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Alceste
Metropolitan Opera House, Wed, March 19, 1941
Alceste (5)
Christoph Willibald Gluck | Ranieri de' Calzabigi/Fran?ois-Louis Grand Le Bland Du Roullet/Gossec
- Alceste
- Marjorie Lawrence
- Adm?te
- Frederick Jagel
- High Priest
- Leonard Warren
- Oracle
- Arthur Kent
- ?vandre
- Alessio De Paolis
- Herald
- George Cehanovsky
- Woman
- Marita Farell
- Leader of the People
- Maxine Stellman
- Leader of the People
- Helen Olheim
- Leader of the People
- Wilfred Engelman
- Dance
- Ruthanna Boris
- Dance
- Josef Levinoff
- Dance
- Mary Smith
- Dance
- Monna Montes
- Dance
- Grant Mouradoff
- Conductor
- Ettore Panizza
Review 1:
Review of Ross Parmenter in The New York Times
Jagel in "Alceste"
Frederick Jagel added another role to his large repertoire and another chapter to the annals of his last-minute replacements when he appeared as Admetus [Adm?te] last night in the fifth and final "Alceste" of the Metropolitan Opera season. He took the role on nine hours notice after Ren? Maison notified Edward Johnson that laryngitis made it impossible for him to sing.
The replacement was not as adventurous as the one Mr. Jagel made in November, 1937, when he had to go by plane 751 miles to Chicago to sing the role of Pollione in "Norma," or as sudden as when he took up the role of Radames when Giovanni Martinelli collapsed during the first act three years ago. But it had its drama nevertheless, for those were roles he had sung before, while this was one he had never sung. In fact, he only learned the role understudying Mr. Maison and the only times he had rehearsed it with the orchestra were when Mr. Maison was indisposed during rehearsals.
Last night, however, Mr. Jagel showed no sign of nervousness or faltering and if it had not been for the printed notices given out with the programs the average member of the audience would never have known he had not had the role in his repertoire for years. His singing was commendable throughout the evening, but it is not a role to which he is particularly well suited, for his voice is essentially lyric, whereas the part requires a tenor with a more dramatic voice.
The other members of the cast were those who had appeared in the opera previously. Marjorie Lawrence sang the title role for the third time, Leonard Warren was the High Priest, Alessio de Paolis was Evander, Arthur Kent was Apollo and Marita Farrel, Maxine Stellman, Helen Olheim and Wilfred Engelman were leaders of the people. Ettore Panizza conducted.
Search by season: 1940-41
Search by title: Alceste,
Met careers
- Ettore Panizza [Conductor]
- Marjorie Lawrence [Alceste]
- Frederick Jagel [Adm?te]
- Leonard Warren [High Priest]
- Arthur Kent [Oracle]
- Alessio De Paolis [?vandre]
- George Cehanovsky [Herald]
- Marita Farell [Woman]
- Maxine Stellman [Leader of the People]
- Helen Olheim [Leader of the People]
- Wilfred Engelman [Leader of the People]
- Ruthanna Boris [Dance]
- Josef Levinoff [Dance]
- Mary Smith [Dance]
- Monna Montes [Dance]
- Grant Mouradoff [Dance]