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Maybe in one of those famous lost episodes from "The Honeymooners," Ralph Kramden actually made good his threat to Alice: "One of these days-pow! Right inna kisser!" At any rate, something like that happened at the Metropolitan Opera Monday night during the second act of the season's first performance of Puccini's "Tosca."

Hungarian soprano Eva Marton and Spanish baritone Juan Pons were respectively essaying the roles of Tosca and Scarpia for the first time at the Met. That fact, plus national chemistry (or lack of same) possibly contributed to the mishap that occurred as the lecherous police chief chased the diva around the furniture. Marton suffered a jaw injury (a bruise or a dislocation, depending on whom you talked to later) and almost didn't finish the performance.

True, her singing of "Vissi d'arte" right after the accident was effortful, but when she returned for Act III, her vocalism was the best it had been all evening. In fact, she sang with a freedom and confidence that was noticeably lacking in the earlier scenes. Dramatically, Marton offered mainly a two-dimensional characterization, but she once again proved in the main to be a major artist.

Pons, despite the circumstances, presented a well-sung, suave and intriguingly youthful portrait of Scarpia, while tenor Placido Domingo was close to his familiar vocal and dramatic best as Cavaradossi. Smaller roles, particularly Italo Tajo's delicious Sacristan, were in good hands, though Michael Smartt could have used a wig and appropriate makeup as Angelotti. Garcia Navarro conducted briskly.

Search by season: 1986-87

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