DON GIOVANNI:Mozart
Rudolf; London, Harshaw, Corena, Steber, Conley, Conner
Original Air Date: 03/13/1954
SID.20130324
RWW: The unusual casting is for the two leading ladies with Harshaw in her first Anna broadcast (the second comes a year later with Siepi for London, Amara for Steber, Valletti for Conley, and Peters for Conner. Rudolf, Harshaw, and Corena are the constants. Steber finishes her 1944-1954 Met connection with Elvira at 3 tour stops with Valletti back for them. With Bing’s full complement of lyric sopranos, he unveils a new production in 1957 with Steber moving up to Anna [Steber did a 2 performance preview of her Anna in the 1954-1955 season], Della Casa becoming the preferred Elvira, and Peters the preferred Zerlina. I’m happy to have this 1954 in the rotation, but once again call on the Met to offer the 1957 broadcast on Sirius and eventually on MOoD. I have a European pressing of this performance, and it is one of the great broadcasts of the 1950s.