Queena Mario Sang Her 43rd and Last Met Opera Gretel on Dec. 26, 1938

Summary: Queena Mario sang her 43rd and last Met Opera Gretel on Monday, Dec. 26, 1938, over 11 years after she first added Gretel to her Met Opera portfolio.

Editha Fleischer (left) as Hänsel and Queena Mario (right) as Gretel in Met Opera's Hänsel und Gretel; production designed by father-daughter team of Joseph Urban and Gretel Urban: The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera, via Facebook Aug. 3, 2017

Queena Mario sang her 43rd and last Met Opera Gretel on Monday, Dec. 26, 1938, approximately 11 years one and one-half months after she first added the role to her Met Opera portfolio.

Queena Mario, stage name of Queena Marian Tillotson (Aug. 21, 1896-May 28, 1951), sang Gretel as the first of her two new Met Opera season 1927-1928 roles and as her first and last role in the 1927-1928 season. The American lyric soprano had made her Met Opera debut Thursday, Nov. 30, 1922, as Micaela in the opera house's 277th performance of Carmen by French Romantic Era composer Georges Bizet (Oct. 25, 1838-June 3, 1875).

The Metropolitan Opera House's 1927-1928 season staging of Hänsel und Gretel by German composer Engelbert Humperdinck (Sept. 1, 1854-Sept. 27, 1921) opened Saturday, Nov. 5, 1927, as a new production. Wilhelm von Wymetal (1862-Nov. 11, 1937) directed the new production. The Viennese stage director had made his Met Opera debut Friday, Nov. 17, 1922, in the opera house's 28th performance of Der Rosenkavalier by German composer Richard Strauss (June 11, 1864-Sept. 8, 1949).

The father-daughter team of Austrian American scenic designer Joseph Urban (May 26, 1872-July 10, 1933) and Austrian American costume designer Gretel Urban (Jan. 7, 1898-Dec. 6, 1997) designed the new production. Joseph Urban had made his Met Opera debut Saturday, Nov. 17, 1917, in the opera house's 294th performance of Faust by French composer Charles-François Gounod (June 17, 1818-Oct. 18, 1893). Gretel Urban had made her Met Opera debut Dec. 23, 1920, in the opera house's premiere of Don Carlo by Italian opera composer Giuseppe Verdi (Oct. 10, 1813-Jan. 27, 1901).

In Hänsel und Gretel's Metropolitan Opera premiere season, 1927-1928, the opera received 12 performances. Queena Mario sang the female title role in 10 performances: the season's first (Saturday, Nov. 5), third through fifth (Tuesday, Nov. 15; Monday, Nov. 21; Friday, Dec. 9) and seventh through 12th, closing (Monday, Dec. 26; Wednesday, Jan. 4, 1928; Tuesday, Feb. 7; Saturday, April 7; Wednesday, April 25; Friday, May 4) performances.

Artur Bodanzky (Dec. 16, 1877-Nov. 23, 1939) and Giuseppe Bamboschek (June 12, 1890-June 24, 1969) shared the conductorship of the 1927-1928 season's performances of Hänsel und Gretel. They numbered as the first two of three conductors of the 43 Hänsel und Gretel performances in Queena Mario's Met Opera portfolio.

Maestro Bodanzky's conductorship of the season's first nine Hänsel und Gretel performances overlapped with seven of Queena Mario's appearances. The Austrian-American Jewish conductor had made his Met Opera debut Thursday, Nov. 18, 1915, in the opera house's 85th performance of Götterdämmerung by German Romantic era composer-librettist Richard Wagner (May 22, 1813-Feb. 13, 1883).

Maestro Bamboschek's conductorship of the season's last three Hänsel und Gretel performances coincided with Queena Mario's last three 1927-1928 season appearances as Gretel. The Italian-American opera conductor and pianist had made his Met Opera stage debut Saturday, March 23, 1918, as an accompanist in the opera house's world premiere of The Robin Woman: Shanewis by 20th-century American composer Charles Wakefield Cadman (Dec. 24, 1881-Dec. 30, 1946). He had made his Met Opera conducting debut Saturday, Dec. 20, 1919, in the opera house's 311th performance of Gounod's Faust.

In her first season as Gretel, Queena Mario sang with three of her four Met Opera career Hänsels. Queena Mario's first Hänsel, Editha Fleischer (April 5, 1898-1957?), joined her in seven performances (first, fourth, fifth, eighth, 10th through 12th). The German operatic soprano had made her Met Opera debut Saturday, Nov. 6, 1926, as the First Lady in the opera house's 62nd performance of Die Zauberflöte by Classical Era composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Jan. 27, 1756-Dec. 5, 1791).

Queena Mario's second Hänsel, Ina Bourskaya (Sept. 9, 1886-June 25, 1954), shared two Hänsel und Gretel performances (third, seventh) with Queena's Gretel in the 1927-1928 season. The Ukrainian-born Russian, then naturalized American mezzo-soprano had made her Met Opera debut Friday, March 2, 1923, in the title role in the opera house's 280th performance of Bizet's Carmen.

Queena Mario's third Hänsel, Ellen Dalossy, added the role to her Met Opera portfolio with only one career appearance as Hänsel, in the season's ninth Hänsel und Gretel performance. The Prague-born Jewish soprano had made her Met Opera debut Friday, Dec. 10, 1920, as a Flower Maiden in the opera house's 91st performance of Wagner's Parsifal.

Queena Maro reprised Gretel in 11 seasons over the next decade. Her first reprisal took place in the following season, 1928-1929. She sang Gretel in five (Saturday, Nov. 3, 1928; Tuesday, Dec. 18; Friday, Jan. 11, 1929; Wednesday, Feb. 20; Monday, May 6) of the season's seven performances. Her second reprisal claimed all five of the 1929-1930 season's Hänsel und Gretel performances.

In her third reprisal, she sang Gretel in all six of the 1930-1931 season's Hänsel und Gretel performances. Queena Mario's third reprisal season introduced the third and last of her three Hänsel und Gretel conductors, Karl (Carl) Riedel (Oct. 6, 1827-June 3, 1888). The German conductor and composer had made his Met Opera debut Wednesday, Nov. 20, 1929, in the opera house's 368th performance of Wagner's Lohengrin.

Her fourth reprisal logged all five of the 1931-1932 season's Hänsel und Gretel performances. In her fifth reprisal, Queena Mario appeared in three (Monday, Dec. 26, 1932; Friday, Dec. 30; Monday, Jan. 30, 1933) of the 1932-1933 season's four Hänsel und Gretel performances. Her sixth reprisal claimed both of the 1933-1934 season's Hänsel und Gretel performances. Queena Mario marked her seventh Gretel reprisal with the 1934-1935 season's solitary Hänsel und Gretel performance. In her eighth Gretel reprisal season, she appeared in both of the 1935-1936 season's Hänsel und Gretel performances.

Queena Mario's ninth reprisal season registered her 40th and 41st Gretel with her appearances in both of the 1936-1937 season's Hänsel und Gretel performances. Her ninth reprisal season introduced her fourth and last Hänsel, Irene Jessner (Aug. 28, 1901-Jan. 10, 1994). The Austrian-born Canadian soprano had made her Met Opera debut Monday, Dec. 21, 1936, as Ortlinde in the opera house's 282nd performance of Wagner's Die Walküre.

Her 42nd Gretel occurred in her 10th reprisal, in the 1937-1938 season's solitary Hänsel und Gretel performance.

Queena Mario sang her 43rd and last Met Opera Gretel in her 11th reprisal season. Her appearance in the 1938-1939 season's solitary performance, Monday, Dec. 26, 1938, marked her last Met Opera performance and conductor Karl Riedel's last Met Opera performance.

Queena Mario's first Hänsel, Editha Fleischer, and third Hänsel und Gretel conductor, Karl Riedel, logged the most appearances with her. Editha Fleischer sang 31 Hänsels with Queena's Gretel over nine seasons (seasons 1927-1928 through 1935-1936). Karl Riedel conducted 22 of Queena's performances over 10 seasons (seasons 1929-1930 through 1938-1939).

Queena Mario's second Hänsel, Ina Bourskaya, sang seven Hänsels over three seasons (1927-1928, 1929-1930, 1931-1932). Her third Hänsel, Ellen Dalossy, claimed one performance, only in Queena Mario's first season as Gretel. Her fourth Hänsel, Irene Jessner, shared Queena Mario's last four Gretel performances, in seasons 1936-1937 through 1938-1939.

Queena Mario's first Hänsel und Gretel conductor, Artur Bodanzky, conducted 17 of her 43 Hänsel und Gretel performances, in four seasons (seasons 1927-1928 through 1930-1931). Giuseppe Bamboschek, Queena Mario's second Hänsel und Gretel conductor, held the baton for four performances, in two seasons (1927-1928, 1928-1929). His fourth Hänsel und Gretel conductorship, on Monday, May 6, 1929, in Queena Mario's first Gretel reprisal season, marked his last Met Opera performance.

The takeaways for Queena Mario's 43rd and last Met Opera performance as Humperdinck's Gretel are that the American lyric soprano's 43 Juliette performances occurred in 12 seasons; that she sang with three conductors (Artur Bodanzky, Giuseppe Bamboschek, Karl Riedel); that Karl Riedel conducted 22 of her Gretel performances; that she sang with four Hänsels (Editha Fleischer, Ina Bourskaya, Ellen Dalossy, Irene Jessner); and that Editha Fleischer sang 31 Hänsels to Queena Mario's Gretel.

German conductor and composer Karl Riedel conducted 22 of Queena Mario's 43 Hänsel und Gretel performances; undated photograph of Hänsel und Gretel conductor Karl Riedel by Leipzig, Germany-based photographer August Brasch; Bergen Public Library Norway: Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Acknowledgment

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

Image credits:

Editha Fleischer (left) as Hänsel and Queena Mario (right) as Gretel in Met Opera's Hänsel und Gretel; production designed by father-daughter team of Joseph Urban and Gretel Urban: The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera, via Facebook Aug. 3, 2017, @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/posts/10159249548425533

German conductor and composer Karl Riedel conducted 22 of Queena Mario's 43 Hänsel und Gretel performances; undated photograph of Hänsel und Gretel conductor Karl Riedel by Leipzig, Germany-based photographer August Brasch; Bergen Public Library Norway (Bergen Offentlige Bibliotek): Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Carl_Riedel_portrait_(9782286246).jpg; No known copyright restrictions, via Flickr @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/37381115@N04/9782286246

For further information:

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Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=94060

"Debut: Ellen Dalossy." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 76290 Parsifal {91} Matinee ed. Metropolitan Opera House: 12/10/1920.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=76290

"Debut: Giuseppe Bamboschek." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 73410 Faust {311} Metropolitan Opera House: 12/20/1919.
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“Debut: Gretel Urban.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 76450 Metropolitan Opera Premiere Don Carlo {1} Metropolitan Opera House: 12/23/1920.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=76450

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Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=103310

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Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=82200

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The Sembrich @The_Sembrich. "Our collection contains a number of gifts given to Madame Sembrich. This incense holder was a gift from her student Queena Mario, who taught alongside her teacher at the @JuilliardSchool and the @CurtisInstitute. Camera: Sembrich and Mario at Bay View, ca 1922. #History #TheSembrich." Twitter. Nov. 5, 2020.
Available @ https://twitter.com/The_Sembrich/status/1324398625452138497

The Sembrich @The_Sembrich. "Queena Mario, soprano and student of Mme. Sembrich, taught @CurtisInstitute students and sang on the @MetOpera stage over 300 times! #TheSembrich #LakeGeorge #BoltonLanding #GlensFalls #Saratoga #AlbanyNY #Adirondacks #LakePlacid #UpstateNY #ClassicalMusic #opera #music #culture." Twitter. Dec. 19, 2018.
Available @ https://twitter.com/The_Sembrich/status/1075347553732972544

The Woodlawn Cemetery & Conservancy @WoodlawnCemNY. "A renowned opera singer, #WoodlawnConnection Queena Mario made her debut at the Met in 1922. She became one of the nation’s premier voice teachers and a successful author of mystery fiction. In her books, like 'Murder Meets Mephisto,' her characters were opera performers." Twitter. March 26, 2020.
Available @ https://twitter.com/hashtag/WoodlawnConnection?src=hashtag_click