[Met Performance] CID:161020



Lohengrin
Metropolitan Opera House, Sat, November 15, 1952 Matinee


Debut : Sigurd Bj?rling, Josef Greindl, Arthur Budney




Lohengrin (492)
Richard Wagner | Richard Wagner
Lohengrin
Hans Hopf

Elsa
Eleanor Steber

Ortrud
Margaret Harshaw

Telramund
Sigurd Bj?rling [Debut]

King Heinrich
Josef Greindl [Debut]

Herald
Arthur Budney [Debut]

Noble
Paul Franke

Noble
Gabor Carelli

Noble
Algerd Brazis

Noble
Norman Scott


Conductor
Fritz Stiedry


Director
Dino Yannopoulos

Set Designer
Charles Elson





Lohengrin received eight performances this season.
In revising the sets for Wagner's opera, Elson utilized elements from the previous production designed by Joseph Urban. Steber's costumes were designed by Lucien Prideaux.

Review 1:

Review of Noel Straus in The New York Times

300TH 'LOHENGRIN' PRESENTED AT 'MET'

Opera Returns to Repertoire After Two-Year Absence - Singers Take New Roles

After an absence of two seasons from the repertoire, Wagner's "Lohengrin" was revived yesterday afternoon at the Metropolitan, where it received its three-hundredth performance in that auditorium. The production was practically new, in all of its aspects and, with one exception, the principal roles were allotted to artists who had not sung them before with the company.

Sigurd Bj?rling , Swedish baritone; Josef Greindl, German bass, and Arthur Budney, American baritone, made their debuts respectively as Telramund, the King and the Herald. Eleanor Steber was the Elsa, in which role she had not appeared before, and Hans Hopf sang the title part for the first time here.

It was in the evil forces of the opera's plot that Mr. Bj?rling and Margaret Harshaw, the Ortrud, provided the most noteworthy vocalism of the presentation. But in this interesting and provocative performance, all of the artists, including those who were not as well equipped as the Telramund and Ortrud in song, gave of their best and entered fully into the spirit of the music.

Bjoerling Impresses

Mr. Bj?rling , who made his American debut two years ago at the San Francisco Opera, made an excellent impression at this initial hearing in Metropolitan surroundings. His powerful, resonant voice and the dramatic forcefulness of his impersonation were of that rare type that dominated every scene in which he participated.

His tones were well equalized throughout the entire range and were nowhere more admirable in quality than at the top of the scale. Here was a newcomer, who at once made his importance as member of the company obvious.

Miss Harshaw's Ortrud also called for the highest praise because of the expertness of her singing. She had the volume of tone required for the appeal to the pagan gods in the second act and all of her tones were round, steady and under fine control.

As Elsa, Miss Steber, who been engaged to appear at next year's Bayreuth Festival in the role, was as yet not fully at home. She delivered her music with considerable expressiveness, but with varying success from the tonal standpoint, intermingling effectively sung phrases with others that were often wavering and wanting in focus.

Greindl Portrays King

There were artistic intentions in Mr. Greindl's treatment of the music allotted the King. But his voice had not enough substance in its uppermost or lowest tones to cope with so exacting a bit of song as the King's "Prayer."

Mr. Budney, a winner of last year's Metropolitan Opera Auditions of the Air, did not seem to be in his best voice as the Herald, probably because of nervousness, and he should be heard again before his abilities are judged. As for Mr. Hopf's Lohengrin, it was less pleasing than was expected, his singing being largely forced and pinched in sound.

The new d?cor designed by Mr. Elson had much to commend it. Handsome costumes in brilliant colors were used with picturesque effect against the simple, but carefully considered backgrounds.

Most of the stage direction of Mr. Yannopoulos was also creditable and imaginative. The chorus sang ably and Mr. Stiedry, who restored several important cuts, including the important and difficult ensemble at the close of the second act, gave a finely balanced and sensitive reading of the orchestral score.



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