[Met Performance] CID:189600



Les Contes d'Hoffmann
Metropolitan Opera House, Fri, December 22, 1961

Debut : Gladys Kriese




Les Contes d'Hoffmann (102)
Jacques Offenbach | Jules Barbier
Hoffmann
John Alexander

Olympia
Laurel Hurley

Giulietta
Mignon Dunn

Antonia
Lucine Amara

Stella
Audrey Keane

Lindorf/Copp?lius/Dappertutto/Dr. Miracle
George London

Nicklausse
Joan Wall

Andr?s/Cochenille/Pitichinaccio/Frantz
Alessio De Paolis

Luther
George Cehanovsky

Nathanael
Robert Nagy

Hermann
Roald Reitan

Spalanzani
Paul Franke

Schlemil
Clifford Harvuot

Crespel
Norman Scott

Mother's Voice
Gladys Kriese [Debut]


Conductor
Jean Morel







Review 1:

Review of Jack Diether in Musical America
Only three days after his exciting Metropolitan debut in ?Cosi tan tutte,? John Alexander was dramatically called in to replace Nicolai Gedda in the role
Hoffmann in Offenbach's opera. Thus, his solid New York musical stage training enabled Mr. Alexander to become all in one week a Metropolitan star of brilliant expectations.



His Hoffmann was easy and relaxed at the beginning, and rose effortlessly to the peaks of romantic irony uniquely afforded by this work, starting with his sardonic ?L?gende de Klein zach.? The voice was strong, with ringing high tones, yet always lyric. He made no attempt to dominate the bizarre events in an obtrusive manner. But permitted fate and the sinister Mr. London always to have the last word.



The Canadian contralto Gladys Kriese had to content herself with a less auspicious debut, singing only in ensemble with Mr. London and Miss Amara, but acquitting herself well.



Mignon Dunn was a fascinatingly slithery Giulietta. She slithered with her voice as well as with her long legs supplying an unusually good measure of the sex appeal in which the opera as a whole is singularly short (always excepting the implied proximity of La Stella).



Joan Wall was a suitably straight forward counterpart to the poet as his faithful friend, and the other faces were familiar.


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