[Met Performance] CID:164700
Don Giovanni {173} Metropolitan Opera House: 01/25/1954.
(Review)
Metropolitan Opera House
January 25, 1954
DON GIOVANNI {173}
Don Giovanni............Cesare Siepi
Donna Anna..............Margaret Harshaw
Don Ottavio.............Cesare Valletti
Donna Elvira............Eleanor Steber
Leporello...............Erich Kunz [Last performance]
Zerlina.................Roberta Peters
Masetto.................Lorenzo Alvary
Commendatore............Luben Vichey
Conductor...............Max Rudolf
Review signed C. B. in Musical America
Cesare Siepi sang his first Don of the season in this performance. His portrayal was entirely sympathetic; it was not the shallowly extraverted characterization often seen on the Metropolitan stage, but subdued, intelligently oriented towards the work's tragic overtones, and for that reason moving in its eventual capitulation. The supporting cast was vocally distinguished only in the Donna Anna of Margaret Harshaw and the Don Ottavio of Cesare Valletti and, aside from their big arias, the tedium at the evening remained virtually unbroken. One rarely felt the unity of ensemble playing that this opera requires in its secondary roles. Max Rudolf's conducting was uninspired, and only routine performances were offered by Eleanor Steber, the Donna Elvira; Roberta Peters, the Zerlina; and Erich Kunz, the Leporello.