[Met Performance] CID:54620



Die Walk?re
Metropolitan Opera House, Sat, February 15, 1913




Die Walk?re (156)
Richard Wagner | Richard Wagner
Br?nnhilde
Margarete Matzenauer

Siegmund
Jacques Urlus

Sieglinde
Olive Fremstad

Wotan
Carl Braun

Fricka
Louise Homer

Hunding
Basil Ruysdael

Gerhilde
Bella Alten

Grimgerde
Florence Mulford

Helmwige
Lenora Sparkes

Ortlinde
Vera Curtis

Rossweisse
Rita Fornia

Schwertleite
Maria Duch?ne

Siegrune
Marie Mattfeld

Waltraute
Lila Robeson


Conductor
Alfred Hertz







Review 1:

Review of Max Smith in the Press

URLUS AS SIEGMUND IN "DIE WALKURE"

New Tenor Gives Inspiring Portrayal of Wagner's Role

BRAUN AS WOTAN GRIPS AUDIENCE

At popular prices Giulio Gatti-Casazza gave in the Metropolitan Opera House last night what proved to be, as he himself may have noted with surprise, the best performance of "Die Walkure" New Yorkers have heard since the Italian general manager took charge of operatic affairs in this city. The impressive results of the evening were due in large part to the appearance of Jacques Urlus as Siegmund, for the new tenor gave so inspiring a portrayal of that role, vocally and histrionically, that he not only cast a spell over the audience, but also over Alfred Hertz, the conductor, and the musicians in the orchestra, who put to their credit a performance of the first act such as one cannot recall in recent years.

Exigencies of time do not permit an adequate description of what Urlus accomplished last night. Briefly, however, it may be said that his singing had a lyric charm, a sensuous beauty and a refinement of nuance which are rarely bestowed on the heroic figures of Wagner's music dramas; also that his acting showed a refreshing departure from conventions and was characterized by penetrating intelligence, musical and dramatic insight, temperament and intensity of felling.

The other newcomer in the cast, Carl Braun, who impersonated Wotan, also made an excellent impression. Bruennhilde's impulsive father, as impersonated by the young basso, is more vibrant in action than any of his predecessors on the local lyric stage. The high-towering singer neither spared himself physically nor vocally in expressing the demi-god 's rage. But the unusual interpretation certainly gripped the listener. It also gripped Braun's throat before the final curtain.

Olive Fremstad as Sieglinde, Margaret Matzenauer as Bruennhilde, Basil Ruysdael as Hunding, Louse Homer as Fricka and the other singers in the cast contributed their familiar share to the success of the performance.



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