What with sliding into notes and frequent lack of support, she was not able to make the best of her natural ability. Her voice is lovely, her method of production less attractive. He has a stalwart bass voice, fine presence and acting ability _to match.įaye Robinson sang the Queen of Shemakha. Irwin Densen sang the role of General Polkan, and he too did well. William Wildermann, as King Dodon, was the stalwart of the cast-a good singer, a fine, actor, and one of the few able to project the English language with any degree of clarity. The opera was given in English, some of which could be understood. And what a score it is! Its exoticisms today may be taken for granted, and the “Hymn to the Sun” has long achieved Muzak status, but around the turn of the century it was a daring, novel piece of music, one that led directly into Stravinsky, one that achieved a new kind of color in the orchestra. Rimsky‐Korsakov's brilliant score is well taken care of. Nevertheless this presentation has charming sets, a good deal of color, and an honest approach to the purely musical problems. Capobianco before him, has gone in for the easy laugh. The composer well knew the perils inherent in his libretto, and he pleaded for moderation and an avoidance of slapstick. But the direction by David Bamberger favors burlesque over satire. The production, with sets by Ming Cho Lee and costumes by Jose Varona, play up the fairy‐tale elements. It is also a satire on militarism and the. But that is several years off, if indeed it does come at all. There has been a groundswell for such works as “Sadko” or “The’ Invisible City of Kitezli,” and it is said that the Metropolitan Opera is thinking about something along that line.
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