“CARMEN : Bizet
Original Air Date: 02/16/1952
Cast: Reiner; Stevens, Tucker, Conner, Silveri
Media: MOD Audio SID.17400636 Tags: Archive; 2017
“
“FALSTAFF : Verdi
Original Air Date: 04/06/2002
Cast: Levine; Terfel, Mescheriakova, Croft, Blythe, Tilling, Turay
Media: MOD Audio SID.17400639 Tags: Archive; 2017, Levine, Verdi
“
“LES TROYENS : Berlioz
Original Air Date: 02/18/1984
Cast: Levine; Norman, Sooter, Monk, Taillon, Plishka, Ahlstedt
Media: MOD Audio SID.17400642 Tags: Archive; 2017, Levine
Norman repeated Verrett’s double assumption on this broadcast (Verrett’s was for the opening of the production in 1973 when Ludwig was indisposed–I was there, quite an evening). I rather prefer Norman’s Didon to her Cassandre, but this broadcast now takes its place in MOoD. Enee is close to an impossible part, but Sooter is no worse than Ronald Dowd was in Boston for Caldwell.”
“LES TROYENS : Berlioz
Original Air Date: 02/18/1984
Cast: Levine; Norman, Sooter, Monk, Taillon, Plishka, Ahlstedt
Media: MOD Audio SID.17400743 Tags: Archive; 2017, Levine
Norman repeated Verrett’s double assumption on this broadcast (Verrett’s was for the opening of the production in 1973 when Ludwig was indisposed–I was there, quite an evening). I rather prefer Norman’s Didon to her Cassandre, but this broadcast now takes its place in MOoD. Enee is close to an impossible part, but Sooter is no worse than Ronald Dowd was in Boston for Caldwell.”
“ANDREA CHÉNIER : Giordano
Original Air Date: 03/26/1977
Cast: Levine; Domingo, Arroyo, MacNeil, Kraft, Love, Chookasian
Media: MOD Audio SID.17400746 Tags: Archive; 2017, Levine, Domingo
“
“DIE ÄGYPTISCHE HELENA : Strauss
Original Air Date: 03/31/2007
Cast: Luisi; Voigt, Kerl, Damrau, Grove, Brendel
Media: MOD Audio SID.17400747 Tags: Archive; 2017, Strauss
This is the Met’s only broadcast of the Strauss work and Kerl and Damrau are very impressive. I don’t love the work, but like most Strauss, it has its moments. It’s repeated too often in rotation which in no way approximates its importance in the Strauss canon.
This was the first Met production in more than eight decades. I love the awakening scene, but for me it’s one of the weaker Strauss works. I shouldn’t complain. No Strauss at all this season or next.
To date this is the only Met matinee broadcast of this uncommon Strauss work. The strongest profile is from Damrau who is an excellent Aithra. The opera has some great moments, and was one of Met
audience’s first chances to encounter Luisi, now the Principal Conductor.”
“DON CARLO : Verdi
Original Air Date: 04/05/1952
Cast: Stiedry; Tucker, Rigal, Silveri, Barbieri, Hines, Hotter
Media: MOD Audio SID.17400748 Tags: Archive; 2017, Verdi
This is the first of Tucker’s three Don Carlo broadcasts, and I find his 1955 preferable. What I’ve never heard, but also from 1952 (but next season) is his second which has a better supporting cast with Merrill for Silveri, and Siepi for Hines as Filippo; Erede is in the pit for his only Don Carlo broadcast. May we hear this please?
This is most distinctive for being Tucker’s first Don Carlo broadcast and one of Hotter’s few. Tucker broadcast the opera again 8 months later in 1952 (but new season) with the production opening night cast (Merrill and Siepi replacing Silveri and Hines, and him of course replacing Bjorling) I’ve never heard this second 1952 broadcast.
Also unusual is that though Tucker went on to sing the opera for 15 more years after his 1955 broadcast with Steber, he never went to the airwaves for it again. At 26 performances, he is by far the Don Carlo champion– I saw him in it three times. most notably at a fall 1968 matinee not broadcast with (Orlandi, Verrett, Merrill, Ghiaurov, and Talvela under Abbado).
Bing did not see Hotter in leading roles and in Walkure he was cast as
Hunding, not Wotan. What has not been rebroadcast on Sirius is Hotter’s
farewell which is a 1954 Parsifal with Svanholm, Varnay, and London, and Hotter as Gurnemanz under Stiedry. I would love to hear that.”
“EUGENE ONEGIN : Tchaikovsky
Original Air Date: 04/19/1997
Cast: Pappano; Chernov, Gorchakova, Farina, Tarassova, Ognovenko
Media: MOD Audio SID.17400749 Tags: Archive; 2017
We hear so much more of Onegin these days, and this run is Pappano’s (CGarden music director) only Met appearance. Good to hear Chernov again in retrospect. Turned out to not be the Russian Robert Merrill.
***
Antonio Pappano, though an American resident for some years has ended up basing most of his operatic career as the music director at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. The Met thought enough to give him this new production as his debut and only run of Met appearances Chernov was originally brought in as a Russian Robert Merrill. The voice is attractive and smoothly lyric, but not a patch on his countryman, Yuri Mazurok, and at least two sizes too small to even be compared to Merrill.
***
Even in the Met’s own archives, the Peter G. Davis review of the opening night comes in for some very hard knocks musically for both the singers and the conductor. Why this was picked for MOoD when the two Mazurok broadcasts (regularly on Sirius) were not picked gives one pause about performance selection on MOoD.”
“FAUST : Gounod
Original Air Date: 01/04/1958
Cast: Morel; Gedda, Güden, Hines, Merrill, Roggero
Media: MOD Audio SID.17410102 Tags: Archive; 2017
Gedda (in his first season and his first broadcast) is extremely fine. This
performance is also available on MOoD. The other bulwark is Robert Merrill’s Valentin. Guden and Hines are OK, but certainly not the first interpreter you would want to hear.
Gedda and Merrill are top drawer, but I prefer several Marguerites to
Guden, and Hines while earnest is far from Siepi’s league. Siepi has
not one but TWO broadcast Fausts from the Met with Bjorling– 1950
and 1959 and these are long overdue for retransmission and listing in
MOoD. Siepi has six broadcast Mephistopheles, only two of which have
been on Sirius, the 1955 with Peerce and De Los Angeles and Merrill
(also on MOoD) and 1964 with Morell and Moffo.
This has been on before and Gedda and Merrill certainly are very fine in their parts, but the continue avoidance of the TWO Bjoerling (1950 and 1959 my preference is for 1959) broadcasts is a big gap in the Met broadcast legacy on Sirius. I wouldn’t mind the 1949 with Kirsten and DiStefano either. The Morel being played this week is also on Met Player.”
“I PURITANI : Bellini
Original Air Date: 01/06/2007
Cast: Summers; Netrebko, Cutler, Vassallo, Relyea
Media: Live in HDMOD Video SID.17410103 Tags: Archive; 2017, Netrebko
This Puritani run launched Netrebko into superstardom, but also engendered some controversy from some bel cantists and Callas widows. Netrebko is a controversial singer in bel canto, but she had a huge success following her premiere of the new Don Pasquale the previous season. Netrebko is very fresh of voice, and will impress many. Her supporting cast is no more than OK, and for Callas fanatics she is totally inadequate. Watch and hear for yourself.
I did see Sutherland in 1976, which was well up to her standard
even though she had just turned 50. Netrebko in the second Live in HD performance (the English Flute had kicked the series off) was visually
electrifying, and that performance is available on DG Blu-Ray. This audio broadcast is also available in MOoD.
This performance duplicates the HD transmission and the DVD cast. This performance is best experience in its simultaneous HD video which is on Met Opera on Demand (MOoD) or on DVD or BLu-Ray. “
“DIE MEISTERSINGER VON NÜRNBERG : Wagner
Original Air Date: 12/16/1995
Cast: Levine; Weikl, Mattila, Heppner, Prey, Rootering, Magnusson
Media: MOD Audio SID.17410104 Tags: Archive; 2017, Levine, Wagner
“
“DIE MEISTERSINGER VON NÜRNBERG : Wagner
Original Air Date: 12/16/1995
Cast: Levine; Weikl, Mattila, Heppner, Prey, Rootering, Magnusson
Media: MOD Audio SID.17410105 Tags: Archive; 2017, Levine, Wagner
“
“CAPRICCIO : Strauss
Original Air Date: 01/31/1998
Cast: Davis; Te Kanawa, Rootering, Kuebler, Keenlyside, Brendel, Harries
Media: MOD Audio SID.17410212 Tags: Archive; 2017, Strauss
The Met has only had two matinee broadcasts for Strauss’ final work: this one with Te Kanawa and Fleming in 2012. Andrew Davis conducted both revivals.
Clairon was a famous role for Troyanos and luckily it is captured on a San Francisco telecast with Te Kanawa, but she died in 1993, which I guess is one reason for the more lightweight casting. Te Kanawa is definitely worth hearing.”
“DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE : Mozart
Original Air Date: 02/21/1998
Cast: de Waart; Bonney, Lopardo, Finley, Dunleavy, Moll
Media: MOD Audio SID.17410214 Tags: Archive; 2017, Mozart
I want to take a listen to this broadcast, esp. for Bonney and Finley. I wrote a few months ago on some missing gaps in Zauberflote:
If relatively recent sound is the criterion, more rotation of the Lorengar, Deutekom from 1968 is called for and I would love to hear again the 1970 and 1972 broadcasts which have not yet made it to Sirius. The 1970 features the matchless Papageno of Hermann Prey (and live performance is quite a different thing than the recording studio) Popp is out there for one of her last times as the QotN; the 1972 features the strong Queen of Edda Moser and an unusual Pamina, Adriana Maliponte. If sound is not the sole criterion, it would be nice to hear Bruno Walter conducting in the early 40s, with Steber leading the three ladies in three broadcasts succeeded in 1945 by Regina Resnik. Kipnis and Pinza are 2 of the Sarastros. For really splendid Mozart in English, the 1950 with Steber moving up to Pamina, and Tucker as Tamino; Erna Berger sings the Queen in English under Stiedry.”
“FAUST : Gounod
Original Air Date: 01/04/1958
Cast: Morel; Gedda, Güden, Hines, Merrill, Roggero
Media: MOD Audio SID.17410319 Tags: Archive; 2017
Gedda (in his first season and his first broadcast) is extremely fine. This
performance is also available on MOoD. The other bulwark is Robert Merrill’s Valentin. Guden and Hines are OK, but certainly not the first interpreter you would want to hear.
Gedda and Merrill are top drawer, but I prefer several Marguerites to
Guden, and Hines while earnest is far from Siepi’s league. Siepi has
not one but TWO broadcast Fausts from the Met with Bjorling– 1950
and 1959 and these are long overdue for retransmission and listing in
MOoD. Siepi has six broadcast Mephistopheles, only two of which have
been on Sirius, the 1955 with Peerce and De Los Angeles and Merrill
(also on MOoD) and 1964 with Morell and Moffo.
This has been on before and Gedda and Merrill certainly are very fine in their parts, but the continue avoidance of the TWO Bjoerling (1950 and 1959 my preference is for 1959) broadcasts is a big gap in the Met broadcast legacy on Sirius. I wouldn’t mind the 1949 with Kirsten and DiStefano either. The Morel being played this week is also on Met Player.”
“I PURITANI : Bellini
Original Air Date: 01/06/2007
Cast: Summers; Netrebko, Cutler, Vassallo, Relyea
Media: Live in HDMOD Video SID.17410321 Tags: Archive; 2017, Netrebko
This Puritani run launched Netrebko into superstardom, but also engendered some controversy from some bel cantists and Callas widows. Netrebko is a controversial singer in bel canto, but she had a huge success following her premiere of the new Don Pasquale the previous season. Netrebko is very fresh of voice, and will impress many. Her supporting cast is no more than OK, and for Callas fanatics she is totally inadequate. Watch and hear for yourself.
I did see Sutherland in 1976, which was well up to her standard
even though she had just turned 50. Netrebko in the second Live in HD performance (the English Flute had kicked the series off) was visually
electrifying, and that performance is available on DG Blu-Ray. This audio broadcast is also available in MOoD.
This performance duplicates the HD transmission and the DVD cast. This performance is best experience in its simultaneous HD video which is on Met Opera on Demand (MOoD) or on DVD or BLu-Ray. “
“DIE MEISTERSINGER VON NÜRNBERG : Wagner
Original Air Date: 12/16/1995
Cast: Levine; Weikl, Mattila, Heppner, Prey, Rootering, Magnusson
Media: MOD Audio SID.17410423 Tags: Archive; 2017, Levine, Wagner
“
“DIE MEISTERSINGER VON NÜRNBERG : Wagner
Original Air Date: 12/16/1995
Cast: Levine; Weikl, Mattila, Heppner, Prey, Rootering, Magnusson
Media: MOD Audio SID.17410424 Tags: Archive; 2017, Levine, Wagner
“
“CAPRICCIO : Strauss
Original Air Date: 01/31/1998
Cast: Davis; Te Kanawa, Rootering, Kuebler, Keenlyside, Brendel, Harries
Media: MOD Audio SID.17410529 Tags: Archive; 2017, Strauss
The Met has only had two matinee broadcasts for Strauss’ final work: this one with Te Kanawa and Fleming in 2012. Andrew Davis conducted both revivals.
Clairon was a famous role for Troyanos and luckily it is captured on a San Francisco telecast with Te Kanawa, but she died in 1993, which I guess is one reason for the more lightweight casting. Te Kanawa is definitely worth hearing.”
“DIE MEISTERSINGER VON NÜRNBERG : Wagner
Original Air Date: 12/16/1995
Cast: Levine; Weikl, Mattila, Heppner, Prey, Rootering, Magnusson
Media: MOD Audio SID.17410742 Tags: Archive; 2017, Levine, Wagner
“
“FAUST : Gounod
Original Air Date: 01/04/1958
Cast: Morel; Gedda, Güden, Hines, Merrill, Roggero
Media: MOD Audio SID.17410635 Tags: Archive; 2017
Gedda (in his first season and his first broadcast) is extremely fine. This
performance is also available on MOoD. The other bulwark is Robert Merrill’s Valentin. Guden and Hines are OK, but certainly not the first interpreter you would want to hear.
Gedda and Merrill are top drawer, but I prefer several Marguerites to
Guden, and Hines while earnest is far from Siepi’s league. Siepi has
not one but TWO broadcast Fausts from the Met with Bjorling– 1950
and 1959 and these are long overdue for retransmission and listing in
MOoD. Siepi has six broadcast Mephistopheles, only two of which have
been on Sirius, the 1955 with Peerce and De Los Angeles and Merrill
(also on MOoD) and 1964 with Morell and Moffo.
This has been on before and Gedda and Merrill certainly are very fine in their parts, but the continue avoidance of the TWO Bjoerling (1950 and 1959 my preference is for 1959) broadcasts is a big gap in the Met broadcast legacy on Sirius. I wouldn’t mind the 1949 with Kirsten and DiStefano either. The Morel being played this week is also on Met Player.”
“CAPRICCIO : Strauss
Original Air Date: 01/31/1998
Cast: Davis; Te Kanawa, Rootering, Kuebler, Keenlyside, Brendel, Harries
Media: MOD Audio SID.17410639 Tags: Archive; 2017, Strauss
The Met has only had two matinee broadcasts for Strauss’ final work: this one with Te Kanawa and Fleming in 2012. Andrew Davis conducted both revivals.
Clairon was a famous role for Troyanos and luckily it is captured on a San Francisco telecast with Te Kanawa, but she died in 1993, which I guess is one reason for the more lightweight casting. Te Kanawa is definitely worth hearing.”
“I PURITANI : Bellini
Original Air Date: 01/06/2007
Cast: Summers; Netrebko, Cutler, Vassallo, Relyea
Media: Live in HDMOD Video SID.17410640 Tags: Archive; 2017, Netrebko
This Puritani run launched Netrebko into superstardom, but also engendered some controversy from some bel cantists and Callas widows. Netrebko is a controversial singer in bel canto, but she had a huge success following her premiere of the new Don Pasquale the previous season. Netrebko is very fresh of voice, and will impress many. Her supporting cast is no more than OK, and for Callas fanatics she is totally inadequate. Watch and hear for yourself.
I did see Sutherland in 1976, which was well up to her standard
even though she had just turned 50. Netrebko in the second Live in HD performance (the English Flute had kicked the series off) was visually
electrifying, and that performance is available on DG Blu-Ray. This audio broadcast is also available in MOoD.
This performance duplicates the HD transmission and the DVD cast. This performance is best experience in its simultaneous HD video which is on Met Opera on Demand (MOoD) or on DVD or BLu-Ray. “
“DIE MEISTERSINGER VON NÜRNBERG : Wagner
Original Air Date: 12/16/1995
Cast: Levine; Weikl, Mattila, Heppner, Prey, Rootering, Magnusson
Media: MOD Audio SID.17410641 Tags: Archive; 2017, Levine, Wagner
“
“ARIADNE AUF NAXOS : Strauss
Original Air Date: 03/12/1988
Cast: Levine; Norman, King, Battle, Troyanos, Nentwig, Dickson
Media: MOD AudioMOD Video SID.17420207 Tags: Archive; 2017, Levine, Strauss
“
“DER FLIEGENDE HOLLÄNDER : Wagner
Original Air Date: 01/27/1968
Cast: Klobucar; MacNeil, Rysanek, Parly, Tozzi
Media: MOD Audio SID.17420313 Tags: Archive; 2017, Wagner
I saw one of the performances in this run and MacNeil is quite a fine Dutchman, and Rysanek continues to be the standard in this role. No one does the end of the opera like her.
I very much enjoyed this run. People may forget that MacNeil studied under the premiere Dutchman of the 20th century–Friedrich Schorr. This is one of Tozzi’s most congenial parts, and I’ve certainly never seen a Senta to compare with Rysanek. She broadcasts the opera 5 times between 1960 and 1970, and both the 1963 with Bohm, London, and Konya and this 1968 are available in MOoD. Both are wonderful.
Three of Rysanek’s peerless Senta are available in MOoD, including
this one. If Klobucar and MacNeil are not Bohm or London, this performance still has much to commend it. Ticho Parly is far from being up to Konya’s high quality Erik however.”
“GIULIO CESARE : Handel
Original Air Date: 04/17/1999
Cast: Nelson; Larmore, McNair, Daniels, Blythe, Asawa
Media: MOD Audio SID.17420314 Tags: Archive; 2017
This is the first Met broadcast of Cesare as the 1988 production with Troyanos and Battle was not broadcast (a special shame because of Troyanos’ way with Handel) This was an early success for both Blythe and Daniels, but this is still not my work — too many countertenors and too few ensembles. Brian Asawa recently passed away, and was one of the major groundbreaking countertenors.”
“I VESPRI SICILIANI : Verdi
Original Air Date: 03/20/1982
Cast: Levine; Scotto, Ochman, Elvira, Raimondi
Media: MOD Audio SID.17420318 Tags: Archive; 2017, Levine, Verdi
Scotto could be an interesting singer in this music, but not by 1982–simply too much Lady Macbeth and Gioconda, among other things. I didn’t see her in 1974 which many people still rave about. 1974’s Arrigo was Domingo who had opened the season with Deutekom. Domingo never does the part after that 1974 run (he’s not in the spring 1975 broadcast)– it is among Verdi’s most challenging tenor assignments. Ochman is best described as earnest. Pablo Elvira was too little heard at the Met, and died prematurely. The broadcast mikes probably give him an extra volume boost, but he has nice Verdian style. Raimondi is never a favorite of mine, but Procida is one of the great Verdian bass roles– listen to Christoff with Callas (not from the Met). Siepi never did Procida at the Met and his omission from the Met premiere was part of his departure from the Met in April 1973.”
“THE FIRST EMPEROR : Dun
Original Air Date: 01/13/2007
Cast: Dun; Domingo, Futral, Groves, Tian, DeYoung
Media: Live in HDMOD Video SID.17420319 Tags: Archive; 2017, Domingo
This is Domingo’s vehicle and the broadcast and HD performance from its premiere season. Sony issued a commercial DVD. Better to watch than listen to.
***
I enjoyed seeing the production, and while it’s not on my weekly rotation, it held my interest more than Glass’ The Voyage. The simultaneous broadcast/HD moviecast is available on commercial DVD and MOoD (Metropolitan Opera on Demand).”
“ARIADNE AUF NAXOS : Strauss
Original Air Date: 03/12/1988
Cast: Levine; Norman, King, Battle, Troyanos, Nentwig, Dickson
Media: MOD AudioMOD Video SID.17420422 Tags: Archive; 2017, Levine, Strauss
“