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The quantity of artistic singing at the Metropolitan-no small part of the season's mediocrity thus far - was more than doubled by the reappearance in the same week of Leontyne Price in "Aida" and Joan Sutherland in "La Sonnambula." What singers of this order contribute to a performance is much more than the addition of their own talents, however special. It is, rather, on the order of multiplication, in their total effect on those associated with them.

This was particularly the case with the matinee "Aida," for the rivals-in-affection were Carlo Bergonzi (Radames) and Rita Gorr (Amneris), each capable of making a quality contribution, with Cesare Siepi as Ramfis and Mario Sereni as Amonasro. At the outset it seemed that Miss Price might be experimenting with something new in the way of production in her lower register (thicker, darker than usual) on behalf of greater "dramatic" impact. Actually, the results were both better to hear and more dramatic to see the closer she reverted to her normally strong, straightforward attack, especially from the Nile Scene on. She was at her most persuasive in the final duet, in which - perhaps by the kind of suggestive example previously mentioned - Bergonzi also attained a melting lyricism rarely heard from him or any other recent Radames. If this does not qualify him as a lineal successor to Gigli, nothing will. Miss Gorr also excelled any prior attainment of hers here, perhaps only for the reason that she is now settled and at home on this stage. Georg Solti made his usual contribution from the conductor's desk.

Search by season: 1963-64

Search by title: Aida,

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