[Met Performance] CID:143790
Le Nozze di Figaro {96} Metropolitan Opera House: 01/24/1947.
(Review)
Metropolitan Opera House
January 24, 1947
LE NOZZE DI FIGARO {96}
Figaro..................Martial Singher
Susanna.................Bidú Sayao
Count Almaviva..........John Brownlee
Countess Almaviva.......Eleanor Steber
Cherubino...............Jarmila Novotna
Dr. Bartolo.............Salvatore Baccaloni
Marcellina..............Claramae Turner
Don Basilio.............Alessio De Paolis
Antonio.................Lorenzo Alvary
Barbarina...............Mimi Benzell
Don Curzio..............Leslie Chabay
Peasant.................Thelma Altman
Peasant.................Maxine Stellman
Dance...................Julia Barashkova
Dance...................Lola Michel
Dance...................William Sarazen
Dance...................Josef Carmassi
Conductor...............Fritz Busch
Review of Olin Downes in The New York Times
SINGHER IS FIGARO 1ST TIME THIS YEAR
Takes Title Role in Mozart Opera at the Metropolitan - Miss Turner Is Marcellina
Important changes in the cast of "Nozze di Figaro" last night in the Metropolitan Opera House were those of Martial Singher, who made his first appearance there this season as Figaro, and Claramae Turner's first Marcellina. The performance was smooth in its stage business and sure and lively in the ensembles.
Mr. Singher was in excellent voice and his tone quality has gained in richness and resonance. He drew his character carefully, somewhat too carefully, for this Figaro had not the measure of spontaneity and exuberance which we associate with the figure.
Miss Turner was amusing and she has a voice of uncommon capacities; but the music does not lie too well for her. The other principal impersonations were repetitions of tasks well performed and acclaimed by the audience: Eleanor Steber's Countess, sung with feeling and style; the polish and authority of John Brownlee's Almaviva; Jarmilla Novotna's Cherubino, warm and impetuous, but not at all hesitant or as naive and "jeune" as it might be. See also Bidu Sayao's charming and finished Susanna; Salvatore Baccaloni, corpulent and funny enough though he has "fatter" roles; and the sycophancy and malice, which always delight us, of Alessio de Paolis' Basilio, Lorenzo Alvary makes much in the grotesque vein of the minor role of Antonio the gardener.
Fritz Busch conducted with mastery and gusto. These are pros and cons of the occasion, negligible by the side of the fact that thousands of people, last night, left the outside world behind them, and entered Mozart's magic realm.