“DON CARLO : Verdi
Original Air Date: 11/11/1950
Cast: Stiedry; Bjorling, Rigal, Merrill, Barbieri, Siepi, Hines
Media: MOD Audio SID.18010424 Tags: Archive; 2018, Verdi
This is the production that opened the Bing regime in 1950, and re-introduces Don Carlo to New York audiences. The men are the equal or superior of just about anyone who has ever sung these roles.
Barbieri was new, and if Eboli was not quite her meat as much as her Amneris, Azucena, and Quickly, she was still the Eboli of choice when the sainted Covent Garden production of 1958 made the case in London for the opera 8 years later. New York was to see more sensational Ebolis in the 1960s with Bumbry, Cossotto, and Verrett delivering masterful portrayals of the Princess. Rigal would not have seemed quite so short of desirable had she had less outstanding colleagues.
Elisabetta remains a challenging role, and though never essayed by Milanov (then the queen of Verdi in New York) or Tebaldi (never did the part onstage), the part didn’t turn out to be a major success for either Steber or Rysanek, though both have their moments in the role. Caballe, Freni, Kabaiwanska and Millo all were notable exponents, but runs were very limited. Scotto is mostly very good (not too late, not too heavy, but still not quite the right voice, if still wonderful stylistically. A propos the discussion on Verdi sopranos, Leontyne Price never did the part, which is unsurprising as it does not play to her considerable Verdian strengths—but that’s another discussion.
Siepi’s contribution is particularly important in that he opens and closes the Bing regime as Filippo, and it is a shame that the April 1972 performance has not been rebroadcast. Three veterans of the 1950 broadcast, Merrill, Siepi, and Amara (Celestial Voice) as well as two new Verdian stars in Caballe and Milnes.
1/23/2012 – How can a week get off to a bad start with Bing’s first presentation as General Manager to the Met in 1950 and the debuts of Siepi and Barbieri? The addition of Bjorling, Merrill, and Hines didn’t hurt. Rigal was a less notable debuting commodity, but this was the Don Carlo production that started the revival of interest which moved to another level with the Giulini/Visconti production at Covent Garden. Bing entrusted Stiedry with a number of his marquee productions in Verdi, Wagner, and Mozart. The sound is a little cramped, but there is no Bjorling studio or other live performance that captures him in this role. Not quite at the level of his Romeo which is one of the great Met performances ever, but my only sadness is that nothing of the video survives of the TELECAST of opening night.
1/30/2011 – A legendary performance and with good reason. Rigal not at the level of the others, but so grateful that it survives in as good a sound as it does. Also available on Met Player.
5/1/2008 – This performance has not been invisible, but for younger Sirius listeners this is a must have. Again, Bjorling did not record it commercially, and though never acclaimed as an actor, his live performances have a juice that his fine studio recordings never had. Exhibit A is the recent broadcast of the 1956 Manon Lescaut. “