CRÍTICA
(July 10, 1949)

     CRÍTICA: "A brilliant celebration of the traditional Gala at Teatro Colón last night".

     Before an impressive house, the traditional artistic Gala commemorating our independence took place in the Teatro Colón.
     Attending the show was the president of the republic and his wife, the ministers of the Executive and Judicial branch, members of the Senate and Chamber of Deputies, diplomatic corps, municipal authorities, members of the armed forces, and a large invited audience. At the right of the president sat the War Minister of Brazil, General Canrobert Pereira da Costa, chief of the military embassy who is visiting us; at his left the chief of the Caribbean armed forces, General Matthew Ridgway, who is also our guest.
     At 21:15 General Perón entered the presidential box, and they immediately played the National Hymn conducted by maestro Héctor Panizza and sung by the chorus of the students of the Municipal Conservatory "Manuel de Falla". It was followed by the overture and scene from the first act of Bellini’s Norma, conducted by maestro Tullio Serafin, sung by soprano Maria Callas and bass Nicola Rossi-Lemeni, as well as the theater’s chorus. Both artists displayed extraordinary ability, and Maria Callas repeated her "Casta diva", justly celebrated by critics when the opera was revived during the official season in our foremost coliseum. The audience applauded everyone with enthusiasm.
     Helena Arizmendi sang the second item of the program consisting of a scene from the second act of Gounod’s opera Faust. The Argentinean singer showed off her interpretation of the character of Marguerite. She acted securely and freely.
     After intermission, during which a lunch was served in the Salón Dorado, they performed the third act of Puccini’s Turandot interpreted by Maria Callas, Mario del Monaco, Nicola Rossi-Lemeni, Helena Arizmendi, Roberto Maggiolo, Renato Cesari, and Carlos Giusti; it goes without saying, this was the same cast that had performed this opera during the recent lyric season; again they repeated the success that had awarded them the praise of the metropolitan critics; they were highly applauded by the audience that filled the auditorium of the theater and made an extensive demonstration of approval for maestro Serafin, who conducted the orchestra with his usual authority.