Tannhauser Metropolitan Opera 1935

Richard Bonelli

About an hour and a half of this performance survives, 35 mins of act 2, and about 52 mins of act 3. It's an unusual cast for this opera at the Met. Melchior of course sang this opera plenty of times and can be heard in complete broadcasts from 1936, 1941, 1942 and 1948 (1941 has the best sound). The other main principals rarely sang this opera at the Met: this was the last of Muller's eight performances as Elisabeth, Manski sang Venus only eleven times and Bonelli sang Wolfram just 4 times. Bonelli was best known for his mainstream Italiam and French roles, so this recording adds a different dimension to his discography. The sound is moderate at best, being an aircheck recorded on fairly primitive equipment.

Metropolitan Opera House
January 12, 1935 Matinee Broadcast


TANNHÄUSER {280}

Tannhäuser..............Lauritz Melchior
Elisabeth...............Maria Müller
Wolfram.................Richard Bonelli
Venus...................Dorothee Manski
Hermann.................Ludwig Hofmann
Walther.................Hans Clemens
Heinrich................Giordano Paltrinieri
Biterolf................Arnold Gabor
Reinmar.................James Wolfe
Shepherd................Lillian Clark
Dance...................Jessie Rogge
Dance...................Beatrice Covell
Dance...................Helen Sumholz

Conductor...............Artur Bodanzky
https://rapidshare.com/files/3094863855/1935TannhauserAct2.mp3
https://rapidshare.com/files/1105068619/1935TannhauserAct3.mp3