Perennial Tenor

In 1913, when the late Enrico Caruso was in his prime and gut-busting Tenor Leo Slezak had just sung his Manhattan farewell, a stocky, brush-headed Italian named Giovanni Martinelli strutted the Metropolitan Opera proscenium for the first time, as Rodolfo in La Boheme. In an era dominated by the golden-voiced Caruso his debut was no sensation. Some critics, in fact, found his singing no great sensation.

Years passed and at the Metropolitan Tenor Martinelli continued to take second place to some more bravoed figure. When the great Caruso resigned in 1920, died the next summer. Tenors Beniamino Gigli and Giacomo Lauri-Volpi were advanced to fill his place. Each was a fine singer, a fine egotist. Lauri-Volpi made it a condition of his contract that he was to receive more for each performance than Gigli. If Gigli got $1,500, Lauri-Volpi would ask for $1,501, would settle for $1,500.10.* Lauri-Volpi left the Metropolitan after two seasons, Gigli resigned in 1932 because the management attempted to cut his $100,000 yearly salary. Since Gigli's resignation, German opera has crowded Italian opera to second place at the Metropolitan, and No. 1 Metropolitan tenor has become big Danish Lauritz Melchior.

But Tenor Martinelli has stuck. Though considerably worn in voice, he stays on as the best all-round Italian-style tenor on the Metropolitan's roster. He knows many roles, is a dependable trouper.

Last week, therefore, white-haired, but still bouncing Tenor Martinelli had a gala performance given in his honor at the Metropolitan. Occasion: the completion of his 25th consecutive season as a Metropolitan singer. Participants were Tenor Martinelli himself and 18 of his fellow opera stars who sang scenes from eleven operas.

*According to an anecdote in Opera Front and Back, by New York Times Music Reviewer H. Howard Traubmann, published last fortnight by Scribner.

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