed by Otto Schenk and designed by Boris Aronson - kicked around the repertory for two seasons, with singers and conductors shuttling in and out in typical Met manner. The present performances, the first since the spring tour of 1972, were originally meant as a reinfusion of glamour into the proceedings, with Leonard Bernstein conducting. But then a projected recording fell through, and Mr. Bernstein, complaining too little rehearsal time, pulled out.

His replacement is John Mauceri, who had been scheduled to lead a few of the later performances. Mr. Mauceri is a Bernstein protégé and served until recently as conductor of Yale University's orchestra. On the whole Mr. Mauceri does an entirely creditable job. There are signs of immaturity - some mannered tempo contrasts with rushed, slightly uncontrolled allegros: sloppy intonation; and overall lack of strong personality. But there are long stretches of welcome lyrical flow too, and the exciting moments don't lack for drama. The shaping of the whole final scene, with David Stivender's excellent chorus, seemed especially winning.



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