[Met Performance] CID:161630



Don Giovanni
Metropolitan Opera House, Thu, January 15, 1953




Don Giovanni (162)
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | Lorenzo Da Ponte
Don Giovanni
George London

Donna Anna
Margaret Harshaw

Don Ottavio
Jan Peerce

Donna Elvira
Brenda Lewis

Leporello
Erich Kunz

Zerlina
Genevieve Warner

Masetto
Lorenzo Alvary

Commendatore
Norman Scott


Conductor
Max Rudolf







Review 1:

Review of Raymond Ericson in Musical America

The first Don of the new year-and the fifth of the season-was a touch and go affair with most of the principals new to their roles in this theatre, many of them unaccustomed to each other in this opera and the two principal female singers suffering from the respiratory infection that has been prevalent in the city. That such a combination of conditions led, not to a shambles, but to a really superior performance is one of those mysteries of the Metropolitan that make its productions an endless adventure.

The matter of first moment was, of course, George London's initial impersonation here of the Don. The most striking impression was visual for Mr. London certainly possesses one of the handsomest masculine figures on the operatic stage today. An audible gasp went up from the audience when he made his second entrance clad in the resplendent all-white costume with tights. But there was much more. Mr. London also is a knowing actor and a fine singer. He made the Don a credible, intelligent, aristocratic figure and sang his music with uncommon technical finesse. Mr. London's voice is not a notably big one, but he manipulates and colors it and makes it do his bidding with such virtuosity that sheer volume becomes immaterial.

Not to be outdone in the vocal department, Jan Peerce, as Don Ottavio,

contributed some of the best singing of the season both in his solos and in ensemble numbers. Margaret Harshaw, the Donna Anna, and Brenda Lewis, the Donna Elvira, both laboring against colds, managed brilliantly to sing over them and begged no quarter from their opposite numbers in the male contingent. They both proved valuable acquisitions for the new cast as did Genevieve Warner who was a charming Zerlina. Erich Kunz's Leporello proved the perfect foil for Mr. London's Don, and his performance was one of the best of the evening. Lorenzo Alvary, always reliable in important character parts like Masetto, was no less so on this occasion. Norman Scott was one of the few Commendatores I ever have seen who actually could hold the rigidity of the statue.

Max Rudolf, one of the assistant managers of the house, took the baton for the first time this season and joined his colleagues in perfecting a memorable performance.

Review 2:

Review of Virgil Thomson in the Herald Tribune
?Don Giovanni?

Successor to Pinza

George London, singing Don Giovanni in Mozart?s opera of that name last night at the Metropolitan Opera House, dominated a well-nigh perfect cast and revealed himself a more than worthy successor in that role to the great Pinza. With a natural voice of wondrous beauty, vocal and histrionic schooling impeccable and the finest pair of male legs shown on any stage in many years, he seems to have everything the art demands. My guess is that the role is his as long as he wants it, or doesn?t charge too much.

Mr. London comes first in the story of a brilliant evening, because the role he snag is important and because good Don Giovannis are rare. Actually three performances were absolutely first-class by any standard, the other two being Genevieve Warner?s Zerlina and Jan Peerce?s Don Ottavio. Erich Kunz, as Leporello and Lorenzo Alvary as Mesetto were perfectly good too, excellent even, and Norman Scott??s Commandatore needs no alteration With London at the top of it, here is a cast that should be kept together. They can only improve. Last night all were handsome to hear and believable in action though there had been no stage rehearsal. Several of the leading singers had never even walked across the sets.

Margaret Harshaw, as Donna Anna and Brenda Lewis, as Donna Elvira, were also new and very, very good. If they both buzzed a trifle, they also sang with grace and seemed to have both a dramatic and musical conception of their roles. I found their work moving in a way that few singers ever move me in these roles. I am sure that with a little more scale practice and a few more appearances in the same parts, they will acquire the accuracy and the flowing legato style that Mozart?s music needs. Their voices were beautiful, very beautiful, and they both seemed aware of the opportunities offered. They to belong, I am sure, in this really wonderful cast. Let us all pry that this group will survive the exigencies of repertory casting and stay together till they get their performance really set. This looks to me like the ?Don Giovanni? cast we have all been dreaming about.

Much of the excellence in last night?s performance, I may add, was due to the precision and sensitivity of Max Rudolf, who conducted, also without a rehearsal. He was delicate too and did not overpower the voices. I don?t think I have ever before at this opera heard so many of the words. There was everywhere, on the stage and in the pit, animation, freshness and a high spirit. From beginning to end the performance moved spontaneously, had an inner joy. If a few phrases and an occasional movement bore the mark of improvising in an emergency, this improvising was nevertheless professional. And even that did not mar the perfection of Mr. London, Mr. Peerce and Miss Warner. Theirs was singing that will long sound in memory.


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