NEW YORK OPERA SEASON.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 72, 24 February 1937, Page 10

NEW YORK OPERA SEASON.

BRILLIANT FIRST NIGHT. With a colour and splendour not seen since the boom days of the 1920’5, the New York Metropolitan Opera opened its fifty-second season with “The Valkyrie” on December 21. It was the first time since 1901 that a Wagnerian Opera had been used to usher in a new season, and before the orchestra started the. familiar overture the old Opera House was filled to its topmost seats. It is estimated that 4200 persons attended the opening, many of them those genuine music-lovers who, braving the cold wind, waited in line for hours for the privilege of a seat in tho upper balconies. Good seats were at such a> premium that speculators obtained as much as 50 dollars a pair for tickets of the face value of 7.70 dollars each. Veteran opera-goers regarded the opening as more brilliant than the December’s, which, in turn, was the best for eight years. Kerstin Flagstad, as Brunnhilde, was never more brilliant, and Lauritz Melchior and Elisabeth Rethberg contributed greatly to an unusually good presentation of the familiar opera'. Critics paid special attention to Kerstin Thorborg, making her American debut, praising her talent as singer, her ability as actress, and her distinguished beauty.