FRANCESCA DA RIMINI:Zandonai
Santi; Scotto, Mauro, MacNeil, Lewis
Original Air Date: 02/22/1986
SID.19450638
This performance is Kabaivanska’s Met farewell. Well cast and well conducted, there are two broadcasts of Onegin in 1979 (but different seasons),both with Mazurok and Plishka the only repeats from one to another. This is slightly better. For those who have never encountered Mazurok, his voice is as velvety as Hvorostovsky, and an upper register that definitely has squillo. Wish the Met would transfer one of these Mazurok Onegins to MOoD. Glad that it at least gets a regular Sirius re-hearing. The highlights of this opera are very exciting indeed, and if there is filler along the way, the Met put out one of its most sumptuous productions. Domingo did the first year broadcast and appears on the Met Player video (also on DVD). MacNeil gives a quite over the top performance that could not be replicated– think of Rigoletto on steroids. It’s a small part but you will notice him.