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Die Fledermaus
CBS Television Studio, Manhattan, New York, Sun, February 1, 1953 Matinee Telecast Telecast
Debut : Zachary Solov
In English
Die Fledermaus (53)
Johann Strauss II | Karl Haffner/Richard Gen?e
This performance was telecast from a CBS studio as part of the Omnibus series. The Garson Kanin production was adapted for television by Herbert Graf and Bob Banner. Solov played the part of a CBS Call Boy.
Review 1:
Review of Jay Harrison in the Herald Tribune
?Fledermaus? on TV
First Perfomance in Studio y a Metropolitan Cast
Johann Strauss operetta, ?Die Fledermaus,? in a special television version, was presented yesterday afternoon by the Metropolitan Opera Company in conjunction with ?Omnibus,? a program regularly seen on Sundays over Channel 2 from 4:30 to 6pm. It was the first time that the company performed in a television studio, and the first time also that the Met adapted a work to meet the especial demands of the television medium.
Eugene Ormandy conducted the Kanin-Dietz translation and the cast included Brenda Lewis, Lois Hunt, Charles Kullman, Hugh Thompson, John Brownlee, Jarmila Novotna, Paul Franke, Thomas Hayward, Suzanne Ames and Jack Mann.
As tailored for TV, ?Fledermaus? cut a fine figure. In trimming its length to an hour and a half, Jon Gutman has successfully preserved its plot-line continuity. And enough of its champagne-flavored music was retained to provide a liberal taste of the score?s unique and effervescent qualities.
At the onset Alistaire Cooke, ?Omnibus? master of ceremonies, briefly discussed the operetta?s early history, and as the overture was played a camera ? entering the various dressing rooms ? introduced the cast. This was followed directly by the shortened version.
A condensation made possible, in the main by cutting all but a single verse of each aria. In its visual essentials, however, ?Fledermaus? differed not a great deal from the Met?s sumptuous stage production. The first act drawing-room set and the second act ballroom scene were almost exact replicas of the opera house originals. And this was all to the good, since Rolf Gerard?s decor is in every way appropriate and spectacular.
This writer, untrained in television technique, cannot comment with assurance on the validity of yesterday?s video methods. To him they seemed shipshape and flexible. The camera eye focused where it belonged and the singers had obviously been trained to observe the requirements of continual close-ups. There was no mugging, no beating of the breast; and for these reasons ?Fledermaus? moved with a spontaneity and grace it does not always possess at the Met itself.
The singing of the entire cast was commendable if not dazzling. Lines were clearly spun out, pitches were neat and the enunciation of all concerned was first rate. It made, in sum, a ringing and joyous ?Fledermaus.? Even better, ?it made a television broadcast of which the Met may rightly be proud.
Search by season: 1952-53
Search by title: Die Fledermaus,
Met careers
Die Fledermaus
CBS Television Studio, Manhattan, New York, Sun, February 1, 1953 Matinee Telecast Telecast
Debut : Zachary Solov
In English
Die Fledermaus (53)
Johann Strauss II | Karl Haffner/Richard Gen?e
- Rosalinde
- Brenda Lewis
- Eisenstein
- Charles Kullman
- Adele
- Lois Hunt [Last performance]
- Alfred
- Thomas Hayward
- Prince Orlofsky
- Jarmila Novotna
- Dr. Falke
- John Brownlee
- Dr. Blind
- Paul Franke
- Frank
- Hugh Thompson [Last performance]
- Ida
- Suzanne Ames
- Frosch
- Jack Mann
- Dance
- Rex Cooper
- Guest Artist
- Zachary Solov [Debut]
- Conductor
- Eugene Ormandy [Last performance]
This performance was telecast from a CBS studio as part of the Omnibus series. The Garson Kanin production was adapted for television by Herbert Graf and Bob Banner. Solov played the part of a CBS Call Boy.
Review 1:
Review of Jay Harrison in the Herald Tribune
?Fledermaus? on TV
First Perfomance in Studio y a Metropolitan Cast
Johann Strauss operetta, ?Die Fledermaus,? in a special television version, was presented yesterday afternoon by the Metropolitan Opera Company in conjunction with ?Omnibus,? a program regularly seen on Sundays over Channel 2 from 4:30 to 6pm. It was the first time that the company performed in a television studio, and the first time also that the Met adapted a work to meet the especial demands of the television medium.
Eugene Ormandy conducted the Kanin-Dietz translation and the cast included Brenda Lewis, Lois Hunt, Charles Kullman, Hugh Thompson, John Brownlee, Jarmila Novotna, Paul Franke, Thomas Hayward, Suzanne Ames and Jack Mann.
As tailored for TV, ?Fledermaus? cut a fine figure. In trimming its length to an hour and a half, Jon Gutman has successfully preserved its plot-line continuity. And enough of its champagne-flavored music was retained to provide a liberal taste of the score?s unique and effervescent qualities.
At the onset Alistaire Cooke, ?Omnibus? master of ceremonies, briefly discussed the operetta?s early history, and as the overture was played a camera ? entering the various dressing rooms ? introduced the cast. This was followed directly by the shortened version.
A condensation made possible, in the main by cutting all but a single verse of each aria. In its visual essentials, however, ?Fledermaus? differed not a great deal from the Met?s sumptuous stage production. The first act drawing-room set and the second act ballroom scene were almost exact replicas of the opera house originals. And this was all to the good, since Rolf Gerard?s decor is in every way appropriate and spectacular.
This writer, untrained in television technique, cannot comment with assurance on the validity of yesterday?s video methods. To him they seemed shipshape and flexible. The camera eye focused where it belonged and the singers had obviously been trained to observe the requirements of continual close-ups. There was no mugging, no beating of the breast; and for these reasons ?Fledermaus? moved with a spontaneity and grace it does not always possess at the Met itself.
The singing of the entire cast was commendable if not dazzling. Lines were clearly spun out, pitches were neat and the enunciation of all concerned was first rate. It made, in sum, a ringing and joyous ?Fledermaus.? Even better, ?it made a television broadcast of which the Met may rightly be proud.
Search by season: 1952-53
Search by title: Die Fledermaus,
Met careers
- Eugene Ormandy [Conductor]
- Brenda Lewis [Rosalinde]
- Charles Kullman [Eisenstein]
- Lois Hunt [Adele]
- Thomas Hayward [Alfred]
- Jarmila Novotna [Prince Orlofsky]
- John Brownlee [Dr. Falke]
- Paul Franke [Dr. Blind]
- Hugh Thompson [Frank]
- Suzanne Ames [Ida]
- Jack Mann [Frosch]
- Rex Cooper [Dance]
- Zachary Solov [Guest Artist]