Aida Acts III and IV Aired April 2, 1932, as 23rd Matinee Broadcast

Summary: Aida Acts III and IV aired April 2, 1932, as the 23rd matinee broadcast of an opera in Met Opera first season of matinee broadcasts, 1931-1932.

Carmela Ponselle reprised her Met Opera debut role of Amneris in the Saturday matinee airing of Verdi's Aida for Met Opera's first matinee broadcast season, 1931-1932; July 3, 1929, Bain News Service glass negative portrait of the operatic Ponselle sisters, Carmela (left) and Rosa (center), with Rosa's secretary, Edith Prilik (right); George Grantham Bain Collection, Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, Washington DC: No known restrictions on publication, via Library of Congress

Verdi's Aida Acts III and IV aired April 2, 1932, as the 23rd matinee broadcast of an opera, albeit abbreviated, in Met Opera's first matinee broadcast season, 1931-1932.

The Saturday, April 2, 1932, matinee of Aida by Italian opera composer Giuseppe Verdi (Oct. 10, 1813-Jan. 27, 1901) occupied the 23rd slot in Met Opera's first matinee broadcast season's schedule of 25 dates. The Metropolitan Opera Archives Database (MetOpera Database) notes that Aida's Acts III and IV were broadcast to the matinee's remote listening audience from 3:30 to 5:15 p.m.

Tullio Serafin (Sep. 1, 1878-Feb. 2, 1968) was the matinee broadcast's conductor. The Italian operatic conductor had made his Met Opera debut Monday, Nov. 3, 1924, in the opera house's 294th performance of Verdi's Aida.

Elisabeth Rethberg (Sep. 22, 1894-June 6, 1976) sang the matinee broadcast's title role of the captured, enslaved Ethiopian princess who loves Radamès, army commander of her enemy, the King of Egypt. The German operatic soprano reprised the role in which she had made her Met Opera debut Wednesday, Nov. 22, 1922, in the opera company's 122nd performance of Aida.

Francesco Merli (Jan. 27 , 1887-Dec. 12 , 1976) sang Radamès, whose love triangle comprises Aida, whom he loves, and Egyptian Princess Amneris, who loves him. The Italian operatic tenor portrayal of Radamès one month earlier, on Wednesday, March 2, in the opera company's 368th performance of Aida, had marked his Met Opera debut.

Carmella Ponselle (June 7, 1887-June 13, 1977) sang Amneris, whose princessly status cannot save Radamès from his live-burial sentence. The American mezzo-soprano, older sister of American operatic soprano Rosa Ponselle (Jan. 22, 1897-May 25, 1981), reprised the role in which she had made her Met Opera debut Saturday, Dec. 5, 1925, in the opera company's 307th performance of Aida.

Armando Borgioli (March 19, 1898-Jan. 20, 1945) sang Amonasro, King of Ethiopia, who was captured in battle with Radamès and whose daughter, Aida, chooses live-burial with Radamès over attempted escape from Egypt with her father. The Italian operatic baritone had made his Met Opera debut Friday, Jan. 22, 1932, as Don Carlo in the opera company's 43rd performance of Verdi's La Forza del Destino.

Ezio Pinza (May 18, 1892-May 9, 1957) sang High Priest Ramfis, who interprets his happening upon an apparently secret meeting of Radamès with Aida and Amonasro as evidence of the army commander's treachery. The Italian operatic bass had made his Met Opera debut Monday, Nov. 1, 1926, as Pontifex Maximus in the opera company's sixth performance of La Vestale by Italian Classical period composer Gaspare Spontini (Nov. 14, 1774-Jan. 24, 1851).

Arthur Anderson sang the King of Egypt, who intends marriage to his daughter, Amneris, as Radamès's reward for battle victory over the Ethiopians. The American operatic bass had made his Met Opera debut Friday, Feb. 26, 1932, as Donner in the opera company's 69th performance of Das Rheingold by German Romantic era composer-librettist Richard Wagner (May 22, 1813-Feb. 13, 1883).

The Saturday, April 2, 1932, matinee of Aida numbered as the eighth of the 1931-1932 season's eight performances of the opera. The season's first seven performances had taken place Thursday, Nov. 26, 1931; Thursday, Dec. 10; Saturday, Dec. 19; New Year's Day, Friday, Jan. 1, 1932; Wednesday, March 2; Tuesday, March 8; and Monday, March 21. All performances, except for the sixth, were held at the Metropolitan Opera House. The sixth performance, Tuesday, March 8, took place at the American Academy of Music in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Armando Agnini (July 11, 1884-March 27, 1960) directed the 1931-1932 season's production of Aida. He had debuted his new production of Aida on Wednesday, Nov. 7, 1923, in the opera company's 286th performance of the opera. The Italian stage director had made his Met Opera debut Saturday, April 26, 1919, in the opera house's eighth performance of I Puritani by 19th-century Italian opera composer Vincenzo Bellini (Nov. 3, 1801-Sept. 23, 1835).

Armando Agnini's production team comprised Angelo Parravicini (1868-1925), set designer; Ethel Fox, costume designer; and Rosina Galli (June 19, 1892-April 30, 1940), choreographer. Italian artist and set designer Angelo Parravicini had made his Met Opera debut Monday, Nov. 16, 1908, in the opera company's 24th performance of Aida. Ethel Fox had made her Met Opera debut Wednesday, March 24, 1920, in the opera company's United States stage premiere of Eugene Onegin by Russian late Romantic era composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (May 7, 1840-Nov. 6, 1893). Italian ballet dancer, choreographer and teacher Rosina Galli had made her Met Opera debut Thursday, Nov. 19, 1914, in the opera company's 207th performance of Carmen by French Romantic Era composer Georges Bizet (Oct. 25, 1838-June 3, 1875).

Aida's Metropolitan Opera premiere dates back to Friday, Nov. 12, 1886. The opera, which was sung in German, received four performances in the 1886-1887 season.

The takeaways for Aida Acts III and IV airing April 2, 1932, as the 23rd matinee broadcast in Met Opera's first matinee broadcast season, 1931-1932, are that Aida's first Met Opera matinee broadcast was scheduled as the season's 23rd of 25 matinee broadcast dates; and that the April 1932 Saturday matinee broadcast featured reprisals of Met Opera debut roles for Tullio Serafin as conductor and for Elisabeth Rethberg, Francesco Merli and Carmela Ponselle Aida, Radamès and Amneris, respectively.

Elisabeth Retherberg reprised her Met Opera debut role of Aida in the Saturday matinee airing of Verdi's Aida for Met Opera's first matinee broadcast season, 1931-1932; Nov. 11, 1928, glass negative portrait of Elisabeth Rethberg; George Grantham Bain Collection, Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, Washington DC: No known copyright restrictions on publication, via Library of Congress

Acknowledgment

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

Image credits:

Carmela Ponselle reprised her Met Opera debut role of Amneris in the Saturday matinee airing of Verdi's Aida for Met Opera's first matinee broadcast season, 1931-1932; July 3, 1929, Bain News Service glass negative portrait of the operatic Ponselle sisters, Carmela (left) and Rosa (center), with Rosa's secretary, Edith Prilik (right); George Grantham Bain Collection, Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, Washington DC: No known restrictions on publication, via Library of Congress @ https://www.loc.gov/resource/ggbain.28947/; via Flickr @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/library_of_congress/32383803004

Elisabeth Retherberg reprised her Met Opera debut role of Aida in the Saturday matinee airing of Verdi's Aida for Met Opera's first matinee broadcast season, 1931-1932; Nov. 11, 1928, glass negative portrait of Elisabeth Rethberg; George Grantham Bain Collection, Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, Washington DC: No known copyright restrictions on publication, via Library of Congress @ https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2014715415/; via Wikimedia Commons @ https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2014715415/

For further information:

Clark, Peter. "Aida at the Met." The Metropolitan Opera > Discover > Archives > Notes From the Archives.
Available @ https://www.metopera.org/discover/archives/notes-from-the-archives/from-the-archives-aida-at-the-met/

"Debut: Adam Lellman, Ethel Fox." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 74580 United States Stage Premiere Eugene Onegin {1} Metropolitan Opera House: 03/24/1920.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=74580

"Debut: Armando Agnini (Director)." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 71980 I Puritani {8} Matinee ed. Auditorium, Atlanta, Georgia: 04/26/1919.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=71980

"Debut: Armando Borgioli." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 110050 La Forza del Destino {43} Metropolitan Opera House: 01/22/1932.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=110600

"Debut: Arthur Anderson." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 110520 Das Rheingold {69} Ring Cycle [53] Uncut. Matinee Broadcast ed. Metropolitan Opera House: 02/26/1932.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=110520

"Debut: Carmela Ponselle." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 91430 Aida {307} Matinee ed. Metropolitan Opera House: 12/5/1925.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=110600

"Debut: Francesco Merli." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 110600 Aida {368} Metropolitan Opera House: 03/2/1932.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=110600

"Debut: Tullio Serafin." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 88000 Aida {294} Metropolitan Opera House: 11/3/1924.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=88000

"Debuts: Elisabeth Rethberg, Sigrid Onegin, Edmund Burke, Florence Hart." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 82100 Aida {276} Metropolitan Opera House: 11/22/1922.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=88000

"Debuts: Emmy Destinn, Giulio Rossi, Angelo Badà, Lenora Sparkes, Gina Torriani, Arturo Toscanini, Mario Sala, Angels [sic: Angelo Parravicini]." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 42010 New Production Aida {126} Metropolitan Opera House: 11/16/1908.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=64010

"Debuts: Ezio Pinza, Arthur Mahoney." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 94000 La Vestale {6} Metropolitan Opera House: 11/1/1926. Opening Night {42} Giulio Gatti-Casazza, General Manager.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=94000

"Debuts: Rosina Galli, Désiré Defrère." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 58030 New production Carmen {207} Metropolitan Opera House: 11/19/1914.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=58030

Franco, Jan. "Carmela Anna Ponselle." Find a Grave > Find a Grave Memorial 16143523. Oct. 11, 2006.
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The Goodman Report @TheaGood. "@RanPopArt Sisters Rosa and Carmela Ponselle." Twitter. Jan. 16, 2017.
Available @ https://twitter.com/TheaGood/status/821214298701709312

Marriner, Derdriu. "Aida Is the April 15, 2017, Metropolitan Opera Saturday Matinee Broadcast." Earth and Space News. Monday, April 10, 2017.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2017/04/aida-is-april-15-2017-metropolitan.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "Aida Is the May 4, 2019, Metropolitan Opera Saturday Matinee Broadcast." Earth and Space News. Monday, April 29, 2019.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/04/aida-is-may-4-2019-metropolitan-opera.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "Kathleen Howard Sang Amneris With Enrico Caruso in Verdi Festival." Earth and Space News. Monday, July 26, 2021.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2021/07/kathleen-howard-sang-amneris-with.html

"Matinee Broadcast: Aida Acts III, IV." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 111030 Aida {371} Matinee Broadcast ed. Metropolitan Opera House: 04/2/1932. Broadcast April 2, 1932 Matinee Broadcast (Acts III, IV).
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=111030

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Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=5270

"New Production: Aida." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 85020 New production Aida {286} Metropolitan Opera House: 11/7/1923.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=85020

The New York Times. "Theodora Douglas Becomes a Bride; Married to Arthur H. Anderson, Metropolitan Opera Baritone, at Scarborough-on-Hudson." The New York Times. Sep. 23, 1934.
Available @ https://www.nytimes.com/1934/09/23/archives/theodora-douglas-beooies-a-bride-married-to-arthur-h-anderson.html