[Met Performance] CID:190130
La Traviata {461} Metropolitan Opera House: 02/10/1962.
(Review)
Metropolitan Opera House
February 10, 1962
LA TRAVIATA {461}
Giuseppe Verdi--Francesco Maria Piave
Violetta................Gabriella Tucci
Alfredo.................Dino Formichini
Germont.................Frank Guarrera
Flora...................Joan Wall
Gastone.................Gabor Carelli
Baron Douphol...........Calvin Marsh
Marquis D'Obigny........George Cehanovsky
Dr. Grenvil.............Louis Sgarro
Annina..................Mary Ellen Pracht
Giuseppe................William Zakariasen
Gardener................Vladimir Chistiakov
Conductor...............Ignace Strasfogel
Review of John Gruen in the New York Herald Tribune
Giuseppe Verdi's "La Traviata" received its sixth performance of the season Saturday night at the Metropolitan Opera. Making her first appearance in the role of Violetta was soprano Gabriella Tucci. It, was an appearance marked by uncommon vocal and interpretative artistry. Miss Tucci seems to have that rare ability of projecting a character so masterfully that one tends to forget that a diva is also singing a role and, as divas go, this is no mean feat.
Of course, the opera is replete with a spectrum of super-attenuated emotions. What was remarkable was that Miss Tucci made every one of these credible and touching. Her singing (and this seems to be a characteristic) does not assume its best qualities until she is well into a role. Thus "Fors' e Lui" and "Sempre Libera" suffered from vocal tensions, but thereafter the voice became sinuous and richly poetic in every range.
Dino Formichini was Alfredo, Calvin Marsh, the Marquis and Joan Wall was Flora Bervoix among the familiar cast. Ignace Strasfogel conducted a taut and balanced performance.