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La Boh?me
American Academy of Music, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Tue, January 16, 1945
La Boh?me (379)
Giacomo Puccini | Luigi Illica/Giuseppe Giacosa
- Mim?
- Licia Albanese
- Rodolfo
- Jan Peerce
- Musetta
- Frances Greer
- Marcello
- John Brownlee
- Schaunard
- Hugh Thompson
- Colline
- Nicola Moscona
- Alcindoro/Benoit
- Salvatore Baccaloni
- Parpignol
- Lodovico Oliviero
- Sergeant
- John Baker
- Conductor
- Cesare Sodero
Review 1:
Review of Linton Martin in the Philadelphia Inquirer
Capacity Audience Hears "La Boh?me"
Despite the heavy snowstorm yesterday, an audience of virtually capacity size turned out for the first Metropolitan Opera performance of Puccini's "La Boh?me" in three years here at the Academy last night. It was rewarded by a particularly fresh and affecting offering of the melodic masterpiece, and it testified to its appreciation in prolonged applause for the principals.
Licia Albanese, charming Italian lyric soprano, sang the role of Mimi, on this occasion, as she did at the previous Metropolitan "Boh?me" on March, 10, 1942. There were newcomers in the cast with her, however, for although Jan Peerce has sung other roles here with the Metropolitan, this was his first Rodolfo with the organization.
MISS GREER SCORES
Although Frances Greer has appeared under local auspices as Musetta, it was her first time here with the Metropolitan in that gay and high-spirited role, in which she is ideally placed, dramatically and vocally, because of hits high tessitura.
A hit out of all proportion o the importance of his part, or rather, parts, was scored by the company's basso-buffo, Salvatore Baccaloni, who doubled as Benoit and Alcindoro. He was in rare good form, extracting every ounce of amusement from the role of the amorously boastful old landlord in the first act, and the senile rou? discomfited by Musetta in the second act, and he agave comic characterization to his singing.
A CHARMING MIMI
Miss Albanese made a thoroughly charming and vocally agreeable Mimi. She was much more felicitously placed in this role than she was as Marguerite in "Faust" when the Gounod perennial was given earlier in the season.
Although Miss Albanese's voice is not conspicuous for size, she employed it agreeably, and with warmth and clarity, singing better as the evening progressed. Her acting was marked by modesty and sincerity, and was engagingly free from emotional excesses, though it was affecting at the end.
TRUE ITALIAN TRADITION
Although American-trained, Mr. Peerce is a tenor who sings in the true Italian tradition. He fairly reveled in the richly romantic music of Rodolfo, singing the first act "Narrative" with golden beauty of tone and fine phrasing, and his acting was adequate, if not remarkably individual or eloquent.
Miss Greer was as sprightly and vivacious a Musetta as anybody could ask, in fact here exuberance verged a bit on exaggeration. She sang brilliantly.
CONDUCTED WITH ZEST
As for the others, John Brownlee as Marcello, Nicola Moscona as Colline, and Hugh Thompson as Schaunard, completed the quartet of "Bohemians," the last named making his first appearance here in the role that marked his debut earlier this season.
Cesare Sodero conducted with lots of zest, and manifest affection for Puccini's freshest, most spontaneous and poetic score.
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