[Met Performance] CID:70180
Madama Butterfly {124} Matinee ed. Metropolitan Opera House: 11/28/1918.
(Review)
Metropolitan Opera House
November 28, 1918 Matinee
MADAMA BUTTERFLY {124}
Cio-Cio-San.............Geraldine Farrar
Pinkerton...............Paul Althouse
Suzuki..................Rita Fornia
Sharpless...............Antonio Scotti
Goro....................Angelo Badà
Bonze...................Carl Schlegel
Yamadori................Pietro Audisio
Kate Pinkerton..........Minnie Egener
Commissioner............Louis D'Angelo
Yakuside................Francesco Cerri
Conductor...............Roberto Moranzoni
Review (unsigned) in the Herald
Miss Farrar as Butterfly Wins Holiday Audience
Sings and Acts with Admirable Art
The special Thanksgiving matinee of "Madama Butterfly," sung for the first time this season at the Metropolitan yesterday, attracted a very large and demonstrative audience. The performance justified the enthusiasm and, as is so often of late, it has been possible to praise Miss Geraldine Farrar so unreservedly.
The American prima donna sang and acted the part of Cio-Cio-San with a depth of feeling and sincerity such as made it a memorable impersonation. Her voice of late has not been in its best condition, but yesterday there were no signs of the wear and tear which may have resulted from her labors in other fields of professional activity. There were no harsh, shrill notes, but an even, unforced tone of real beauty that made one hope that Miss Farrar will abandon the artificialities and extravagances which too often mar her other impersonations.
Miss Farrar had admirable support from Paul Althouse as Pinkerton, although in the first act he sang with some lack of sentiment and a comparatively colorless tone. But in the last act he rose in his music and the spirit of the scene, and sang with fine fervor in the duet with Sharpless, who found as usual, an ideal impersonator in Mr. Scotti.
Miss Rita Fornia supplied a sympathetic representation of Suzuki and sang extremely well, especially in the duet with Miss Farrar in the third act. The opera was staged with the usual charm and attention to detail, and Robert Moranzoni conducted with a watchfulness and knowledge which led all to unqualified success.
Incidentally Miss Farrar made a neat catch of a bouquet thrown to her from the upper balcony, such as would have delighted the heart of her baseball expert father.