[Met Performance] CID:58360



Tosca
Metropolitan Opera House, Thu, December 17, 1914




Tosca (108)
Giacomo Puccini | Luigi Illica/Giuseppe Giacosa
Tosca
Geraldine Farrar

Cavaradossi
Giovanni Martinelli

Scarpia
Antonio Scotti

Sacristan
Robert Leonhardt

Spoletta
Angelo Bad?

Angelotti
Giulio Rossi

Sciarrone
Bernard B?gu?

Shepherd
Sophie Braslau

Jailer
Vincenzo Reschiglian


Conductor
Arturo Toscanini







Review 1:

Review in unidentified newspaper

"TOSCA" AT THE OPERA

Singers in Spite of Colds Acquit Themselves Well

Puccini's "Tosca," which was repeated at the Metropolitan Opera House last evening, received an excellent performance in spite of the effect of the weather on some of the singers. Both Miss Farrar and Mr. Scotti had nasal colds and, while their vocal cords were not badly affected, their singing mechanism was in a very uncertain condition. But they were able to perform their duties in such a way that probably very few, if any, in the audience suspected that they were not at their best.

At each reappearance of Miss Farrar as Tosca her improvement in the role impresses the observer. When she first essayed the impersonation of the Roman singer she fell far short of success. Not at all dismayed by the chorus of disapproval, she valiantly set to work to master the role and she now gives an impersonation of real merit. Some Toscas have been grande dames, but this one certainly is not. On the other hand, the personal charm of the delineation is persuasive and has a strong individuality.

Above all things, Miss Farrar makes very prominent the passionate love of the woman for Cavaradossi, a characteristic which the more aristocratic Toscas have not shown. Her denotement of the turbulent emotions of the second act is not wholly satisfying, but it is far from being ineffective. She was careful with her singing last night, and when she is careful she avoids some extravagances into which overconfidence sometimes leads her.

Mr. Scotti was the familiar Scarpia of many seasons. Mr. Martinelli again gave great pleasure by his admirable singing of the music of Cavaradossi. Mr. Toscanini, despite the fact that he had directed a full rehearsal of "Euryanthe" in the morning, conducted the performance with unflagging seal.



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