[Met Performance] CID:136050
La Forza del Destino {54} Matinee Broadcast ed. Metropolitan Opera House: 11/27/1943., Broadcast
(Debut: Frederick Lechner
Broadcast.
Review )
Metropolitan Opera House
November 27, 1943 Matinee Broadcast
LA FORZA DEL DESTINO {54}
Giuseppe Verdi--Francesco Maria Piave
Leonora.................Stella Roman
Don Alvaro..............Frederick Jagel
Don Carlo...............Lawrence Tibbett
Padre Guardiano.........Ezio Pinza
Preziosilla.............Anna Kaskas
Fra Melitone............Salvatore Baccaloni
Marquis de Calatrava....Frederick Lechner [Debut]
Curra...................Thelma Votipka
Mayor...................Lorenzo Alvary
Trabuco.................Alessio De Paolis
Surgeon.................John Gurney
Dance...................Nina Youskevitch
Dance...................Alexis Dolinoff
Dance...................Michael Arshansky
Conductor...............Bruno Walter
Director................Herbert Graf
Set designer............Ernest M. Gros
Set designer............James Fox
Set designer............Joseph Novak
Costume designer........Witold Gordon
Choreographer...........Laurent Novikoff
La Forza del Destino received four performances this season.
[Gros designed the sets for the Church of the Madonna, the encampment and the Cloister of the Madonna; the other sets were created by scenic artist J. Fox; J. Novak painted a vista of classical ruins inserted as a backdrop for the encampment scene.]
Review of Leonard Liebling in the Musical Courier
"La Forza del Destino" under Walter
The November 27 Saturday matinée of the Verdi musical melodrama presented much excellent singing and acting as credible as possible with such a fustian and unconvincing libretto. Stella Roman did the chief soprano role, and with telling vocalism on the whole, although there was too much use of pianissimo and head tones. Lawrence Tibbett made an imposing picture of the somber vengeful Don Carlos, and delivered his music with utmost meaning and artistic taste. His big duet with Frederick Jagel (Alvaro) found him matching that tenor in fullness and ring of utterance. Ezio Pinza was a towering and dignified Abbott. Frederich Lechner made his local debut, and as the Marquis revealed a useful voice. Salvatore Baccoloni ran away with the comedy of the opera, and his Friar Melitone had rollicking humor and ideally purposed singing. Anna Kaskas somewhat overdid the impetuosity of Preziosilla. Bruno Walter let the welkin ring with his orchestra and emphasized all the fine frenzies and lyric sobs of the score. After the second act overture the auditors were amused when a lone stentorian voice in the balcony, shouted "Bravo Bruno."