RIGOLETTO:Verdi
Erede; Warren, Güden, Tucker, Pernerstorfer, Madeira
Original Air Date: 12/08/1951
SID.19430208
Though Gueden’s 24 Met Gildas isn’t going to threaten Roberta Peters’ 88 performance record, this was her Met debut a month before this broadcast in a new production designed by Eugene Berman and directed by Herbert Graf (same team as for classic Don Giovanni 6 years later). Warren was the pre-eminent Met Rigoletto during his Met years, and few have sung it so powerfully. Tucker sings the ‘Possente amor’ cabaletta to his ‘Parmi veder’ (only this season if memory serves; the cabaletta does not return until the appearance of Alfredo Kraus 15 years later) None of the 1951 matinee performers are short when it comes to filling out the vocal lines. What is unfortunate is the only broadcast of Warren’s Rigoletto from 1945 to 1959 has not made it to MOoD, and only two of Warren’s SEVEN broadcasts have appeared on Sirius. This 1951 broadcast is very deserving of being promoted to MOoD.