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[Met Tour] CID:94750



Cavalleria Rusticana
Pagliacci
Brooklyn Academy of Music, New York, Brooklyn, Tue, December 28, 1926









Review 1:

Review in the Brooklyn Standard Union

Jeritza at the Academy

Jeritza night, an annual Brooklyn feature of the Metropolitan Opera Company's visits to this borough, was held at the Academy of Music last evening. The opera house was crowded, as usual upon the occasion, despite dank weather and perilous footing. Up to a very late afternoon hour there had been reports of Mme. Jeritza's possible non-appearance because of her high temperature (the official figures were 104), the result of a cold contracted from the tenor Taucher during a recent performance of "Siegfried." [sic] The Metropolitan management had their new soprano, Elda Vettori, held in readiness for substitution. But Spartan Jeritza has never missed a performance in New York City since that triumphant first night at the Metropolitan. Which fact recalls her Brooklyn recital appearance of last spring, when rather than disappoint an audience of 2,800 because of a wrenched ankle, she bravely chose to face severe physical pain as alternative to a postponement.

At the Academy last night there was another opera besides that in which Mme. Jeritza sang, and several other well known opera singers, a new Italian conductor, the usual large chorus, orchestra, scenic sets by Novak, stage management, and last, but by no means least, numerous prominent personalities of the audience itself, Above these many interesting attractions, however, the outstanding feature of the evening was Jeritza, her incomparable self.

Lest to be overlooked, it is appropriate to here mention Mr. Bellezza's conducting of the two scores, altogether an exceedingly vivid and forceful reading that missed no detail of instrumentation or choral part writing.

Jeritza, magnificent artist that she is, singer sublime, actress superb, infuses the role of Santuzza with dramatic fervor and intensity to the nth degree. This Santuzza, however, does not represent nor is it Sicilian (one recalls Raisa and Ponselle). Jeritza's bearing and appearance are northern and not of the south. Had the plot of "Cavalleria" been laid in Milan her impersonation would then be a perfect piece of work. The Jeritza characterization is permeated with external theatricalism - and does not take on the suppressed, smoldering love, hatred and revenge of the south of Italy.

Jeritza's voice is brilliant silver in polish and glittering perfection, a remarkable vocal organ. But she made the timbre, color and dramatic values as in "Tosca" and the vocal colors should be wiped clean from the Tosca palette to give an authentic southern hue and tinge to Santuzza.

Mr. Fullin, the tenor of "Pagliacci," is young and his work partakes of youthfulness and inexperience. The part of Canio calls not only for great singing, but for dramatic assumption that embraces the entire gamut of histrionic art. Mr. Fullin as yet does not measure up to these exacting requirement. His voice is pleasing with a certain amount of resonance and power. One feels that it has not yet attained its full maturity in vibrancy or mellowness.

Queena Mario is a sterling little actress and although her voice is not one of commanding eminence, it is always under sure control and shows the characteristic hallmarks of the trained singer and artist. The precision of attack, phrasing and general ensemble were brought to a perfection attained by few bodies. <./b>

Search by season: 1926-27

Search by title: Cavalleria Rusticana, Pagliacci,



Met careers

• Vincenzo Bellezza [Conductor]
• Maria Jeritza [Santuzza]
• Mario Chamlee [Turiddu]
• Dorothea Flexer [Lola]
• Mario Basiola [Alfio]
• Marie Mattfeld [Mamma Lucia]
• Queena Mario [Nedda]
• Vittorio Fullin [Canio]
• Lawrence Tibbett [Tonio]
• George Cehanovsky [Silvio]
• Alfio Tedesco [Beppe]