[Met Performance] CID:127240
Tosca {246} Metropolitan Opera House: 12/16/1939.
(Review)
Metropolitan Opera House
December 16, 1939
TOSCA {246}
Puccini-Illica/Giacosa
Tosca...................Irene Jessner
Cavaradossi.............Charles Kullman
Scarpia.................Lawrence Tibbett
Sacristan...............Louis D'Angelo
Spoletta................Alessio De Paolis
Angelotti...............Norman Cordon
Sciarrone...............Wilfred Engelman
Shepherd................Irra Petina
Jailer..................Arnold Gabor
Conductor...............Gennaro Papi
Director................Désiré Defrère
Set designer............Mario Sala
Tosca received six performances this season.
Review signed "W" in Musical America
Puccini's 'Tosca' Returns
After three weeks of Puccini-less opera, the Metropolitan offered its patrons "Tosca" with Irene Jessner, Lawrence Tibbett and Charles Kullman in the leading roles on the evening of Dec. 16. The three principal singers, as Tosca, Scarpia and Cavaradossi were all in excellent voice and gave vital delineations of roles that are apt to seem a bit outmoded unless performed with something like a genius for acting. None of the artists may he said to possess sufficient stage presence to save the work from creaking, but the music, not the play's, the thing, and all concerned did Puccini's score justice.
Miss Jessner was a spirited heroine, and sang with expression, with conviction and, most important, with beauty of tone. In this she happily found her equal in Mr. Kullman's vigorous and dramatic Cavaradossi. He gave a properly Italianate performance, histrionically, as Tosca's lover, singing with intensity and imparting to the character something of the theatrical spirit necessary to its fullest realization. Mr. Tibbett as Scarpia, in excellent vocal estate, was dyed sufficiently deep as the villain of the piece and all collaborated smoothly in an effective performance. The members of the surrounding cast were capable and all discharged their vocal duties ably.