Menotti Tries Again

Still smarting from the critical response of his native Italy to his Medium and Consul in the past three seasons, Composer Gian-Carlo Menotti tried again last week; he staged his little Christmas TV opera, Amahl and the Night Visitors, in Florence's Pergola Theater. Standing in the wings, Menotti felt reasonably confident this time: Leopold Stokowski conducted with a sure hand, a dressy international audience admired the handsome settings, stopped the show after a flashing dance sequence, and cheered up ten curtain calls for the cast at the end. Even the stage electrician admitted he liked it.

But when the reviews came out, it began to look like the same old story. Most critics rapped the opera, and some were scathing. The critic of Rome's Il Tempo totted up demerits: "Music? Zero. Originality? Artistic taste? Zero." There was a minority of approvals, led by Milan's influential Corriere della Sera: "A vibrant success . . . Menotti is an artist of tradition, a most Italian artist." Said Menotti: "Well, the reviews weren't all good, but the good ones were real raves--the first I've gotten in Italy. I must admit it feels wonderful."

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