LE PROPHÈTE:Meyerbeer
Lewis; McCracken, Scotto, Horne, Hines
Original Air Date: 01/29/1977
SID.19480102
Though this is the only broadcast of Prophete from the Met, I find the work of little interest. The big name singers work hard, but Lewis is not the man to make the work seem better than it is. The second season is in the opening weeks under Charles Mackerras (typically a much higher profile conductor), but not broadcast. In the current environment we would have had one and possibly two offerings with new casting of both Berthe (Rita Shane) and Jean (Guy Chauvet).
Donizetti
Müller; Olsen, Battle, Dara, Oswald
Original Air Date: 12/05/1992
SID.19480103
The opera is not of such depth to deserve what seems like a a weekly rotation. There were a number of evening performances broadcast live of the Florez Damrau cast. They don’t exactly overplay the Bergonzi or Kraus performances, CB has 2, and AK has 1. But better to give the opera a rest, because we’ll have plenty of L’elisir come September. This is Battle’s last Elisir broadcast, and the supporting cast is not especially distinguished.Dara was always a rather colorless Dulcamara for me, and I want a bit more Italian sunshine than Olsen. Battle has 30 (!!!) Met Adinas, the champion. She is not the first Adina I think of. Both Freni and Scotto are more to my taste for very different reasons. Once again this ordinary L’elisir is trotted out. The opera itself (not just this performance) seems overplayed in rotation. It does feature very good orchestra playing and excellent sound. This performance has had some rest, but there are several other Battle Elisirs with Pavarotti that also appear so it seems to repeat her assumption a bit too frequently.
COSÌ FAN TUTTE:Mozart
Isepp; Vaness, Croft, Graham, Gunn, McLaughlin, Shimell
Original Air Date: 03/15/1997
SID.19480104
This is the season after the Bartoli run as Despina also with Vaness. Most of the interest in this broadcast centers on Richard Croft now in Satyagraha and Susan Graham for whom this is an early broadcast. Her second Dorabella run is in 2001 has also been on Sirius. For Vaness fans she has two Cosi broadcasts from early in her Met career 1984 and 1991, and the 1984 is particularly recommended. Her Mozart singing in the early 1980s was right up there with the very best– Steber, Fleming, Lorengar, Te Kanawa.
Wagner
Levine; Domingo, Tomowa-Sintow, Marton, McIntyre, Macurdy
Original Air Date: 02/16/1985
SID.19480105
This performance is also available in MOoD. Domingo sings very well, but for me the special excitement of this performance comes from the two ladies. Marton had not yet started her heavy round of Elektra performances, and her singing is commanding without ever being less than very feminine. Lohengrin is one of Levine’s best efforts, and here’s the cast for it. The ladies are simply splendid, among the best exponents of their roles in the last 3 decades. Lohengrin is one of Levine’s best Wagner efforts.
Various:Various
Various Artists
Original Air Date: 01/01/9999
SID.19480106
Gounod
Nézet-Séguin; Kaufmann, Poplavskaya, Pape, Braun, Losier
Original Air Date: 12/10/2011
Live in HDMOD Video
SID.19480107
Nezet-Seguin’s conducting was one of the best things he’s done at the Met, and both Kaufmann and Pape were excellent if not exactly erasing aural memories of Bjorling and Siepi (1950 and 1959). The two blots for me were Poplavskaya as Marguerite and the misconceived production by Des McAnuff which will not disturb listening.
Puccini
Domingo; Zhang, Smith, Zifchak, Salsi, Sorensen
Original Air Date: 12/17/2011
SID.19480208
Good to hear Zhang on a broadcast. I thought she was very impressive in the theatre. This is a promotion from the matinee to the archival series rather quickly. The controversial part of this run of Butterfly was the conducting shared by Yves Abel and Placido Domingo. Zhang was a very high profile Butterfly both on the radio and in the theatre, so no conductor was going to get the best of her.
Ponchielli
Cleva; Milanov, Baum, Warren, Rankin, Tozzi
Original Air Date: 04/02/1955
SID.19480209
This is a pretty representative Gioconda cast for the 1950s. It should catch Tozzi in his prime condition coming a month after his debut and Rankin was well suited to Laura, an awkward part for many. Warren should also be at his best. That leaves Milanov and Baum in two giant roles. There is no question of Milanov’s legendary status and in this role in particular. She can also be a maddeningly uneven singer, sometimes within the same performance or even section of music. I love Gioconda, but it is a challenging sing. Callas has a fine studio recording made after her firing from the Met that is still very good, but I don’t have any Callas annals handy, but don’t think she has many/any after 1952. Tebaldi saved it till late in her career, and the part didn’t work for Farrell. I enjoyed both Bumbry and Marton, but the part was well beyond Scotto, and recent efforts by Voigt and Urmana are down another rung. Milanov’s melodramatics are solid.
BILLY BUDD:Britten
Mackerras; Hampson, Clark, Morris, Held, Courtney
Original Air Date: 04/04/1992
MOD Audio
SID.19480211
Morris has sung almost every Claggart in the production and it is one of his best parts. Hampson isn’t always ideal as an innocent, but he’s a fine musician and the cast under Mackerras is top drawer. There is also an excellent Met video of the production with Dwayne Croft on MOoD.
Donizetti
Varviso; Sutherland; Kónya, Herlea, Giaiotti
Original Air Date: 12/05/1964
MOD Audio
SID.19480212
This is Sutherland’s second broadcast Lucia, and not often heard. Konya is not my favorite Edgardo, but for those who don’t want to hear Bonynge, they get another figure at the podium.
Various:Various
Various Artists
Original Air Date: 01/01/9999
SID.19480213
Massenet
Rudel; Swenson, Sabbatini, de Candia
Original Air Date: 03/03/2001
MOD Audio
SID.19480315
I’m not sure if anyone has conducted Manon more than Julius Rudel, the opera having been a mainstay during his NYCO stewardship. This is an OK performance, but wish we could hear the 1959 DeLosAngeles Gedda Manon under Jean Morel as well.I’m not sure if anyone has conducted Manon more than Julius Rudel, the opera having been a mainstay during his NYCO stewardship. This is an OK performance, but wish we could hear the 1959 De Los Angeles/Gedda Manon under Jean Morel as well. This opera is available on MOoD to listen to anytime. 1/29/11 – This is uncommon casting, but maybe one way to start preparing for the new production of Manon. I would be happier if someone would dig deeper into the archives for the single De Los Angeles/Gedda broadcast under Jean Morel from 1959.
Stravinsky
Levine; Upshaw, Blythe, Groves, Ramey
Original Air Date: 04/19/2003
MOD Audio
SID.19480316
Rake’s Progress had its American premiere under Fritz Reiner on a Met broadcast. I saw this Jonathan Miller production when it was new in 1998 with the same cast as above except Jerry Hadley was the Tom Rakewell. I find the work cold, and though very well prepared, the Miller production did not make it one whit more interesting.
Wagner
Levine; Domingo, Tomowa-Sintow, Marton, McIntyre, Macurdy
Original Air Date: 02/16/1985
SID.19480317
This performance is also available in MOoD. Domingo sings very well, but for me the special excitement of this performance comes from the two ladies. Marton had not yet started her heavy round of Elektra performances, and her singing is commanding without ever being less than very feminine. Lohengrin is one of Levine’s best efforts, and here’s the cast for it. The ladies are simply splendid, among the best exponents of their roles in the last 3 decades. Lohengrin is one of Levine’s best Wagner efforts.
Wagner
Levine; Domingo, Tomowa-Sintow, Marton, McIntyre, Macurdy
Original Air Date: 02/16/1985
SID.19480318
This performance is also available in MOoD. Domingo sings very well, but for me the special excitement of this performance comes from the two ladies. Marton had not yet started her heavy round of Elektra performances, and her singing is commanding without ever being less than very feminine. Lohengrin is one of Levine’s best efforts, and here’s the cast for it. The ladies are simply splendid, among the best exponents of their roles in the last 3 decades. Lohengrin is one of Levine’s best Wagner efforts.
Gounod
Nézet-Séguin; Kaufmann, Poplavskaya, Pape, Braun, Losier
Original Air Date: 12/10/2011
Live in HDMOD Video
SID.19480319
Nezet-Seguin’s conducting was one of the best things he’s done at the Met, and both Kaufmann and Pape were excellent if not exactly erasing aural memories of Bjorling and Siepi (1950 and 1959). The two blots for me were Poplavskaya as Marguerite and the misconceived production by Des McAnuff which will not disturb listening.
Stravinsky
Levine; Bradley, Creech, Catania / Lewis, Troyanos, Mazura
Original Air Date: 01/02/1982
SID.19480320
This is the first year of the Stravinsky/Hockney/Dexter/Levine trilogy with Troyanos the featured Jocasta. Jessye Norman did 5 performances the second year, but the broadcast was with Quivar as Jocasta. Blythe appears in 2004 under Gergiev. I prefer these works to Rake’s Progress (heresy), but the Hockney/Dexter visuals were not as appealing as their Parade French trilogy which preceded it.
Verdi
Nézet-Séguin; Yoncheva, Cano, Antonenko, Pittas, Lucic
Original Air Date: 10/17/2015
Live in HD
SID.19480321
Donizetti
Müller; Olsen, Battle, Dara, Oswald
Original Air Date: 12/05/1992
SID.19480422
The opera is not of such depth to deserve what seems like a a weekly rotation. There were a number of evening performances broadcast live of the Florez Damrau cast. They don’t exactly overplay the Bergonzi or Kraus performances, CB has 2, and AK has 1. But better to give the opera a rest, because we’ll have plenty of L’elisir come September. This is Battle’s last Elisir broadcast, and the supporting cast is not especially distinguished.Dara was always a rather colorless Dulcamara for me, and I want a bit more Italian sunshine than Olsen. Battle has 30 (!!!) Met Adinas, the champion. She is not the first Adina I think of. Both Freni and Scotto are more to my taste for very different reasons. Once again this ordinary L’elisir is trotted out. The opera itself (not just this performance) seems overplayed in rotation. It does feature very good orchestra playing and excellent sound. This performance has had some rest, but there are several other Battle Elisirs with Pavarotti that also appear so it seems to repeat her assumption a bit too frequently.
COSÌ FAN TUTTE:Mozart
Isepp; Vaness, Croft, Graham, Gunn, McLaughlin, Shimell
Original Air Date: 03/15/1997
SID.19480423
This is the season after the Bartoli run as Despina also with Vaness. Most of the interest in this broadcast centers on Richard Croft now in Satyagraha and Susan Graham for whom this is an early broadcast. Her second Dorabella run is in 2001 has also been on Sirius. For Vaness fans she has two Cosi broadcasts from early in her Met career 1984 and 1991, and the 1984 is particularly recommended. Her Mozart singing in the early 1980s was right up there with the very best– Steber, Fleming, Lorengar, Te Kanawa.
Puccini
Domingo; Zhang, Smith, Zifchak, Salsi, Sorensen
Original Air Date: 12/17/2011
SID.19480424
Good to hear Zhang on a broadcast. I thought she was very impressive in the theatre. This is a promotion from the matinee to the archival series rather quickly. The controversial part of this run of Butterfly was the conducting shared by Yves Abel and Placido Domingo. Zhang was a very high profile Butterfly both on the radio and in the theatre, so no conductor was going to get the best of her.
LE PROPHÈTE:Meyerbeer
Lewis; McCracken, Scotto, Horne, Hines
Original Air Date: 01/29/1977
SID.19480425
Though this is the only broadcast of Prophete from the Met, I find the work of little interest. The big name singers work hard, but Lewis is not the man to make the work seem better than it is. The second season is in the opening weeks under Charles Mackerras (typically a much higher profile conductor), but not broadcast. In the current environment we would have had one and possibly two offerings with new casting of both Berthe (Rita Shane) and Jean (Guy Chauvet).
Massenet
Rudel; Swenson, Sabbatini, de Candia
Original Air Date: 03/03/2001
MOD Audio
SID.19480427
I’m not sure if anyone has conducted Manon more than Julius Rudel, the opera having been a mainstay during his NYCO stewardship. This is an OK performance, but wish we could hear the 1959 DeLosAngeles Gedda Manon under Jean Morel as well.I’m not sure if anyone has conducted Manon more than Julius Rudel, the opera having been a mainstay during his NYCO stewardship. This is an OK performance, but wish we could hear the 1959 De Los Angeles/Gedda Manon under Jean Morel as well. This opera is available on MOoD to listen to anytime.1/29/11 – This is uncommon casting, but maybe one way to start preparing for the new production of Manon. I would be happier if someone would dig deeper into the archives for the single De Los Angeles/Gedda broadcast under Jean Morel from 1959.
Donizetti
Varviso; Sutherland; Kónya, Herlea, Giaiotti
Original Air Date: 12/05/1964
MOD Audio
SID.19480428
This is Sutherland’s second broadcast Lucia, and not often heard. Konya is not my favorite Edgardo, but for those who don’t want to hear Bonynge, they get another figure at the podium.
Ponchielli
Cleva; Milanov, Baum, Warren, Rankin, Tozzi
Original Air Date: 04/02/1955
SID.19480529
This is a pretty representative Gioconda cast for the 1950s. It should catch Tozzi in his prime condition coming a month after his debut and Rankin was well suited to Laura, an awkward part for many. Warren should also be at his best. That leaves Milanov and Baum in two giant roles. There is no question of Milanov’s legendary status and in this role in particular. She can also be a maddeningly uneven singer, sometimes within the same performance or even section of music. I love Gioconda, but it is a challenging sing. Callas has a fine studio recording made after her firing from the Met that is still very good, but I don’t have any Callas annals handy, but don’t think she has many/any after 1952. Tebaldi saved it till late in her career, and the part didn’t work for Farrell. I enjoyed both Bumbry and Marton, but the part was well beyond Scotto, and recent efforts by Voigt and Urmana are down another rung. Milanov’s melodramatics are solid.
BILLY BUDD:Britten
Mackerras; Hampson, Clark, Morris, Held, Courtney
Original Air Date: 04/04/1992
MOD Audio
SID.19480530
Morris has sung almost every Claggart in the production and it is one of his best parts. Hampson isn’t always ideal as an innocent, but he’s a fine musician and the cast under Mackerras is top drawer. There is also an excellent Met video of the production with Dwayne Croft on MOoD.
Donizetti
Varviso; Sutherland; Kónya, Herlea, Giaiotti
Original Air Date: 12/05/1964
MOD Audio
SID.19480531
This is Sutherland’s second broadcast Lucia, and not often heard. Konya is not my favorite Edgardo, but for those who don’t want to hear Bonynge, they get another figure at the podium.
Stravinsky
Levine; Bradley, Creech, Catania / Lewis, Troyanos, Mazura
Original Air Date: 01/02/1982
SID.19480532
This is the first year of the Stravinsky/Hockney/Dexter/Levine trilogy with Troyanos the featured Jocasta. Jessye Norman did 5 performances the second year, but the broadcast was with Quivar as Jocasta. Blythe appears in 2004 under Gergiev. I prefer these works to Rake’s Progress (heresy), but the Hockney/Dexter visuals were not as appealing as their Parade French trilogy which preceded it.
Verdi
Nézet-Séguin; Yoncheva, Cano, Antonenko, Pittas, Lucic
Original Air Date: 10/17/2015
Live in HD
SID.19480533
Various:Various
Various Artists
Original Air Date: 01/01/9999
SID.19480534