DIE WALKÜRE:Wagner
Original Air Date: 12/23/1961
Leinsdorf; Nilsson, Edelmann, Kuchta, Vickers, Dalis, Wiemann
MOD Audio SID.19360642
The two real vocal standouts are Nilsson and Vickers, who would put down in London a few months later a marvelous studio version with George London, Rita Gorr, and Gre Brouwenstijn under Leinsdorf; the Valkyries are a particularly strong group, among the best ever. A positive word on Ernst Wiemann, a German Giaiotti : a strong voice with a solid technique and well schooled in the German repertoire. Dalis is an incisive Fricka.
BENVENUTO CELLINI:Berlioz
Original Air Date: 12/27/2003
Levine; Giordani, Bayrakdarian, Del Carlo, Jepson, Lloyd
MOD Audio SID.19360319
This is the opera’s only broadcast from its only season. There is much lovely music along the way, but it does not have cumulative impact for me. Giordani copes not always pleasantly with an extremely challenging role. Twice a year for Cellini is just about the maximum desired cycling. Once a year would be enough especially since it’s in MOoD.
LA FORZA DEL DESTINO:Verdi
Original Air Date: 12/30/1961
Schick; Farrell, Tucker, Merrill, Hines, Vanni, Corena
SID.19360744
This production was on tour in Dallas five months later with Amara replacing Farrell who was ill, and Peerce who was doing his first Alvaros with the Met. Schick has the forces very mobilized. Farrell is not ideal, but nice to hear her. The men are all in close to absolute prime even if the fare is more Idaho than pasta, it’s top quality.
THE GHOSTS OF VERSAILLES:Corigliano
Original Air Date: 01/04/1992
Levine; Stratas, Hagegård, Quilico, Horne, Clark, Fleming
MOD Video SID.19360745
This was a basically successful Met commission and beautifully cast and prepared. Best experienced with the video from a telecast the next week), which is available from Levine’s 40th anniversary DVD package and in MOoD. The video really helps the work along. . Commissioned by the Met and with a libretto by William M. Hoffman, the work imagines an opera put on by the ghost of Beaumarchais for the ghost of Marie Antoinette and the other spectral residents of Versailles. The sold-out, seven-performance premiere run featured an all-star cast that included Teresa Stratas, Håkan Hagegård, Renée Fleming, Graham Clark, Gino Quilico, and Marilyn Horne.
L’ITALIANA IN ALGERI:Rossini
Original Air Date: 02/21/1981
Rescigno; Horne, Blake, Berberian, Bruscantini
MOD Audio SID.19360746
This is the third of Horne’s four Met Isabellas. She is a noted Rossinian, a great advocate for young singers. She totally dominates the Isabella roster at the Met, also see Borodina with Furlanetto in the 21st century. Baltsa who has a very limited Met career did bring her Rossini heroines to Chicago but her recordings are more interesting, and Berganza even more so. WIsh the 2004 Italiana with Borodina, Florez, and Furlanetto would be rebroadcast. The men especially are extremely fine.
AIDA:Verdi
Original Air Date: 03/11/1950
Cooper; Welitsch, Vinay, Harshaw, Merrill, Hines
MOD Audio SID.19360747
Welitsch has some powerful moments, and a pleasure to hear early Merrill in this role. He is the Met champion Amonasro with 72 (MacNeil is 71, and Amato 70)
ANDREA CHÉNIER:Giordano
Original Air Date: 12/28/1957
Cleva; Tucker, Milanov, Warren, Elias, Lipton, Amparan
MOD Audio SID.19360748
Better is Corelli to Tucker, Tebaldi to Milanov, and Bastianini to Warren in these Chenier roles, but the last four decades have rarely brought one let alone three singers for these roles. So enjoy this 1957 cast with 1966 (which Sirius still hasn’t rebroadcast) with Tebaldi, Corelli, and Colzani probably the last one with such authentic style.
LA CLEMENZA DI TITO:Mozart
Original Air Date: 05/07/2005
Levine; Lopardo, von Otter, Diener, Connolly, Grant Murphy
MOD Audio SID.19360749
Levine’s conducting in Mozart is among his very great achievements, and this is one of von Otter’s best Met efforts. The Met’s first Clemenza 20 years earlier with two very fine singers no longer with us– Tatiana Troyanos and Elizabeth Connell, Levine again at the podium. This 2005 performance is Levine’s last Met broadcast of the work.
JENUFA:Janácek
Original Air Date: 01/25/2003
Jurowski; Mattila, Polaski, Begley, Ventris, Nadler
SID.19370101
Jenufa is among the most accessible of Janacek, but this new production for Mattila is a bit unlovable. Polaski did not equal Silja or Rysanek. Jurowski’s conducting is very good, but in the end Jenufa should have more warmth, and it’s not there in the singing. Mattila is in decent form, Polaski is an unpersuasive Kostelnicka, Mattila and Polaski (encouraged by the director) can be cold with little of the warmth that one should finally feel at the opera’s resolution.
WOZZECK:Berg
Original Air Date: 12/31/2005
Levine; Held, Dalayman, Clark, Fink, Forbis
SID.19370102
Excellent performance on all counts. The 2001 videotaping of Wozzeck performances with Struckmann and Dalayman finally made it into Levine’s 40th anniversary DVD box (but not in print separately. As long as one is looking into Levine boxes, his 40th anniversary CD box contains a different Wozzeck : Jose van Dam, Anja Silja, Ragnar Ulfung, Richard Cassilly, Dieter Weller; March 8, 1980.
DER ROSENKAVALIER:Strauss
Original Air Date: 02/18/1956
Kempe; Stevens, Della Casa; Edelmann, Güden, Herbert
MOD Audio SID.19370103
Della Casa, no more beautiful woman ever trod the operatic stage. With Kempe in the pit for his final Met broadcast, this is a wonderful all-around performance. This performance has been on, but not frequently. An absolute rave. If maybe a little late for Stevens, Della Casa and Guden are in absolute prime. Kempe appeared too little and we certainly need his Arabella (in English) with Steber, Guden and London to appear on Sirius. Don’t miss.
ROMÉO ET JULIETTE:Gounod
Original Air Date: 12/06/1986
Domingo; Kraus, Gasdia, Plishka, Harris, Schexnayder
MOD Audio SID.19370104
This broadcast documents Gasdia’s only season at the Met. The run, Kraus’ only times in Romeo at the Met, also featured six performances with Soviero, whom I would have preferred in the broadcast.
VANESSA:Barber
Original Air Date: 02/01/1958
Mitropoulos; Steber, Gedda, Elias, Resnik, Tozzi
MOD Audio SID.19370105
Vanessa received its world premiere with this cast two weeks before this broadcast. Though Steber was not the first choice for the title role, she does some of her best broadcast singing on this. The Skating aria (later removed by Barber from the published score) has as many technical hurdles as any of Steber’s Mozart heroines, and she is up to them. The libretto gets its deserved criticisms, but Barber’s music has allowed the work to continue performances if none yet in the Met’s Lincoln Center theatre.
MADAMA BUTTERFLY:Puccini
Original Air Date: 04/03/1976
Woitach; Zylis-Gara, Alexander, Casei, Uppman, Castel
SID.19370106
All three of ZG’s Cio-Cio Sans have been on Sirius 76 and 79 under Woitach, 81 under Fulton, though none have made it to Met Opera on Demand (MOoD). She is very solid, but we really need the Stella/Fernandi and Tucci/Bergonzi. Stella premiered the 1958 production and is probably her best broadcast representation. She deserves to be heard in this role.
TRISTAN UND ISOLDE:Wagner
Original Air Date: 12/09/1950
Reiner; Vinay, Traubel, Thebom, Nilsson, Schöffler
SID.19370107
With leads like these, and Reiner in the pit, this is well worth investigating. Traubel has 40s broadcasts with both Melchior (3) and Svanholm with conductors like Leinsdorf, Beecham, and Busch. Alas none of these have been on Sirius. Enjoy this example of the original “St. Louis woman.”
I LOMBARDI:Verdi
Original Air Date: 01/15/1994
Levine; Flanigan, Pavarotti, Beccaria, Plishka
MOD Audio SID.19370208
This is the Met’s only broadcast of Lombardi. Pavarotti is in both the December telecast and January broadcast and Ramey was in the premiere and telecast, Plishka in the audio broadcast. Neither Flanigan nor Beccaria are really up to this major assignment. Flanigan except for two Musettas the following fall, disappears from the Met roster. Her contributions to contemporary opera are significant, and she has some excellent work at NYCO, including a fine Lady Macbeth. Both this broadcast and the telecast a month earlier in December are on Met Opera on Demand (MOoD). The telecast was originally to have been Millo, but she left the production shortly after opening night. Ramey did the Met premiere (and telecast), but Plishka is on this broadcast. This broadcast is Beccaria’s Met farewell. Levine, the chorus, Pavarotti, and the bass deliver rather well some of Verdi’s lustiest music, but it’s far from the level of Ernani in terms of finish. In a week’s rotation, Lombardi is an interesting diversion. I Lombardi alla Prima Crociata to use its full name only got to the Met stage with this series of performances. Millo who originated the production was mostly replaced by Flanigan after 2 performances. Beccaria in a major part really is lacking in the face you want. Pavarotti of course gets La mia letizia, one of the great Verdian tenor arias; there is also the unforgettable trio (with violin obbligato) which Levine did for Gniewek as much as for himself. It’s not as good as either Ernani or Macbeth in my view, but several of the choruses are stirring, and with the newly energized Palumbo leadership, the Met could well revive this. The distinctive Pavarotti aside, the soprano and tenor parts could be very reasonably cast today. This performance at hand is also on MetPlayer.
PARSIFAL:Wagner
Original Air Date: 04/17/1982
Levine; Hofmann, Dunn, Stewart, Hines, Meredith
MOD Audio SID.19370209
The main claim to fame is the superb sound of the orchestra. Vocally Levine has better casts, and the failure to bring to Sirius the 1985 broadcast with Vickers, Rysanek, and Moll is very surprising; it has been issued as a Met premium CD. This is the 4th of Levine’s 12 Parsifal broadcasts, and is available like three others in MOoD. Hofmann was certainly effective in the theatre, but I prefer Vickers (esp. the 1985 with Rysanek) or Domingo (with Gwyneth Jones’ farewell from 1995 with PD). Stewart is an excellent Amfortas, but I like a voice a bit smoother than Hines– Siepi or Moll. For Dunn, some of the second act writing is very challenging.
TBA:TBA
Original Air Date: 01/01/9999
TBA
SID.19370210
Various selections between scheduled operas. Siriusxm Radio and web player will show the Composer and Title.
OTELLO:Verdi
Original Air Date: 03/11/1967
Mehta; Caballé, McCracken, Gobbi, Lorenzi
MOD Audio SID.19370211
This is the first Otello broadcast from the new house at Lincoln Center. Caballe is very fine in the fourth act, but earlier acts do not find her fully engaged. McCracken and Gobbi are fully engaged from first note, and Mehta is a solid participant. Sirius continues to deprive us of Tebaldi’s 1955 and 1958 Desdemonas which capture her (especially 1955) in remarkable voice. This is Caballe’s first broadcast from the Met, and McCracken, Gobbi and Mehta are wonderful partners. Compared to some other Desdemonas, I found her a little short until Act Four, but in the final act she was on all eight cylinders. I love the chemistry of McCracken and Gobbi. This fine performance is available on MetPlayer also. There never was a tenor quite like James McCracken—a veritable force of nature vocally, he fought his way to an international career that would come to be dominated by his seething portrayal of the title role of Verdi’s Otello. In this March 11, 1967, broadcast conducted by Zubin Mehta, McCracken’s finely sung Otello rages with a raw-nerve fury but also brings heroic tenderness to the love duet and his final moments. Montserrat Caballé’s singing, regal in its beauty throughout, gives way to towering passion in Desdemona’s clash with Otello in Act III. Tito Gobbi is utter, impeccable evil as Iago, heard in the savage glee he finally takes in hurling Cassio’s name, like a knife, at Otello at the end of Act II. This performance is available in Met Opera on Demand (MOoD) and definitely worth your time.
CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA / PAGLIACCI:Mascagni / Leoncavallo
Original Air Date: 12/10/1988
Siciliani; Dimitrova, Mauro, Fondary / Giacomini, Soviero, Pons
SID.19370212
Though Dimitrova was well regarded for her power and skill in the “big” roles, her Santuzza was one of the very best I’ve ever heard, and more importantly, seemed very personal. Her voice is satisfyingly volcanic this afternoon. No less impressive is the Pagliacci with Giacomini’s farewell to the Met. He is on top form for this Canio. Soviero has a strong Nedda as well. Siciliani gives full veristic sway in his conducting. Recommended.
LE NOZZE DI FIGARO:Mozart
Original Air Date: 03/05/1977
Bedford; Morris, Blegen, Harper, Carlson, Ewing
SID.19370213
Morris was quite a decent Figaro, and Blegen and Ewing were solid Susanna and Cherubino. Harper is odd casting for a house accustomed to Steber, De Los Angeles, Della Casa, Lorengar Te Kanawa, and Fleming.
FIDELIO:Beethoven
Original Air Date: 03/10/1951
Walter; Flagstad, Svanholm, Schöffler, Ernster, Conner, Klein
MOD Audio SID.19370214
This performance marks Flagstad’s return season after an absence of ten years. She also has a Fidelio broadcast under Walter from 1941 which has now also been rebroadcast and finds Flagstad on even finer form on Sirius. Walter and Flagstad are the attraction with the supporting cast variable.
LA FILLE DU RÉGIMENT:Donizetti
Original Air Date: 01/06/1973
Bonynge; Sutherland, Pavarotti, Resnik, Corena
MOD Audio SID.19370315
Pavarotti may be a bit tight on the high Cs, but his voice is still remarkable, and this is the only broadcast with the Met premiere roster. Resnik and Corena are preferable to their competition. Sutherland is particularly treasurable. This performance is also available on MOoD *** From 1954 until 1976 Fernando Corena was the only Dr. Bartolo to appear on the Met airwaves. Of all Corena’s distinctive characterizations, none rank higher than Bartolo. It would be worthwhile for the Met to unearth its experimental taping (with NHK of Japan)from November 1968 so people could get a taste of his visuals as well. The byplay of Corena with Horne, as well as familiar bass clef tandem, Tozzi are a special delight. Cesare Siepi made his only Met appearances with Levine the following week ending his Met career succeeding Tozzi. *** Pavarotti appears in a broadcast after his initial success with Sutherland. The Cs are already a bit chancy, but this is still a lot of thoroughbreds having a great time. It is also available in MOoD. *** The Met got a little late to Pavarotti (several years after Covent Garden) in Fille and the C’s are more than a little nervous. Still, this is a fun outing if not as well turned out as the studio recording. *** This is from the second season of FIlle, and Pavarotti’s only broadcast of Tonio. Lots of high spirits.
LES CONTES D’HOFFMANN:Offenbach
Original Air Date: 03/27/1982
Chailly; Domingo, Morris, Welting, Troyanos, Eda-Pierre, Howells
MOD Audio SID.19370316
This is Chailly’s only Met appearance, and is the premiere year of the Schenk, Schneider-Siemssen production. I’m surprised this performance is not the one in MOoD instead of the Levine from 1993. Much as I like Vaness and Held, an 11 year younger Domingo with the above cast (and especially Senechal) would seem more likely. Still, this performance is a welcome choice for the Sirius rotation (it’s not often included).
TRISTAN UND ISOLDE:Wagner
Original Air Date: 12/09/1950
Reiner; Vinay, Traubel, Thebom, Nilsson, Schöffler
SID.19370317
With leads like these, and Reiner in the pit, this is well worth investigating. Traubel has 40s broadcasts with both Melchior (3) and Svanholm with conductors like Leinsdorf, Beecham, and Busch. Alas none of these have been on Sirius. Enjoy this example of the original “St. Louis woman.”
WOZZECK:Berg
Original Air Date: 12/31/2005
Levine; Held, Dalayman, Clark, Fink, Forbis
SID.19370318
Excellent performance on all counts. The 2001 videotaping of Wozzeck performances with Struckmann and Dalayman finally made it into Levine’s 40th anniversary DVD box (but not in print separately. As long as one is looking into Levine boxes, his 40th anniversary CD box contains a different Wozzeck : Jose van Dam, Anja Silja, Ragnar Ulfung, Richard Cassilly, Dieter Weller; March 8, 1980.
DER ROSENKAVALIER:Strauss
Original Air Date: 02/18/1956
Kempe; Stevens, Della Casa; Edelmann, Güden, Herbert
MOD Audio SID.19370319
Della Casa, no more beautiful woman ever trod the operatic stage. With Kempe in the pit for his final Met broadcast, this is a wonderful all-around performance. This performance has been on, but not frequently. An absolute rave. If maybe a little late for Stevens, Della Casa and Guden are in absolute prime. Kempe appeared too little and we certainly need his Arabella (in English) with Steber, Guden and London to appear on Sirius. Don’t miss.
ROMÉO ET JULIETTE:Gounod
Original Air Date: 12/06/1986
Domingo; Kraus, Gasdia, Plishka, Harris, Schexnayder
MOD Audio SID.19370320
This broadcast documents Gasdia’s only season at the Met. The run, Kraus’ only times in Romeo at the Met, also featured six performances with Soviero, whom I would have preferred in the broadcast.
VANESSA:Barber
Original Air Date: 02/01/1958
Mitropoulos; Steber, Gedda, Elias, Resnik, Tozzi
MOD Audio SID.19370321
Vanessa received its world premiere with this cast two weeks before this broadcast. Though Steber was not the first choice for the title role, she does some of her best broadcast singing on this. The Skating aria (later removed by Barber from the published score) has as many technical hurdles as any of Steber’s Mozart heroines, and she is up to them. The libretto gets its deserved criticisms, but Barber’s music has allowed the work to continue performances if none yet in the Met’s Lincoln Center theatre.
MADAMA BUTTERFLY:Puccini
Original Air Date: 04/03/1976
Woitach; Zylis-Gara, Alexander, Casei, Uppman, Castel
SID.19370422
All three of ZG’s Cio-Cio Sans have been on Sirius 76 and 79 under Woitach, 81 under Fulton, though none have made it to Met Opera on Demand (MOoD). She is very solid, but we really need the Stella/Fernandi and Tucci/Bergonzi. Stella premiered the 1958 production and is probably her best broadcast representation. She deserves to be heard in this role.