UN BALLO IN MASCHERA

UN BALLO IN MASCHERA:Verdi
Original Air Date: 03/17/1962
Santi; Bergonzi, Rysanek, Merrill, Rothenberger, Madeira
SID.19350744
This is the cast that premiered the new production a few weeks earlier, and brought Bergonzi’s matchless Riccardo to Met audiences. He would go on to sing it with the Met 33 times, a house record. Bergonzi has two distinguished studio recordings, and for anyone who saw his performance, it was one of the great assumptions of the postwar Met. He had no better Verdian role, and no other tenor so epitomized the virtues of Verdi’s music. July 13, was Bergonzi’s birthday, and we all truly wish him Cent’anni. Rysanek received good reviews, but the scrutiny of the broadcast microphones show more of a mixed bag. Rysanek does two more Amelias the following season and with a broadcast Don Carlo in 1964, Rysanek is done with Verdi at the Met. She continues at the Met for another 32 years with many distinguished performances, but Italian opera which was her original calling card (as Lady Macbeth) is gone from her repertory. Renato was one of Merrill’s best roles, and recently hearing him in 1963 with Nilsson and Tucker in this Ballo production on Sirius, Merrill makes a strong case for this as the third starring role. He dominated the broadcast airwaves in this role for close to two decades, and especially when he gets to Eri tu and the drawing of the lots, he really leaves competition inside and outside the Met far to the rear (Cappuccilli has a distinguished video from Covent Garden, and his mostly non-Met presence (debut and farewell as Germont on the same night) remains a great loss for the Met. Only Santi and Bergonzi are still with us, and I think Santi is still conducting. This is the cast of the premiere of the new production, and finds Rysanek in uneven form. Bergonzi, Merrill and Rothenberger are just about as good as you can get. Merrill is here in his 3d of 8 broadcasts of Renato from 1955-1975. Milnes breaks the chronology for 1 broadcast in 1973, otherwise if Ballo is on the radio, it’s Bob on board. The conspiracy scene is further strengthened by Giaiotti’s Sam.