Metropolitan's Week

With the dither of its first night over (TIME, Dec. 23), Manhattan's Metropolitan Opera Company swept vigorously into one of the busiest weeks in its history. It presented no new operas but for old ones there was a brushed-up orchestra, a reorganized chorus, a new ballet troupe, an unusual amount of rehearsing. During the first week no less than eleven singers made debuts. Of the lot none was bad and most were better than average. Consensus was that the Opera had made an intelligent, hopeful beginning under new Manager Edward Johnson.

In Die Walkuere the orchestra under Conductor Artur Bodanzky gave one of the best performances that has come from the Metropolitan pit in many a season. The strings were smooth and eloquent. The horns indulged in none of the oldtime bleating. For Die Walkuere there were new stage settings by Jonel Jorgulesco, who was more concerned with achieving mass effects than with following Wagner's specific instructions. Friedrich Schorr, as Wotan, wore a scarlet cloak which looked more like a Japanese kimono than a godly robe. One of the lively Valkyries was Charlotte Symons, a debutante from Chicago. Heroine of the evening, a newcomer from the Paris Opera, was Marjorie Lawrence. Australian-born soprano, who donned feathers and breastplate to sing the taxing Bruennhilde.

Considering the fact that Marjorie Lawrence has been singing in opera for only three years and that it was her first attempt at Bruennhilde in German, her performance was one to command high praise. She lacked the grandeur of Frida Leider, the vocal powers of Kirsten Flagstad. But she conducted herself with more confidence and poise than do many of the singers who have had long experience on the Metropolitan stage. Her voice was uneven but at its best it was vibrantly warm, true in its top notes, rich when it was low. More than most of her predecessors in the role, she made Wagner's heroine deeply human, truly suggested the varying moods, projected them forcefully. Three days later she again made a vivid impression singing Ortrud in Lohengrin.

Next night two special trains brought 1,400 New Havenites down from Connecticut to hear Tenor Charles Kullmann make his debut as Faust. Some members of the delegation remembered him when he was a boy soprano singing for 5-c- a Sunday at St. Paul's Episcopal Church. Others first knew him as the husky young member of the Class of 1924 who soloed with the Yale Glee Club. All were aware of the name he had made for himself in Berlin, Vienna and at the Salzburg Festival under Conductor Arturo Toscanini. Nor did his old friends seem disappointed in his Metropolitan debut. They cheered him and whistled as if at a football game. But his performance, all told, was not that compelling. He acted competently both as the aged philosopher and as the rejuvenated romantic. He sang agreeably except when he tried to force a voice which is naturally light. But he appeared to feel little sympathy for Faust. Finest singing of the evening was done by Edith Mason, oldtime soprano who was rejoining the Metropolitan after a 15-year absence. As Marguerite her round, mature figure prohibited any real illusion but she sang in true operatic style, with expert clarity and finish.

Vocally sure, also, was graceful young Helen Oelheim, another debutante who did all she could with the absurd role of Siebel, for which she had to dress as a boy, flutter about picking flowers. Back-slapping scene of the week took place in the Grand Central station late that night when Tenor Kullmann rushed through the "Charles Kullmann" specials, shaking hands with his townsfolk to whom he was just plain Charlie.

With each change of opera there was some new singer. German Baritone Eduard Habich was the tipsy, loud-mouthed father in Haensel und Gretel. Baritone Julius Huehn from Pittsburgh made a sonorous herald for Lohengrin. Chase Baromeo of the late Chicago Civic Opera was the High Priest in Aida. Chilean Carlo Morelli went through the customary antics as Marcello in La Boheme.

With the exception of Marjorie Lawrence's Bruennhilde, the most impressive debut of the week was made by Swedish Gertrud Wettergren as Amneris in Aida. Mme. Wettergren had received flaring advance publicity when she arrived in the U. S. month ago, asked two ship-news reporters to kick her "for luck" (TIME, Dec. 2). Her performance last week proved that she could rely on something sounder than luck. She is an accomplished, rich-voiced singer with a commanding stage presence and a fine flair for acting. As Amneris she was regal enough to be a king's daughter. Throughout the performance she maintained more of the grand manner than any one on the stage, although John Charles Thomas projected a noble dignity as the captive Amonasro, Aida's Haile Selassie.

All week the new American Ballet worked hard, enlivened the operas in which it appeared, won praise partly because it represented such an improvement over the stodgy, lifeless dancing which went on at the Metropolitan under the Gatti-Casazza regime. The new U. S. organization gave its first substantial demonstration after the Haensel und Gretel performance, presented comely ballerinas, several of them highly talented. Outstanding performances were given by Anatole Vilzak, once of the Russian Imperial Ballet, and young William Dollar, who has the most spectacular technique of any male dancer now appearing in public. Unfortunately the ballet was Reminiscence, which calls for all the classical steps, demands long classical training. The young organization was unable to present a finished ensemble.

Cheers and applause were spontaneous all week. Missing this year is the claque, that horny-palmed company of men who used to stand at the rail, pounding out ovations for the sake of free admissions or for a fee from individual singers. Missing from the stage next season will be Soprano Lucrezia Bori who, day after the opening, met reporters in Manager Johnson's office, informed them that she would retire in April. Miss Bori stated that she had always intended to retire when she was 45, that she is now 48, but that she stayed on to help the Opera through its financial crisis. As a director on the board and a member of the new management committee she will continue to have a finger in the operatic pie.

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