Opera: A Day's Work

When he left the Metropolitan Opera in 1957, Tenor James McCracken was understandably bitter. In four black years at the Met, he had been all but buried beneath a mountain of spear-carrier costumes. "I was pretty disappointed." he says now, "but I was determined to come back singing the great parts." Last week McCracken came back, and in grander style than most spear carriers could dream of: he sang Otello in the premiere of a lavish new Met production.

From the first note of the Esultate that introduces Otello, McCracken was in perfect control. His powerful...

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