KÁT’A KABANOVÁ:Janácek
Original Air Date: 03/16/1991
Mackerras; Benacková, Rysanek, Ochman, Haugland, Straka, Quittmeyer
SID.19100422
Kát’a Kabanová……….Gabriela Benacková
Kabanicha……………Leonie Rysanek
Varvara……………..Susan Quittmeyer
Boris……………….Wieslaw Ochman
Tichon………………Allan Glassman
Vána Kudrjas…………Peter Straka
Kuligin……………..Vernon Hartman
Dikoj……………….Aage Haugland
Glasa……………….Sondra Kelly
Feklusa……………..Loretta Di Franco
Passerby…………….Meredith Derr
Townswoman…………..Joyce Olson
Conductor……………Charles Mackerras
Production by…………..Jonathan Miller
Set and Costume designer…Robert Israel
Lighting designer……….Gil Wechsler
This was the premiere season for the Janacek work at the Met, and the Met put out the best cast and conductor imaginable . I am more of a Jenufa guy (and there is a great broadcast with Benackova and Rysanek in 1992. Both have been on Sirius, but both richly deserve to be in MOoD. KATA doesn’t feature the power and catharsis of Jenufa, but one cannot do better than this cast under Mackerras. A great bookend to Benackova and Rysanek’s broadcast Jenufa.