Aug 18 Sun 2019 
LES CONTES D’HOFFMANN:Offenbach
Original Air Date: 02/05/1983
Rudel; Riegel, Devlin, Bradley, Cortez, Malfitano, Catania, Atherton
SID.19330747
This is not an ideal cast, but I have appended James Atherton who does the comic tenor quartet of roles. He was a fine singer lost much too early. This performance catches Malfitano as Antonia early in her career. She went on to do all the heroines. Julius Rudel probably has conducted Hoffmann as much as anyone and he conducted my first Hoffmann with NYCO based cast of Sills, Domingo, Treigle in Philadelphia in 1965. Rudel is second only to Hasselmans (from the 1920s) with 37 Met appearances as conductor. This is not my first choice cast, but Malfitano (Antonia only), Devlin, and Atherton with Troyanos, Morris,and Velis no longer around for the broadcast.
LES TROYENS:Berlioz
Original Air Date: 02/18/1984
Levine; Norman, Sooter, Monk, Taillon, Plishka, Ahlstedt
MOD Audio SID.19330748
Norman repeated Verrett’s double assumption on this broadcast (Verrett’s was for the opening of the production in 1973 when Ludwig was indisposed–I was there, quite an evening). I rather prefer Norman’s Didon to her Cassandre, but this broadcast now takes its place in MOoD. Enee is close to an impossible part, but Sooter is no worse than Ronald Dowd was in Boston for Caldwell.
LES TROYENS:Berlioz
Original Air Date: 02/18/1984
Levine; Norman, Sooter, Monk, Taillon, Plishka, Ahlstedt
MOD Audio SID.19330749
Norman repeated Verrett’s double assumption on this broadcast (Verrett’s was for the opening of the production in 1973 when Ludwig was indisposed–I was there, quite an evening). I rather prefer Norman’s Didon to her Cassandre, but this broadcast now takes its place in MOoD. Enee is close to an impossible part, but Sooter is no worse than Ronald Dowd was in Boston for Caldwell. Aug 19 Mon 2019 
CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA / PAGLIACCI:Mascagni / Leoncavallo
Original Air Date: 02/01/1941
Calusio; Roman, Jagel, Warren / Martinelli, Greco, Tibbett
MOD Audio SID.19340101
The star performers on this Cav/Pag are Martinelli and Tibbett, but the remarkable performance is from Stella Roman as Santuzza. She has many excellent broadcasts from the Met in the 1940s, but the only two which have made it to Sirius and MOoD are this Cav/Pag, and a Forza with many of the same singers under Bruno Walter in 1943. There is also a Bjorling Trovatore which has made the rounds of the private market. She’s not a perfect singer, but severely underrated.
I PURITANI:Bellini
Original Air Date: 03/13/1976
Bonynge; Sutherland, Pavarotti, Milnes, Morris
MOD Audio SID.19340102
Bing delivered a lovely production, and the four principals all were well suited to their roles. This was a big break-out part for Morris and the Suoni la tromba duet with Milnes almost stole the show from Pavarotti and Sutherland. Sutherland is 50 for this performance, and amazingly is back ten years later for another Puritani broadcast. This 1976 is the preferred broadcast and deservingly is on Met Player. It’s just a shame it wasn’t videod as well (the first video of the modern series comes a year later). It is a fitting document to one of the strongest Puritani quartets ever. There is no arguing that Met casting was top tier, and this certainly lifted Morris up from being promising to being major.
KÁT’A KABANOVÁ:Janácek
Original Air Date: 12/25/2004
Belohlávek; Mattila, Forst, Silvasti, Ognovenko, Very, Kozená
SID.19340103
An excellent cast, but I just don’t warm as much to this work as to Jenufa. For these infrequent works, it is important they make their way to MOoD.
DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE:Mozart
Original Air Date: 01/22/1977
Conlon; Valente, Burrows, Uppman, Shane, Plishka
SID.19340104
This Zauberfloete features old and new performers in a well-balanced performance. The conductor, James Conlon, was in his debut engagement; and the Sarastro, Paul Plishka, was doing his only series in the role (one of his first major roles). The talented Benita Valente was especially noted for her Mozart roles. On the lesser known and underappreciated front, we have a sparkling Rita Shane as the Queen of the Night. Finally, on the veteran front, we have Theodore Uppman, doing the last of his 60 Papagenos at the Met. Maybe most notable for a future Broadway composer Adam Guettel (RRodgers’ grandson) as one of the Genie. All in all, an enjoyable Mozart outing.
LA GIOCONDA:Ponchielli
Original Air Date: 03/16/1946
Cooper; Milanov, Tucker, Warren, Stevens, Vaghi
SID.19340105
The Met doesn’t reach back into the 1940s often, but La Gioconda is a good opera to do that. This is from Tucker’s debut broadcast (his house debut is in the same role the previous season). Milanov, Tucker, and Warren really show the type of voices necessary for this work. The MOoD from 1953 substitutes Baum for Tucker, but you pick up Barbieri and Siepi. A major Gioconda omission from rebroadcast is the 1959 the only other Gioconda broadcast with Milanov and Tucker together. It also features Merrill and Siepi which is about as potent a male lineup as can be imagined. Sirius, Met, how about a look at 1959, and the addition of this 1946 performance to MOoD.
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NORMA:Bellini
Original Air Date: 02/17/1973
Cillario; Caballé, Cossotto, Cossutta, Tozzi
MOD Audio SID.19340106
This is from Caballe’s first run at Norma with the reliable Cossotto; they are certainly a team. Cossutta missed the premiere, and this is his debut; he would go on to do 12 more Polliones with Caballe, Galvany, and Verrett and that is his Met career. Tozzi would not be my choice for Oroveso. Norma is one of Caballe’s best roles.
IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA:Rossini
Original Air Date: 03/09/1963
Strasfogel; Guarrera, D’Angelo, Shirley, Corena, Tozzi
SID.19340107
The only known I will vouch for in advance is Corena, one of his very best roles. Tozzi becomes more variable in this period, so I don’t want to praise a performance I have not recently heard. This performance could be anything from a train wreck to a secret gem. What I am sure about is that it is not the Zedda critical edition (not yet published).
Aug 20 Tue 2019 
LULU:Berg
Original Air Date: 04/13/1985
Levine; Migenes, Mazura, Lear, Lewis, Foldi
SID.19340208
This performance was also issued in Sony’s Historical series on CD, but strikingly not in the Met Opera on Demand (MOoD) which features a performance from the season before with the same conductor, Figaro, Count, and Cherubino. Della Casa is swapped with Amara and Soderstrom (as Susanna) is swapped with Peters. Siepi is the chief attraction here. His Figaro is represented by 3 other Nozze performances, but strangely his Mephisto only has one streaming representation, but neither Bjorling (1950, 1959) nor a strong cast for his last turn at the microhones in 1969.
THE GAMBLER:Prokofiev
Original Air Date: 03/31/2001
Gergiev; Galouzine, Guryakova, Alexashkin, Obraztsova
SID.19340209
This is the Met broadcast premiere of this work. Seven years later Galouzine and Gergiev are together again for another broadcast at the Met, but with Diadkova in for Obraztsova. Galouzine has been through a lot of heavy singing in the seven years, so this is overall the best bet for experiencing the Prokofiev. Unfortunately, the MOoD only has the 2008 broadcast. In the theatre with lot of intense visuals, this was a most enjoyable production. Even with audio only Gergiev and Galouzine are still powerhouses.
I VESPRI SICILIANI:Verdi
Original Air Date: 03/09/1974
Levine; Caballé, Gedda, Milnes, Díaz
MOD Audio SID.19340210
This is a performance where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. If Caballe does not have every note in place, she is still very near the top of her considerable form, and the ensemble reflects the new production intensity and first appearance of a major Verdi opera in the Met repertory. Gedda has the most performances of Arrigo, the challenging tenor role. Tucker was scheduled for a run (including broadcast) the year he died, but none of the hearty tenors of the past had the right timing– no Corelli, Bergonzi, and only five for Domingo, and he was gone. This performance is available in Met Opera on Demand (MOoD) and is a strong performance.
MANON:Massenet
Original Air Date: 12/18/1954
Monteux; de los Angeles, Valletti, Corena
SID.19340211
This performance is notable for the special qualities of Monteux , de Los Angeles, and Valletti, a performance to treasure. Once again I will put in a plea for the December 1959 broadcast with de Los Angeles and Gedda under Jean Morel, which has not been heard on Sirius at all.This performance is notable for the special qualities of Monteux , de Los Angeles, and Valletti, a performance to treasure. Once again I will put in a plea for the December 1959 broadcast with de Los Angeles and Gedda under Jean Morel, which has not been heard on Sirius at all.
IL TROVATORE:Verdi
Original Air Date: 02/18/1967
Molinari-Pradelli; Tucker, Arroyo, Cvejic, Merrill, Michalski
SID.19340212
This is a pretty standard Met Trovatore cast, though Juntwait in her introduction indicates it was the only time Arroyo, Tucker, and Merrill were on the airwaves together; Cvejic did not make much of an impression as Azucena. Paul Jackson is pretty hard this performance, primarily because of Molinari-Pradelli, and I don’t disagree. Mediocre conducting and a faceless Azucena adds up to less than zero Trovatore. Tucker and Merrill are very much up to the music after more than two decades before the footlights. Arroyo was a solid Leonora, but for me this is the great Verdi soprano role. In terms of music, possibly even more interesting than Violetta (both written so closely together).
DON PASQUALE:Donizetti
Original Air Date: 12/05/1970
Franci; Corena, Grist, Kraus, Krause
MOD Audio SID.19340213
This is a fine performance, but I would love to hear Corena from 1956 with Peters and Valletti in Schippers debut season. I also notice Pinza did a broadcast in 1935 which I think does not survive. Love to hear Pinza and Donizetti, though for the patter duet Corena is absolutely the last word, closely followed by Baccaloni. Corena’s 1965 broadcast with Peters has been on Sirius and is on MOoD, but that’s with Alva, not Valletti.
DER FLIEGENDE HOLLÄNDER:Wagner
Original Air Date: 02/16/1963
Böhm; London, Rysanek, Kónya, Tozzi
MOD Audio SID.19340214
This is a legendary partnership of Bohm with London and Rysanek. Bohm and Rysanek are together for two later broadcasts in 1965 with David Ward, and 1970 with William Dooley. This 1963 broadcast was swapped with Ariadne two weeks earlier when the Hollander cast could not be assembled. That swap denied the broadcast audience the chance to hear Della Casa’s Ariadne. There is no Senta like Rysanek. Rysanek and London are certainly a remarkable pair, and the applause for their Act 2 duet (in the 3 act version) regularly seemed unending. The Met Hollander premiere three years earlier with Rysanek and London was with Schippers. There is nothing like the finale. Tthis performance is on Met Player, and is far more thrilling than the studio performance with much the same cast under Dorati.
Aug 21 Wed 2019 
TOSCA:Puccini
Original Air Date: 03/20/1999
Santi; Vaness, Pavarotti, Morris
MOD Audio SID.19340315
This is Pavarotti’s fifth and final Cavaradossi broadcast. I always find his voice a tad light for the role, but no one exceeds him in his honeyed delivery of the text. Vaness is a low wattage Tosca. Available on MOoD there is a 1995 performance of the Pav with Holleque and Pons. Best of all, at least for him is the 1978 telecast (on MOoD) and DVD with Verrett and MacNeil under Conlon.
FALSTAFF:Verdi
Original Air Date: 02/03/1996
Levine; Plishka, Daniels, Quilico, Horne, Bonney, Groves
MOD Audio SID.19340316
Levine, Plishka, Bonney, and Horne are all in the 1992 revival which is on MOoD, but with Freni for Daniels, and Bruno Pola for Quilico. My experience with almost all of the Falstaff casting in the Levine era is OK, but not really an ensemble. We still keep having the Bernstein performance overlooked (LB’s only other Met broadcast beside Cavalleria) from 1964. The bad luck continues with Rosenstock’s conducting from 1965 and Amaducci’s conducting fom 1967. The Dohnanyi performance from 1972 features Gobbi in one of HIS two Met broadcasts (the other is Otello, no Scarpia on the Met airwaves alas) with Tebaldi, Resnik, Paskalis in sterling support. This should be in MOoD.
IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA:Rossini
Original Air Date: 03/09/1963
Strasfogel; Guarrera, D’Angelo, Shirley, Corena, Tozzi
SID.19340317
The only known I will vouch for in advance is Corena, one of his very best roles. Tozzi becomes more variable in this period, so I don’t want to praise a performance I have not recently heard. This performance could be anything from a train wreck to a secret gem. What I am sure about is that it is not the Zedda critical edition (not yet published).
I PURITANI:Bellini
Original Air Date: 03/13/1976
Bonynge; Sutherland, Pavarotti, Milnes, Morris
MOD Audio SID.19340318
Bing delivered a lovely production, and the four principals all were well suited to their roles. This was a big break-out part for Morris and the Suoni la tromba duet with Milnes almost stole the show from Pavarotti and Sutherland. Sutherland is 50 for this performance, and amazingly is back ten years later for another Puritani broadcast. This 1976 is the preferred broadcast and deservingly is on Met Player. It’s just a shame it wasn’t videod as well (the first video of the modern series comes a year later). It is a fitting document to one of the strongest Puritani quartets ever. There is no arguing that Met casting was top tier, and this certainly lifted Morris up from being promising to being major.
KÁT’A KABANOVÁ:Janácek
Original Air Date: 12/25/2004
Belohlávek; Mattila, Forst, Silvasti, Ognovenko, Very, Kozená
SID.19340319
An excellent cast, but I just don’t warm as much to this work as to Jenufa. For these infrequent works, it is important they make their way to MOoD.
DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE:Mozart
Original Air Date: 01/22/1977
Conlon; Valente, Burrows, Uppman, Shane, Plishka
SID.19340320
This Zauberfloete features old and new performers in a well-balanced performance. The conductor, James Conlon, was in his debut engagement; and the Sarastro, Paul Plishka, was doing his only series in the role (one of his first major roles). The talented Benita Valente was especially noted for her Mozart roles. On the lesser known and underappreciated front, we have a sparkling Rita Shane as the Queen of the Night. Finally, on the veteran front, we have Theodore Uppman, doing the last of his 60 Papagenos at the Met. Maybe most notable for a future Broadway composer Adam Guettel (RRodgers’ grandson) as one of the Genie. All in all, an enjoyable Mozart outing.
LA GIOCONDA:Ponchielli
Original Air Date: 03/16/1946
Cooper; Milanov, Tucker, Warren, Stevens, Vaghi
SID.19340321
The Met doesn’t reach back into the 1940s often, but La Gioconda is a good opera to do that. This is from Tucker’s debut broadcast (his house debut is in the same role the previous season). Milanov, Tucker, and Warren really show the type of voices necessary for this work. The MOoD from 1953 substitutes Baum for Tucker, but you pick up Barbieri and Siepi. A major Gioconda omission from rebroadcast is the 1959 the only other Gioconda broadcast with Milanov and Tucker together. It also features Merrill and Siepi which is about as potent a male lineup as can be imagined. Sirius, Met, how about a look at 1959, and the addition of this 1946 performance to MOoD. Aug 22 Thu 2019 /268x0w.jpg”/>
NORMA:Bellini
Original Air Date: 02/17/1973
Cillario; Caballé, Cossotto, Cossutta, Tozzi
MOD Audio SID.19340422
This is from Caballe’s first run at Norma with the reliable Cossotto; they are certainly a team. Cossutta missed the premiere, and this is his debut; he would go on to do 12 more Polliones with Caballe, Galvany, and Verrett and that is his Met career. Tozzi would not be my choice for Oroveso. Norma is one of Caballe’s best roles.
DER FLIEGENDE HOLLÄNDER:Wagner
Original Air Date: 02/16/1963
Böhm; London, Rysanek, Kónya, Tozzi
MOD Audio SID.19340423
This is a legendary partnership of Bohm with London and Rysanek. Bohm and Rysanek are together for two later broadcasts in 1965 with David Ward, and 1970 with William Dooley. This 1963 broadcast was swapped with Ariadne two weeks earlier when the Hollander cast could not be assembled. That swap denied the broadcast audience the chance to hear Della Casa’s Ariadne. There is no Senta like Rysanek. Rysanek and London are certainly a remarkable pair, and the applause for their Act 2 duet (in the 3 act version) regularly seemed unending. The Met Hollander premiere three years earlier with Rysanek and London was with Schippers. There is nothing like the finale. Tthis performance is on Met Player, and is far more thrilling than the studio performance with much the same cast under Dorati.
LULU:Berg
Original Air Date: 04/13/1985
Levine; Migenes, Mazura, Lear, Lewis, Foldi
SID.19340424
This performance was also issued in Sony’s Historical series on CD, but strikingly not in the Met Opera on Demand (MOoD) which features a performance from the season before with the same conductor, Figaro, Count, and Cherubino. Della Casa is swapped with Amara and Soderstrom (as Susanna) is swapped with Peters. Siepi is the chief attraction here. His Figaro is represented by 3 other Nozze performances, but strangely his Mephisto only has one streaming representation, but neither Bjorling (1950, 1959) nor a strong cast for his last turn at the microhones in 1969.
THE GAMBLER:Prokofiev
Original Air Date: 03/31/2001
Gergiev; Galouzine, Guryakova, Alexashkin, Obraztsova
SID.19340425
This is the Met broadcast premiere of this work. Seven years later Galouzine and Gergiev are together again for another broadcast at the Met, but with Diadkova in for Obraztsova. Galouzine has been through a lot of heavy singing in the seven years, so this is overall the best bet for experiencing the Prokofiev. Unfortunately, the MOoD only has the 2008 broadcast. In the theatre with lot of intense visuals, this was a most enjoyable production. Even with audio only Gergiev and Galouzine are still powerhouses.
I VESPRI SICILIANI:Verdi
Original Air Date: 03/09/1974
Levine; Caballé, Gedda, Milnes, Díaz
MOD Audio SID.19340426
This is a performance where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. If Caballe does not have every note in place, she is still very near the top of her considerable form, and the ensemble reflects the new production intensity and first appearance of a major Verdi opera in the Met repertory. Gedda has the most performances of Arrigo, the challenging tenor role. Tucker was scheduled for a run (including broadcast) the year he died, but none of the hearty tenors of the past had the right timing– no Corelli, Bergonzi, and only five for Domingo, and he was gone. This performance is available in Met Opera on Demand (MOoD) and is a strong performance.
MANON:Massenet
Original Air Date: 12/18/1954
Monteux; de los Angeles, Valletti, Corena
SID.19340427
This performance is notable for the special qualities of Monteux , de Los Angeles, and Valletti, a performance to treasure. Once again I will put in a plea for the December 1959 broadcast with de Los Angeles and Gedda under Jean Morel, which has not been heard on Sirius at all.This performance is notable for the special qualities of Monteux , de Los Angeles, and Valletti, a performance to treasure. Once again I will put in a plea for the December 1959 broadcast with de Los Angeles and Gedda under Jean Morel, which has not been heard on Sirius at all.
IL TROVATORE:Verdi
Original Air Date: 02/18/1967
Molinari-Pradelli; Tucker, Arroyo, Cvejic, Merrill, Michalski
SID.19340428
This is a pretty standard Met Trovatore cast, though Juntwait in her introduction indicates it was the only time Arroyo, Tucker, and Merrill were on the airwaves together; Cvejic did not make much of an impression as Azucena. Paul Jackson is pretty hard this performance, primarily because of Molinari-Pradelli, and I don’t disagree. Mediocre conducting and a faceless Azucena adds up to less than zero Trovatore. Tucker and Merrill are very much up to the music after more than two decades before the footlights. Arroyo was a solid Leonora, but for me this is the great Verdi soprano role. In terms of music, possibly even more interesting than Violetta (both written so closely together). Aug 23 Fri 2019
DON PASQUALE:Donizetti
Original Air Date: 12/05/1970
Franci; Corena, Grist, Kraus, Krause
MOD Audio SID.19340529
This is a fine performance, but I would love to hear Corena from 1956 with Peters and Valletti in Schippers debut season. I also notice Pinza did a broadcast in 1935 which I think does not survive. Love to hear Pinza and Donizetti, though for the patter duet Corena is absolutely the last word, closely followed by Baccaloni. Corena’s 1965 broadcast with Peters has been on Sirius and is on MOoD, but that’s with Alva, not Valletti.
DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE:Mozart
Original Air Date: 01/22/1977
Conlon; Valente, Burrows, Uppman, Shane, Plishka
SID.19340530
This Zauberfloete features old and new performers in a well-balanced performance. The conductor, James Conlon, was in his debut engagement; and the Sarastro, Paul Plishka, was doing his only series in the role (one of his first major roles). The talented Benita Valente was especially noted for her Mozart roles. On the lesser known and underappreciated front, we have a sparkling Rita Shane as the Queen of the Night. Finally, on the veteran front, we have Theodore Uppman, doing the last of his 60 Papagenos at the Met. Maybe most notable for a future Broadway composer Adam Guettel (RRodgers’ grandson) as one of the Genie. All in all, an enjoyable Mozart outing.
TOSCA:Puccini
Original Air Date: 03/20/1999
Santi; Vaness, Pavarotti, Morris
MOD Audio SID.19340531
This is Pavarotti’s fifth and final Cavaradossi broadcast. I always find his voice a tad light for the role, but no one exceeds him in his honeyed delivery of the text. Vaness is a low wattage Tosca. Available on MOoD there is a 1995 performance of the Pav with Holleque and Pons. Best of all, at least for him is the 1978 telecast (on MOoD) and DVD with Verrett and MacNeil under Conlon.
FALSTAFF:Verdi
Original Air Date: 02/03/1996
Levine; Plishka, Daniels, Quilico, Horne, Bonney, Groves
MOD Audio SID.19340532
Levine, Plishka, Bonney, and Horne are all in the 1992 revival which is on MOoD, but with Freni for Daniels, and Bruno Pola for Quilico. My experience with almost all of the Falstaff casting in the Levine era is OK, but not really an ensemble. We still keep having the Bernstein performance overlooked (LB’s only other Met broadcast beside Cavalleria) from 1964. The bad luck continues with Rosenstock’s conducting from 1965 and Amaducci’s conducting fom 1967. The Dohnanyi performance from 1972 features Gobbi in one of HIS two Met broadcasts (the other is Otello, no Scarpia on the Met airwaves alas) with Tebaldi, Resnik, Paskalis in sterling support. This should be in MOoD. |
