Lily's Back

On stage, it was Lily Pons wearing diamonds and emeralds, and singing in Valentina-designed costumes, one of which showed her navel. A detective stood in the wings, guarding the jewels. In the audience, a gem-barnacled first-nighter, Mrs. George Washington Kavanaugh, was watched over by a gun-toting bodyguard, but managed to lose a bracelet.

Facts like these got more space in Manhattan newspapers last week than Delibes' sorry show, Lakme, with which the Metropolitan Opera chose to open its 62nd season. No one could deny that, from a social point of view, Lakme was practically ideal: it didn't matter too much if latecomers missed the first act, or spent the last act in the bar on the Grand Tier floor--the real attraction was the second-act "Bell Song," a coloratura showpiece and practically Pons's theme song. Lakme itself is a kind of earlier Madama Butterfly--involving the love of an Indian priest's daughter for an officer in the British Army--but far inferior in libretto and music.

The fact was that seldom-performed Lakme had been chosen this year to welcome 42-year-old Lily Pons back into the Met fold. She is still the most competent coloratura in the business, and the Met was ready to admit it, after trying to build up an unproved fledgling, 18-year-old Patrice Munsel while Lily flew off with her husband, Conductor Andre Kostelanetz, on U.S.O. tours.

When it became obvious that Neophyte Patrice Munsel could not hold opera audiences, the Met invited Lily Pons to return to its aviary for two Lucia di Lammermoors. To clinch the deal for this season Manager Edward Johnson offered her the coveted opening night, suggested that she sing her favorite role, Lakme. Last week Pons fans were surprised to see that her once-frail body had plumped up to 114 lbs., was suntanned to the right shade for her Indian role. From India she had returned with twelve saris (wraparound Hindu dresses), six of which Dressmaker Valentina wrapped into costumes for Lakme. Sharing Lily's backstage dressing room were three long-haired Tibetan dogs named Wah-ping, Shun-lo and Gobi (who recently made an appearance with Lotte Lehmann in a San Francisco performance of Der Rosenkavalier). Pons was not disturbed when critics panned Lakme. Said she: "Is bad taste to beat Lakme. If I sing Lakme . . . the public is crazy to hear me. Is more a social night. Is just gossiping, but we enjoy it just the same."

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