[Met Performance] CID:176660



La Forza del Destino
Metropolitan Opera House, Thu, January 2, 1958




La Forza del Destino (90)
Giuseppe Verdi | Francesco Maria Piave
Leonora
Mary Curtis-Verna

Don Alvaro
Flaviano Lab?

Don Carlo
Leonard Warren

Padre Guardiano
Giorgio Tozzi

Preziosilla
Bel?n Amparan

Fra Melitone
Gerhard Pechner

Marquis de Calatrava
Norman Scott

Curra
Madelaine Chambers

Trabuco
Paul Franke

Surgeon
George Cehanovsky


Conductor
Fritz Stiedry







Review 1:

Review of Ronald Eyer in the January 15, 1958 issue of Musical America

Mary Curtis-Verna, Giorgio Tozzi and Belen Amparan were newcomers to the cast of this second performance of the Verdi melodrama. Miss Curtis-Verna has done more pinch-hitting for other singers on short notice in the past few weeks than any other singer of recent memory and she has turned in some brilliant performances. The Leonora in this "Forza" was intended for her, however, and ironically she did not fare quite as well as in those roles for which she presumably was less prepared.

Perhaps because she has been doing so much singing lately, her voice sounded a bit tired and she occasionally had difficulty focusing tones. Also the middle and low tones, particularly in pianissimo passages, did not project as well as they should (and, in Miss Curtis-Verna's case, could); but the top third of her voice had its characteristic beauty and effortless power. One looks forward to another Leonora from her at a time when she has not been so gruelingly overworked.

His Padre Guardiano adds more laurels to the impressive collection garnered by Mr. Tozzi. His musicianship, the fine quality and freedom of his voice, and the natural dignity that he brings to all of his roles contribute to a characterization of the benign monk unrivaled at the Metropolitan in many a season.

Unfortunately for Miss Amparan, the present Metropolitan production of "Forza" cuts out Preziosilla's big scene. She was on stage long enough, however, to convey a firm impression of an ample, colorful voice well projected and controlled and a personality of considerable force. She gave every appearance of being leading-role material.

Flaviano Labo and Leonard Warren, as Don Alvaro and Don Carlo, respectively, again contributed superb vocal performances, and the conductor again was Fritz Stiedry.



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