[Met Performance] CID:177270



Tosca
Metropolitan Opera House, Fri, February 28, 1958

Debut : Peter Burke




Tosca (379)
Giacomo Puccini | Luigi Illica/Giuseppe Giacosa
Tosca
Maria Callas

Cavaradossi
Richard Tucker

Scarpia
Walter Cassel

Sacristan
Lawrence Davidson

Spoletta
Alessio De Paolis

Angelotti
Norman Scott

Sciarrone
Osie Hawkins

Shepherd
Peter Burke [Debut]

Jailer
Ezio Flagello


Conductor
Dimitri Mitropoulos







Review 1:

Review of Francis D. Perkins in the Herald Tribune

Mme. Callas Sings First 'Tosca' of Season at Met

Maria Meneghini Callas sang Tosca for the first time this season at the Metropolitan Opera House in Friday night's repetition of the Puccini opera of that title. Richard Tucker was the Mario Cavaradossi and Walter Cassel sang Scarpia as the other principals in a superior performance under the conductorship of Dimitri Mitropoulos.

Mme. Callas was fervently acclaimed. The applause after "Vissi d'Arte" occupied nearly two minutes. Her interpretation explained the reason for this enthusiasm, and for her exceptional position among today's leading opera sopranos. Her voice, appearance and action were equally important factors in a fully integrated and vivid characterization which revealed every nuance of its emotional range.

In her singing, her discerning use of musical and expressive color made a dominating impression, which minimized occasional departures from tonal clarity. The timbre, indeed, was primarily appealing, particularly in the warmth of the lower notes and in passages not of a maximum volume. The musical hue matched the dramatic requirements of the moment, and the soprano's dynamic control and command of fine shades of volume were equally contributory towards this end.

To the eye, her Tosca was distinctly individual, but entirely in character. This was the performance of a singing actress, rather than of a singer called upon to act, in mien and gesture, and especially in its finely wrought evocation of moods, its reservation of climaxes for appropriate moments. She sang "Vissi d'arte" standing at the right rear of the stage, rather than, according to the usual practice, reclining on Scarpia's sofa. Its wistful, poignant, mainly quiet lamentation made this music a part of the score's continuous flow, rather than an aria set apart.

Mr. Tucker, singing Mario for the first time this season, was in fine voice in a forthright and fervent performance. His defiance of Scarpia was notable for its emotional force. Mr. Cassel was also convincing as Scarpia, both in the insinuating and the outspokenly brutal veins of that nefarious character. Norman Scott, in his first Metropolitan appearance as Angelotti, fared very commendably. Lawrence Davidson was individual and persuasive sacristan; Alessio De Paolis, Osie Hawkins, Ezio Flagello and Peter Burke completed the cast. The orchestral performance was expressively revealing and well balanced under Mr. Mitropoulos's leadership in this dramatically convincing musical interpretation.



Search by season: 1957-58

Search by title: Tosca,



Met careers