[Met Tour] CID:89620



Tristan und Isolde
Academy of Music, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Tue, March 3, 1925




Tristan und Isolde (166)
Richard Wagner | Richard Wagner
Tristan
Curt Taucher

Isolde
Nanny Lars?n-Todsen

Kurwenal
Friedrich Schorr

Brang?ne
Marion Telva

King Marke
Michael Bohnen

Melot
Arnold Gabor

Sailor's Voice/Shepherd
George Meader

Steersman
Louis D'Angelo


Conductor
Artur Bodanzky







Review 1:

Review in the Evening Bulletin

AT THE OPERA

''Tristan und Isolde' Given at the Academy of Music

A finely conceived and well executed performance of Wagner's love tragedy, "Tristan und Isolde," was given by the Metropolitan Opera Company at the Academy of Music last night. The occasion served as the Philadelphia debut of Nanny Larsen-Todsen, the Metropolitan's new Wagnerian soprano, in the role of Isolde.

It is improbable that any voice can fully meet the demands of Wagner's marvelous but exciting music for Isolde. The perfect Isolde would have among other things the smooth legato of a lyric soprano with an immeasurable reserve where with to meet the tremendous climaxes when her voice is pitted against the full orchestra. Mme. Larsen-Todsen displayed a fluent voice, fine phrasing and the ability to spin out her tone in the sustained passages. There was occasionally a hint of stridency in her upper tones. Histrionically she made Isolde a creature of spirit and fire which served to heighten the character so that the beautiful "Liebestod" at the end became richly effective.

The Brang?ne of Marion Telva was excellently done with clear tone, flexibility and a sensitive responsiveness to the emotional demands. Curt Taucher was a satisfactory Tristan - though the terrific tessitura seemed at times beyond the compass of his voice. His high tones lacked fullness, but he sang well in the second act love duet with Isolde and gave a convincing stage portrayal of the "enchanted knight."

George Meader as the Sailor's Voice was notably fine and both Michael Bohnen as King Mark and Friedrich Schorr as Kurvenal were excellent. Bohnen's bass was richly eloquent in his second act reproach of Tristan and his bearing was majestic.

The stage settings, evidently new, were among the best that have been seen in opera this winter, particularly the first act aboard ship and the third act with its long stretch of castle walls arranged at an angle so as to give a remarkable illusion of massiveness and distance. The lighting effects also were very good.

But the finest thing about the performance was the eloquent reading given by Artur Bodanzky, a conductor who knows and loves the music of Wagner. All of the beauties of the score were brought into glowing life by his baton with a skill that combined scholarly understanding with a fiery devotion.



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