uing ▁a ▁path ▁that ▁was ▁right ▁for ▁her . ▁ ▁Da wn ▁U ps h aw ▁was ▁" typ ically ▁simple , ▁sil very ▁and ▁winning " ▁in ▁Moz art ' s ▁" De h ! ▁Vien i , ▁non ▁tard ar ". ▁" The ▁contrast ▁could ▁not ▁have ▁been ▁more ▁striking ▁with ▁the ▁number ▁that ▁preced ed ▁it ▁- ▁a ▁manner ed , ▁div a - ish ▁rend ition ▁by ▁Jess ye ▁Norman , ▁with ▁high ▁notes ▁that ▁consist ently ▁went ▁flat , ▁of ▁an ▁aria ▁from ▁Ber li oz ' s ▁Dam n ation ▁of ▁Fa ust ". ▁ ▁Lev ine ▁did ▁not ▁avail ▁himself ▁of ▁the ▁opportunity ▁to ▁make ▁any ▁speech es , ▁but ▁merely ▁" con duct ed ▁the ▁Met ' s ▁wonderful ▁or chestra ▁with ▁love ▁and ▁enthus ias m ". ▁ ▁Tim ▁Page ▁review ed ▁the ▁g ala ▁in ▁The ▁Washington ▁Post ▁on ▁ 2 9 ▁April ▁ 1 9 9 6 . ▁It ▁was , ▁he ▁wrote , ▁a ▁" gl orious , ▁cra zy , ▁song ful ▁party ". ▁Not ▁all ▁the ▁most ▁distinguished ▁opera ▁sing ers ▁were ▁present : ▁José ▁Car rer as ▁had ▁a ▁previous ▁commit ment , ▁Mont ser rat ▁Cab all é , ▁Mar il yn ▁Hor ne ▁and ▁Ter esa ▁Str at as ▁were ▁ill ▁and ▁Kath le en ▁Battle ▁had ▁been ▁fired ▁from ▁the ▁Met ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 4 . ▁But ▁the ▁concert ▁still ▁presented ▁an ▁aston ishing ▁const ell ation ▁of ▁some ▁of ▁opera ' s