Norma Acts III and IV Aired Dec. 26, 1931, as Second Matinee Broadcast

Summary: Norma Acts III and IV aired Dec. 26, 1931, as the second matinee broadcast at Met Opera, the day after the first, Hänsel und Gretel.

marble statue of Rosa Ponselle's Norma, sculpted by American sculptor and teacher Alexander Stirling Caldwell (Jan. 11, 1870-Jan. 7, 1945) and unveiled Oct. 20, 1929, at I. (Israel) Miller Building, 1552-1554 Broadway (aka 167 West 46th Street), Manhattan, New York City, New York: Michael Cooper @coopnytimes, via Twitter Feb. 18, 2014

Norma Acts III and IV aired Dec. 26, 1931, as the second matinee broadcast at Met Opera, immediately after the Christmas broadcast of Hänsel und Gretel, Met Opera's first matinee broadcast.

Hänsel und Gretel by German composer Engelbert Humperdinck (Sep. 1, 1854-Sep. 27, 1921) aired, in its entirety, Friday, Christmas Day, Dec. 25, 1931, as the opera house's first complete matinee broadcast. The Metropolitan Opera Archives Database (MetOpera Database) credits the aired Hänsel und Gretel as the inaugural broadcast for ". . . the matinee series that continues to this day."

Norma's airing the next day, Saturday, Dec. 26, marked the opera house's first Saturday matinee broadcast. The Saturday airing of Norma by 19th-century Italian opera composer Vincenzo Bellini (Nov. 3, 1801-Sep. 23, 1835) also coincided with the 100th anniversary of the opera's first production, Monday, Dec. 26, 1831, at Teatro alla Scala in Milan, Lombardy region, north central Italy.

Norma received two performances in the 1931-1932 season. Both performances were held at the opera house. The second, closing performance took place Monday, Jan. 25, 1932.

The Saturday, Dec. 26, matinee numbered as the opera house's 34th performance of the opera. Norma's Metropolitan Opera premiere had taken place Monday, Feb. 27, 1890, at the opera house. The opera, which was sung in German, received three performances during its premiere season.

Tullio Serafin (Sept. 1, 1878-Feb. 2, 1968) conducted Met Opera's first broadcasted Saturday matinee performance. The Italian operatic conductor had made his Met Opera debut Monday, Nov. 3, 1924, in the opera house's 294th performance of Aida by Italian opera composer Giuseppe Verdi (Oct. 10, 1813-Jan. 27, 1901).

Rosa Ponselle (Jan. 22, 1897-May 25, 1981), born Rosa Melba Ponzillo, sang the first Saturday matinee broadcast's title role of the High Priestess of the Druids. The American operatic soprano had made her Met Opera debut Friday, Nov. 15, 1918, as Leonora in the Metropolitan Opera premiere of Verdi's La Forza del Destino.

Giacomo Lauri-Volpi (Dec. 11, 1892-March 17, 1979) sang the first Saturday matinee broadcast's Pollione. The Italian lyric tenor had made his Met Opera debut Friday, Jan. 26, 1923, as the Duke of Mantua in the opera house's 127th performance of Verdi's Rigoletto.

Gladys Swarthout (Dec. 25, 1900-July 7, 1969) sang the first Saturday matinee broadcast's Adalgisa. The American mezzo-soprano had made her Met Opera debut Tuesday, Oct. 29, 1929, as an Elf in the opera house's sixth performance of La Campana Sommersa by Italian composer, musicologist and orchestra director Ottorino Respighi (July 9, 1879-April 18, 1936).

Ezio Pinza (May 18, 1892-May 9, 1957) sang the first Saturday matinee broadcast's Oroveso. The Italian operatic bass had made his Met Opera debut Monday, Nov. 1, 1926, as Pontifex Maximus in the opera house's sixth performance of La Vestale by Italian Classical period composer Gaspare Spontini (Nov. 14, 1774-Jan. 24, 1851).

Angelo Badà (May 27, 1876-March 23, 1941) sang the first Saturday matinee broadcast's Flavio. The Italian operatic tenor had made his Met Opera debut Monday, Nov. 16, 1908, as the Messenger in the opera house's 126th performance of Verdi's Aida.

Minnie Egener (1881/1884?–Jan. 15, 1933) sang the first Saturday matinee broadcast's Clotilde. The American lyric soprano had made her Met Opera debut Thursday, Dec. 24, 1903, as a Flower Maiden in the Metropolitan Opera House's United States premiere of Parsifal by German Romantic era composer-librettist Richard Wagner (May 22, 1813-Feb. 13, 1883).

Alexander Sanine (April 15, 1869-May 8, 1956) directed the first Saturday matinee broadcast's production of Norma. The Russian opera and theatre director had made his Met Opera debut Friday, Nov. 6, 1931, in the opera house's 49th performance of L'Elisir d'Amore by Italian opera composer Gaetano Donizetti (Nov. 29, 1797-April 8, 1848).

The production's costumes and sets were designed by Joseph Urban (May 26, 1872-July 10, 1933). The Austrian American scenic designer 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).

La Bohème by Italian opera composer Giacomo Puccini (Dec. 22, 1858-Nov. 29, 1924) succeeded Bellini's Norma as the 1931-1932 season's third matinee broadcast. La Bohème aired Friday, Jan. 1, 1932, as the opera house's second Friday matinee broadcast.

The takeaways for airing Norma Acts III and IV Dec. 26, 1931, as Met Opera's second matinee broadcast are that the abbreviated opera's radio broadcast succeeded the opera house's first matinee broadcast, which had occurred with Hänsel und Gretel's airing Friday, Christmas Day, Dec. 25; that Norma's airing numbered as the opera house's first Saturday matinee broadcast; that Met Opera's second matinee broadcast coincided with the 100th anniversary of Norma's first production; and that American operatic soprano Rosa Ponselle sang the title role in Met Opera's second matinee broadcast.

Italian lyric tenor Giacomo Lauri-Volpi sang Norma's Pollione in Met Opera's second matinee broadcast, Saturday, Dec. 26, 1931, which numbered as the opera house's first Saturday matinee broadcast; photo of Giacomo Lauri-Volpi, in Joseph Urban-designed Pollione costume, by Ortho: Platea Magazine @PlateaMagazine, via Twitter Dec. 11, 2015

Acknowledgment

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

Dedication

This post is dedicated to the memory of our beloved blue-eyed brother, Charles, who guided the creation of the Met Opera and Astronomy posts on Earth and Space News. We memorialized our brother in "Our Beloved Blue-Eyed Brother, Charles, With Whom We Are Well Pleased," published on Earth and Space News on Thursday, Nov. 18, 2021, an anniversary of our beloved father's death.

Image credits:

marble statue of Rosa Ponselle's Norma, sculpted by American sculptor and teacher Alexander Stirling Caldwell (Jan. 11, 1870-Jan. 7, 1945) and unveiled Oct. 20, 1929, at I. (Israel) Miller Building, 1552-1554 Broadway (aka 167 West 46th Street), Manhattan, New York City, New York: Michael Cooper @coopnytimes, via Twitter Feb. 18, 2014, @ https://twitter.com/coopnytimes/status/435864825298976768

Italian lyric tenor Giacomo Lauri-Volpi sang Norma's Pollione in Met Opera's second matinee broadcast, Saturday, Dec. 26, 1931, which numbered as the opera house's first Saturday matinee broadcast; photo of Giacomo Lauri-Volpi, in Joseph Urban-designed Pollione costume, by Ortho: Platea Magazine @PlateaMagazine, via Twitter Dec. 11, 2015, @ https://twitter.com/PlateaMagazine/status/675413501800816640/photo/1

For further information:

"Debut: Alexander Sanine." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 109050 L'Elisir d'Amore {49} Metropolitan Opera House: 11/6/1931.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=109050

"Debut: Gladys Swarthout." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 103020 La Campana Sommersa {6} American Academy of Music, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: 10/29/1929.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=103020

"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: Emmy Destinn, Giulio Rossi, Angelo Badà, Lenora Sparkes, Gina Torriani, Arturo Toscanini, Mario Sala, Angels." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 42010 New Production Aida {126} Metropolitan Opera House: 11/16/1908. Opening Night {24} Giulio Gatti-Casazza, General Manager.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=42010

"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: Giacomo Lauri-Volpi, Virginia Grassi." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 82980 Rigoletto {127} Metropolitan Opera House: 01/26/1923.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=82980

"Debuts: Otto Goritz, Katherine Moran, Paula Braendle, Willy Harden, Julius Bayer, Miss Berndorf, Miss Clare, Jessie Clevinger, Miss Curtis, Minnie Egener, Mildred Elliott, Miss Franklin, Miss Geleng, Elsa Harris, Miss Hauke, Miss Hoffmann, Maud Meredith, Katherine Moran, Florence Mulford, Miss Pauli, Ida Rabenstein, Rosa Ritchie, Ada Schramm, Marie Strebel, Miss Siersdorfer, Miss White, Miss Wittig, Blanche Yorke, Blanche Yurka, Leopold Rothaug, Burghard & Co., Blaschke & Cie." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 32260 United States Premiere Parsifal {1} Metropolitan Opera House: 12/24/1903.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=61030

"Debuts: Rosa Ponselle, Alice Gentle, Giordano Paltrinieri, Witold Gordon." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 70040 Metropolitan Opera Premiere La Forza del Destino {1} Metropolitan Opera House: 11/15/1918.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=70040

“Debuts: Thomas Chalmers, Pierre Monteux, Joseph Urban.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 67050 New production Faust {294} Matinee ed. Metropolitan Opera House: 11/17/1917.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=67050

Drake, James A. "Ecco! Il Leone!: Giacomo Lauri-Volpi and the Metropolitan Opera, 1922-32." Italian Americana, vol. 7, no. 1 (Fall/Winter 1981): 45-64
Available via JSTOR @ https://www.jstor.org/stable/29776024

"First Met Broadcast: Tosca Acts II, III." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 46140 Tosca {66} Broadcast ed. Metropolitan Opera House: 01/12/1910. Broadcast First Met Broadcast (Acts II, III).
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=46140

Marriner, Derdriu. "Cav Pag Aired Thursday, Jan. 13, 1910, as Second Met Broadcast." Earth and Space News. Monday, Oct. 11, 2021.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2021/10/cavpag-aired-thursday-jan-13-1910-as.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "Met Opera's 2021-2022 Season Has 28 Saturday Matinee Broadcasts." Earth and Space News. Monday, Nov. 22, 2021.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2021/11/met-operas-2021-2022-season-has-28.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "Met Opera's First Matinee Broadcast Season Had Two Full, 23 Cut Operas." Earth and Space News. Monday, Jan. 31, 2022.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2022/01/met-operas-first-matinee-broadcast.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "Queena Mario Sang Gretel in Met Opera's First Broadcast, Dec. 25, 1931." Earth and Space News. Monday, May 24, 2021.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2021/05/queena-mario-sang-gretel-in-met-operas.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "Tosca's Last Two Acts Jan. 12, 1910, Aired as First Met Broadcast." Earth and Space News. Monday, Oct. 4, 2021.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2021/10/toscas-last-two-acts-jan-12-1910-aired.html

"Matinee Broadcast: Hänsel und Gretel." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 109680 Hänsel und Gretel {125} Pagliacci {304} Matinee Broadcast ed. Metropolitan Opera House: 12/25/1931. Broadcast December 25, 1931 Matinee Broadcast.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=109680

"Matinee Broadcast: La Bohème Acts I, II." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 109770 La Bohème {285} Matinee Broadcast ed. Metropolitan Opera House: 01/1/1932. Broadcast January 1, 1932 Matinee Broadcast (Acts I, II).
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=109770

"Matinee Broadcast: Norma Acts III, IV." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 109700 Norma {34} Matinee Broadcast ed. Metropolitan Opera House: 12/26/1931. Broadcast December 26, 1931 Matinee Broadcast (Acts III, IV).
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=109700

Metropolitan Opera Archives Database. "Rosa Ponselle in Bellini's Norma, November 16, 1927: Review of Lawrence Gilman in the New York Tribune." Metropolitan Opera Archives Database > Norma > Images.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/Imgs/PonselleNorma.htm

"Metropolitan Opera Premiere: Norma." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 8550 Metropolitan Opera Premiere Norma {1} Metropolitan Opera House: 02/27/1890. Metropolitan Opera Premiere In German.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=8550

Michael Cooper @coopnytimes. "Rosa Ponselle's 'Norma,' on 46th Street." Twitter. Feb. 18, 2014.
Available @ https://twitter.com/coopnytimes/status/435864825298976768

Miller, Tom. "The Little Half House at No. 35 West 12th Street." Daytonian in Manhattan. April 27, 2011.
Available @ http://daytoninmanhattan.blogspot.com/2011/04/little-half-house-at-no-35-west-12th.html

New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. "I. Miller Building, 1552-1554 Broadway (aka 167 West 46th Street), Manhattan." New York City Landmarks Preservation Committee (LPC) Designation List 308 LP-2033. June 29, 1999.
Available @ http://s-media.nyc.gov/agencies/lpc/lp/2023.pdf

Platea Magazine @PlateaMagazine. "El tenor italiano Giacomo Lauri-Volpi nació un 11 de diciembre de 1892. Es nuestra #Imagendeldia." Twitter. Dec. 11, 2015.
Available @ https://twitter.com/PlateaMagazine/status/675413501800816640/photo/1

"Second Met Broadcast: Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 46150 Cavalleria Rusticana {118} Pagliacci {91} Broadcast ed. Metropolitan Opera House: 01/13/1910. Broadcast Second Met Broadcast.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=46150