[Met Performance] CID:140090
Tosca {270} Metropolitan Opera House: 12/5/1945.
(Review)
Metropolitan Opera House
December 5, 1945
TOSCA {270}
Puccini-Illica/Giacosa
Tosca...................Grace Moore
Cavaradossi.............Jussi Björling
Scarpia.................Lawrence Tibbett
Sacristan...............Salvatore Baccaloni
Spoletta................Alessio De Paolis
Angelotti...............Lorenzo Alvary
Sciarrone...............George Cehanovsky
Shepherd................Mona Paulee
Jailer..................John Baker
Conductor...............Cesare Sodero
Director................Lothar Wallerstein
Set designer............Mario Sala, Act II
Set designer............Joseph Novak, Acts I, III
Tosca received six performances this season.
Review of Mark A Schubart in The New York Times
'Tosca at Metropolitan'
The first "Tosca" 'of the season was, on the whole, a good one. It reflected credit on the Metropolitan's ability to put on a dramatic show, which is as it should be. For "Tosca" is first and foremost a melodrama. Its music is the vehicle for abrupt and ever-changing passions and the bel canto of earlier Italian styles of operatic writing is left far behind. It has only a few brief moments of sustained song and most of these are much too turbulent to be classified as arias. The rest of the vocal writing is made up largely of short outbursts of musical speech, with most of the dominating melodies assigned to the orchestra. Under these circumstances, it is obvious that a dramatic performance of "Tosca" can survive a great deal of vocal incompetence and that the reverse is less likely to be so.
Not that last night's performance was totally lacking in vocal skill. Miss Moore achieved one of her better performances of recent years. Her voice sounded strong and full and was heard clearly through Puccini's orchestral outbursts. The "Vissi d'arte," of course, brought her the biggest ovation of the evening and deservedly so.
Mr. Bjoerling's Cavadarossi -- his first at the Metropolitan - was something of a disappointment. Though his voice was used tastefully, as always, it appeared to be too small and he seemed to have to force it many times during the evening. The "Recondita armonia" was among his more successful efforts. Mr. Tibbett, too, seemed to have difficulty making himself heard, though he made as imposing and villainous a Scarpia as one could wish for.
Among the minor roles, Mr. Baccaloni delighted the audience (and this reviewer) with his droll version of the sacristan, while Mr. Alvary was a properly harassed Angelotti. Mr. Sodero's direction was energetic and secure and credit for the excellent synchronization between score and stage business belongs to him.