[Met Performance] CID:42510



Le Villi
Pagliacci
Metropolitan Opera House, Sat, December 26, 1908 Matinee





Le Villi (2)
Giacomo Puccini | Ferdinando Fontana
Anna
Frances Alda

Roberto
Alessandro Bonci

Guglielmo Wulf
Pasquale Amato


Conductor
Arturo Toscanini



Pagliacci (76)
Ruggero Leoncavallo | Ruggero Leoncavallo
Nedda
Geraldine Farrar

Canio
Enrico Caruso

Tonio
Pasquale Amato

Silvio
Giuseppe Campanari

Beppe
Angelo Bad?


Conductor
Francesco Spetrino


Director
Jules Speck





Pagliacci received nine performances this season.
Insert in program:"Special Note: Mr. Campanari has consented to sing the role of Silvio to oblige the Management and strengthen the cast."

Review 1:

Review from unidentified New York newspaper

2 STARS, 2 OPERAS, FAIL TO FILL METROPOLITAN

Fear Caruso Won't Appear, Perhaps, Kept Crowd Away

YET HE DOES AND SINGS WELL

"I Pagliacci" was sung for the first time this season in the Metropolitan Opera House yesterday afternoon. But as the work had already been presented by Hammerstein's company it was not new in the current operatic repertory of New York City. The other offerings of the day comprised "Lucia di Lammermoor," the matinee offering in the Manhattan Opera House. "Samson et Delilah," repeated in the same place at night; "Le Villi," given in the double bill with "I Pagliacci," and "Tiefland," sung at popular prices by the Gatti-Casazza troup in the evening.

Owing perhaps to popular doubt that Caruso, recently so indisposed, would appear in "Pagliacci," as announced, the matinee crowds was not as large as it generally is when the Italian singer holds forth. Certainly it seems strange that every place should not have been occupied when the two greatest living tenors were to be heard on the same programme at regular prices. To be sure, "Le Villi" has not caught popular fancy so far, charming though it is. But Bonci impersonated the hero, and surely thousands of persons would travel hundreds of miles to hear that tenor sing, even if his partner in the cast, Miss Alda, did not exert strong fascination.

"Le Villi," which came first on the afternoon's bill, made much the same impression as at its first production. It is a prettily melodious work, charming and appealing, though at times somewhat cloying in sentiment. The opera was not presented as a message of genius, but as a pretty example of a famous composer's youthful effort, Aside from its historical interest, however, "Le Villi" has real merit and worth hearing at least once.

The performance on the whole showed improvement over the first one. Alda, to be sure was not as well disposed vocally in the first act as on her previous appearance in the role, but in the second act her voice lost some of its former stridency of timbre. Bonci gave far better satisfaction than before. One noted with satisfaction a wise moderation in his output of voice and a resulting greater steadiness of tone. When Bonci is at his best his singing is unique in its perfection of tone-formation and beauty of phrasing.

Amato repeated effectively the small role of the father. The dancing of the Villi was executed prettily and the chorus sang well. Toscanini, while giving quite an impressive performance of the score as before, kept his orchestra more subdued, and thus offered a less serious problem for the lyric singer.

Toscanini, who is now busily engaged in rehearsing novelties, did not conduct "Pagliacci." That was disappointing to many of his admirers. But the disappointment was lessened greatly by the unexpectedly good performance under Spetrino's baton. Decidedly it was the best achievement so far of this conductor. He kept his forces well in hand; there was no rhythmical unsteadiness, and the music moved along with vigor and enthusiasm.

Of course Caruso's performance of "Ridi Pagliaccio," superb still, though not quite as mellow of voice as in past years, was the climax of the representation. The tenor was recalled repeatedly. Except for s spell of unwonted vocal reserve at the beginning of the second act he showed no effects of his recent illness. Indeed, he sang perhaps more beautifully than at any other time this season. Geraldine Farrar gave an impersonation of Nedda familiar from last season. It seems at times exaggeratedly melodramatic in pose and gesture; but it is nevertheless an effective portrayal. Amato, who appeared for the first time as Tonio, earned tumultuous applause by his singing of the Prologue. He gave a good all-round interpretation of the slow-witted clown, but one that followed conventional patterns.

To oblige the management Campanari appeared as Silvio. The part, of course, offered no difficulties to the experienced baritone. Nevertheless, he sang flat more often than the ear could ignore. The management of the stage crowds was admirable. The chorus brought out new shadings in the music allotted to it.

Photograph of Pasquale Amato as Tonio in Pagliacci by Herman Mishkin.



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