[Met Performance] CID:122540



Lohengrin
Metropolitan Opera House, Thu, January 13, 1938




Lohengrin (419)
Richard Wagner | Richard Wagner
Lohengrin
Lauritz Melchior

Elsa
Kirsten Flagstad

Ortrud
Marjorie Lawrence

Telramund
Julius Huehn

King Heinrich
Ludwig Hofmann

Herald
George Cehanovsky


Conductor
Maurice Abravanel







Review 1:

Review of Olin Downes in the New York Times

ORTRUD ROLE SUNG BY MISS LAWRENCE

She Substitutes at the Last Moment for Rose Pauly, who is ill, in "Lohengrin"

KIRSTEN FLAGSTAD IN CAST

Lauritz Melchior and Julius Huehn Have Parts - De Abravanel Conductor

The sudden indisposition of Rose Pauly, who had been expected to make her first appearance here as Ortrud in last night's performance by the Metropolitan of "Lohengrin," necessitated the appearance of Marjorie Lawrence in this part. Miss Lawrence had shown before last night her capacities as dramatic interpreter of the character. However, her voice is not heavy or dark enough for Ortrud's role, and it requires for its greatest effect stature as well as temperament and vocal splendor. Miss Lawrence was very well received; applause interrupted the performance in the second act when the enchantress, having beguiled Elsa, rose for a moment to her height and flung out her song of exultant hate to the skies.

Kirsten Flagstad, more regal than ever before as Elsa, carried most of the honors of the evening. The superb Isolde and Bruennhilde has not as a rule been at her best in "Lohengrin," neither as singer nor in stage action. But last night the song had more eloquence and color than the writer had heard from Mme. Flagstad in this music, and the power and brilliancy of the tone were excellent for the ensembles. A slight accident in the first act, when the coronet slipped from Elsa's head, was met dexterously by a young lady of the chorus. She handed the shining object to Lohengrin, who put it back upon the brow of his betrothed with a dignity which in all probability impressed the audience as part of the regular stage business.

Lauritz Melchior sang well, if not with too rich a tone quality. His dignity, yea, complacency, were conspicuous. The Telramund last light was Julius Huehn, the stage manager, Leopold Sachse, the chorus master Konrad Neuger, the conductor Maurice de Abravanel. There was a large audience, well disposed, in spite of the change in the cast.



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