[Met Performance] CID:186750
Boris Godunov {159} Matinee Broadcast ed. Metropolitan Opera House: 01/7/1961., Broadcast
(Broadcast
Review)
Metropolitan Opera House
January 7, 1961 Matinee Broadcast
In English
BORIS GODUNOV {159}
Boris Godunov...........George London
Prince Shuisky..........Norman Kelley
Pimen...................Giorgio Tozzi
Grigory.................Brian Sullivan
Marina..................Mignon Dunn
Rangoni.................Kim Borg
Varlaam.................Ezio Flagello
Simpleton...............Paul Franke
Nikitich................Louis Sgarro
Mitiukha................Thomas Powell
Woman...................Thelma Votipka
Shchelkalov.............Calvin Marsh
Innkeeper...............Martha Lipton [Last performance]
Missail.................Charles Anthony
Officer.................Osie Hawkins
Xenia...................Teresa Stratas
Feodor..................Helen Vanni
Nurse...................Margaret Roggero
Khrushchov..............Anthony Balestrieri
Lavitsky................John Trehy
Chernikovsky............Hal Roberts
Boyar in Attendance.....Robert Nagy
Dance...................William Burdick
Conductor...............Erich Leinsdorf
Review of Martin Bernheimer in the New York Herald Tribune
'Boris Godunov' Is Presented At the Met
Unexpected cast-shuffling brought two familiar artists unfamiliar assignments in the season's final "Boris Godunov" at the Metropolitan Saturday afternoon. Mignon Dunn, who had been scheduled to sing the nurse, was promoted to Marina in place of the indisposed Blanche Thebom. Another switch involved Margaret Roggero, who took over the part vacated by Miss Dunn. (Miss Roggero usually portrays the Czar's son Feodor in the Moussorgsky opera, but she had not been scheduled to do so in this performance). A third replacement was Ezio Flagello, who returned to the role of Varlaam, deputizing for Lorenzo Alvary.
Miss Dunn's Marina was handsome in appearance and exceptionally opulent vocally. The young contralto can still refine her interpretation - at present it is somewhat overdrawn, and her enunciation of the English text is not always clear. But these points may be overlooked due to the emergency conditions. Miss Dunn's Marina is already unusually persuasive and, with added experience, could be ideal.
Miss Roggero might have given the old nurse (which lies rather low for her) a more pointed characterization. Nevertheless, she carried off the character part with the skill and authority one has come to expect from her, and is to be thanked for avoiding caricature.
George London repeated his powerful Boris, and Giorgio Tozzi was again the especially moving Pimen. Others in the lengthy cast included Helen Vanni, Teresa Stratas, Norman Kelley, Brian Sullivan, and Kim Borg. Erich Leinsdorf conducted.