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Fidelio
Metropolitan Opera House, Fri, January 2, 1976
Debut : John Mauceri
Fidelio (132)
Ludwig van Beethoven | Joseph Sonnleithner
- Leonore
- Gwyneth Jones
- Florestan
- Jess Thomas
- Don Pizarro
- Donald McIntyre
- Rocco
- John Macurdy
- Marzelline
- Judith Blegen
- Jaquino
- Kenneth Riegel
- Don Fernando
- James Morris
- First Prisoner
- Douglas Ahlstedt
- Second Prisoner
- Arthur Thompson
- Captain
- Harold Sternberg
- Conductor
- John Mauceri [Debut]
- Production
- Otto Schenk
- Designer
- Boris Aronson
The performance is dedicated to the memory of Bruno Walter on the occasion of the hundredth anniversary of his birth this year, September 15, 1976. The Metropolitan Opera is deeply grateful to the Bruno Walter Foundation for its generous contribution.
Fidelio received eleven performances this season.
Review 1:
Review of John Rockwell in The New York Times
The Metropolitan Opera's current production of Beethoven's "Fidelio' which the company revived Friday night, dates back to Dec. 16, 1970, the 200th anniversary of the composer's birth.
The production - directed by Otto Schenk and designed by Boris Aronson - kicked around the repertory for two seasons, with singers and conductors shuttling in and out in typical Met manner. The present performances, the first since the spring tour of 1972, were originally meant as a reinfusion of glamour into the proceedings, with Leonard Bernstein conducting. But then a projected recording fell through, and Mr. Bernstein, complaining too little rehearsal time, pulled out.
His replacement is John Mauceri, who had been scheduled to lead a few of the later performances. Mr. Mauceri is a Bernstein prot?g? and served until recently as conductor of Yale University's orchestra. On the whole Mr. Mauceri does an entirely creditable job. There are signs of immaturity - some mannered tempo contrasts with rushed, slightly uncontrolled allegros: sloppy intonation; and overall lack of strong personality. But there are long stretches of welcome lyrical flow too, and the exciting moments don't lack for drama. The shaping of the whole final scene, with David Stivender's excellent chorus, seemed especially winning.
Search by season: 1975-76
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Met careers
- John Mauceri [Conductor]
- Gwyneth Jones [Leonore]
- Jess Thomas [Florestan]
- Donald McIntyre [Don Pizarro]
- John Macurdy [Rocco]
- Judith Blegen [Marzelline]
- Kenneth Riegel [Jaquino]
- James Morris [Don Fernando]
- Douglas Ahlstedt [First Prisoner]
- Arthur Thompson [Second Prisoner]
- Harold Sternberg [Captain]
- Otto Schenk [Production]
- Boris Aronson [Designer]