[Met Performance] CID:186770



La Boh?me
Metropolitan Opera House, Mon, January 9, 1961









Review 1:

Review of John Gruen in the New York Herald Tribune

A New Musetta in 'La Boh?me' At the Met

Puccini's "La Boh?me" was repeated Monday night at the Metropolitan Opera. Making her first appearance in the role of Musetta was Elizabeth S?derstr?m. Also listed as this season's firsts were Frank Guarrera as Marcello; Clifford Harvout as Schaunard; Fernando Corena as Benoit and Lorenzo Alvary as Alcindoro. Renata Tebaldi repeated her affecting Mimi and Richard Tucker was the excellent Rodolfo. Thomas Schippers again conducted the orchestra.

Miss S?derstr?m's Musetta was realized with appropriate liveliness and coquettishness. While she threw herself into the role with splendid good spirits, it cannot be said that her voice quite matched the animated quality of her characterization. Of generally light texture, the soprano's voice could not always be heard above the orchestra and her diction fell short of its mark, There were, to be sure, some exhilarating high notes that rang true and clear, but a richness of volume and tonal variety were absent during most of her "Waltz" scene and during the quartet of Act III.

The Messrs. Guarrera, Harvout, Corena and Alvary acquitted themselves admirably in their respective roles.



Search by season: 1960-61

Search by title: La Boh?me,



Met careers