[Met Performance] CID:6800
Fidelio {19}
Ballet Divertissement. Metropolitan Opera House: 12/05/1888.
(Review)
Metropolitan Opera House
December 5, 1888
FIDELIO {19}
Beethoven-Sonnleithner/Breuning/Treitschke
Leonore.................Fanny Moran-Olden
Florestan...............Max Alvary
Don Pizarro.............Joseph Beck
Rocco...................Emil Fischer
Marzelline..............Katherine Senger-Bettaque
Jaquino.................Wilhelm Sedlmayer
Don Fernando............Alois Grienauer
First Prisoner..........William Cook
Second Prisoner.........Jean Doré
Conductor...............Anton Seidl
Director................Theodore Habelmann
Set Designer............Charles Fox, Jr.
Set Designer............William Schaeffer
Fidelio received three performances this season.
BALLET DIVERTISSEMENT
Invitation to the Dance {1}
C. M. Weber
Dance...................Etiènne Vergé
Dance...................Miss Louie
Dance...................Josefine Ambroggio
Conductor...............Anton Seidl
Choreographer...........Giovanni Ambroggio
French Minuet and Galop {1}
unknown
Conductor...............Anton Seidl
Choreographer...........Giovanni Ambroggio
Hermesschwingen Waltz {1}
unknown
Dance...................Etiènne Vergé
Dance...................Miss Louie
Dance...................Josefine Ambroggio
Conductor...............Anton Seidl
Choreographer...........Giovanni Ambroggio
The Ballet Divertissement received two performances this season.
Unsigned review in The New York Times
METROPOLITAN OPERA HOUSE.
Beethoven's "Fidelio" was presented at the Metropolitan Opera House before a remarkably large and brilliant audience last evening. The original announcement for the evening was Mozart's "Don Giovanni," but it was found impossible to prepare that and "L'Africaine" in one week, and consequently Beethoven's one opera was given. The production of a great master, working in an uncongenial field, in spite of the fact that its classical severity and the Doric simplicity of its solid orchestration are vastly different from the highly-colored works of more recent writers, maintains its hold on the public esteem. This is, no doubt, largely due to the nature of the subject, for the illustration of the faithful and heroic, devotion always awakens an answering chord in the human breast even in these days of fashionable indifference. Last evening's performance was in most respects commendable. Frau Moran-Olden has no small reputation in Germany for her Leonora. Her treatment of this noble character proved to be replete with sincerity, pathetic earnestness, and genuine dramatic force. The faults of the lady's vocalization have been heretofore noted. The chief of them is uncertainty of attack: She usually begins somewhat below or above the note aimed at, and reaches it by the employment of the portamento. Frequently she falls to reach the proper note, and hence sings out of tune. But for the most part her extraordinarily powerful voice does its work in a satisfactory manner. Herr Fischer's Rocco is so familiar that we need only note that he never played the part better than he did last evening. Fräulein Bettaque was a charming Marcellina and she sang her music exceedingly well. The fine quartet of the first act was beautifully rendered and had to be repeated in response to an imperative demand. Herr Beck sang and acted Pizzaro well and Herr Alvary was a successful Florestan, though he might have invested the rôle with more dignity. 'The chorus of prisoners in the first act did its work well and the performance was conducted with artistic care and feeling by Herr Seidl. After the opera a ballet divertissement was given by the well-trained dancers of the Opera House.