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"Arabella" and Leinsdorf seemed an altogether natural combination, even though it is eleven years since he has led a performance at the Metropolitan. Substantially this was the cast and production (Rolf Gerard's) which had introduced the work to America in February 1955, but with such alterations as Lisa della Casa (in place of Eleanor Steber) and Jon Crain as Matteo (in place of Brian Sullivan) to shade the values somewhat. And for those who wondered how it might sound again after two years' lapse, the appealing fact was that "Arabella" sounds ever more like a work with an atmosphere and character of its own, regardless of its family resemblances to "Rosenkavalier."

Some of the strengthened character was due to the influence of Leinsdorf, who defines its musical structure more clearly than Kempe did, illuminates the textual reference to one motive and another with compelling insight, and rarely permits the orchestra to become a brass curtain between singers and audience. If he lacks something of the lightness and mobility which gave Kempe's performance an improvisatory quality (especially at the end of Act I and in the transitions from introspection to gaiety), he provides other elements to make his contribution to the general understanding of "Arabella" a valuable one. With further acquaintance, indeed, it may be that Leinsdorf will stress other values than those to which he gave primary place in these circumstances.

Among the circumstances, of course, was the beautiful and gifted Della Casa's first venture in a major role with an English text. Having seen her elsewhere, the musical solidity and vocal ease of her Arabella were welcome re-acquaintances. But it is possible that some of the underplaying and lack of sparkle in the dramatization were related to the unfamiliar language. Time, of course, will take care of that, for her enunciation is clear and only occasionally (as in such a word as "world") tinged by accent. Nothing she did, however, effaced the memory of Eleanor Steber's radiantly picturesque impersonation, or discredited her vocal accomplishment. Della Casa's was, merely, a different, darker, not quite so extroverted Arabella, with its own excellencies.

The strong cast provided by Rudolf Bing found George London's Mandryka even better than before, Hilde Gueden as enchanting a Zdenka as ever, and Jon Crain an apt choice for Matteo (his Metropolitan debut). This is hardly a soothing voice, but it has the power at the top to override Strauss's writing. Laurel Hurley (Fiakermilli), Ralph Herbert, and Martha Lipton all played useful parts in the lively staging by Herbert Graf, In a season already rich with operatic pleasures, "Arabella" adds substantially to the sum of them.

Search by season: 1956-57

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