First Lady

Howard Taubman in the New York Times:

As Miss Rysanek made her first entrance, some well-bred gentleman shouted, “Brava Callas!” But the German soprano has been to the wars. She has sung extensively in Europe, has been a leading figure with the San Francisco Opera and has even done Lady Macbeth in a concert version with the Little Orchestra Society in New York. She has the courage to cope with adversity.

It is possible to find fault with Miss Rysanek. Her voice is not harsh and edgy, as Verdi wished Lady Macbeth to be. On the contrary, it is beautifully schooled and controlled. And one is grateful for singing that is dependable.

Miss Rysanek phrases with the intelligence and sensibility of a musician. Her soprano is securest and love- liest above the staff, where its texture is both delicate and brilliant. She can float a high pianissimo exquisitely. And her fortissimos soar above the massed ensemble at the end of the first act with proud refulgence.

In the Sleepwalking Scene, where Verdi matches Shakespeare in compassion, she performs unforgettably. A handsome woman, she moves with grace and acts with temperament. In the fourth act she received a thunderous accolade.