LOHENGRIN:Wagner
Original Air Date: 03/21/1998
Levine; Heppner Voigt, Polaski, Ketelsen, Halfvarson
MOD Audio SID.19030424
Heppner is the star here with outstanding orchestral performance as well. He did it the following season with Mattila and Pape, but that improved casting was not broadcast, and by the time 2006 rolled around, Levine was unavailable, Heppner was in more variable form, and Mattila was not the singer she was 8 years earlier.
ERNANI:Verdi
Original Air Date: 12/29/1956
Mitropoulos; Del Monaco, Milanov, Warren, Siepi
MOD Audio SID.19030425
This is the first Met broadcast of Ernani, and although Del Monaco is slightly better in his Florence broadcast with Cerquetti, he is the Verdian bandit to the life. This is a bit late for Milanov, but Warren and Siepi are certainly top drawer as well. Mitropoulos brings his accustomed fire and a few odd choices in musical text. Not a bad preparation for the revival coming in February with Meade. I love Ernani, but I don’t love this performance. Mitropoulos and Del Monaco are better represented from Florence, and this part is simply too late for Milanov. This part is HARD– check Freni’s challenge at La Scala. Ernani involvami demands full blown coloratura mastery from the moment you open your mouth, and while the rest of the role is mostly ensembles, it’s challenging. Leona Mitchell is mostly very up to the challenges. Two good stabs at the part were NOT broadcast, Arroyo’s opening night with Bergonzi and Milnes, and Millo, (2 in the house, 4 in the parks very early in her Met career). The good news on Ernani is the complete Met broadcast history is documented on Sirius. The Met trots out its star Verdians for the first appearance of Ernani in a quarter century. It’s a bit too late for Milanov, but Del Monaco and Siepi are in especially fine form. This is also available on MOoD. Elvira is definitely a bit late for Milanov, but the men are the best in the business for these roles in 1956, and all among the greatest ever in these roles.
LA GIOCONDA:Ponchielli
Original Air Date: 04/20/1957
Cleva; Milanov, Poggi, Warren, Rankin, Siepi
SID.19030426
I never saw Milanov’s Gioconda, and strangely Paul Jackson in his history of Met broadcasts only deals with 1953 and 1961 in his volume that covers post 1950 Milanov. Rankin, Warren and Siepi are all among the very best exponents of their roles, but I’ve never gotten Poggi’s message. So it’s all about Milanov, and generally I always want her earlier (like 1939) rather than later. Milanov was definitely variable in the 50s for her Giocondas. She has 2 more going as last as 1961. Rankin, Warren and Siepi are fine support, and it all depends what kind of a day ZM is having. Her first (not yet broadcast by Sirius) is her best, though the 1946 is also very good (Tucker’s debut year, and he is leagues ahead of Poggi).
CARMEN:Bizet
Original Air Date: 01/17/2019
Langrée; Phillips, Margaine, Alagna, Simpson
SID.19030000
Mezzo-soprano Clémentine Margaine reprises her remarkable portrayal of opera’s ultimate seductress, a triumph in her 2017 debut performances, with impassioned tenors Yonghoon Lee and Roberto Alagna as her lover, Don José. Omer Meir Wellber and Louis Langrée share conducting duties for Sir Richard Eyre’s powerful production, a Met favorite since its 2009 premiere.
MAZEPPA:Tchaikovsky
Original Air Date: 03/18/2006
Gergiev; Putilin, Guryakova, Balashov, Burchuladze, Diadkova
SID.19030529
This is the only Met broadcast of Tchaikovsky’s powerful work. This performance is notable for Tchaikovsky’s powerful music, Gergiev’s assured conducting, and Putilin giving his considerable all to the title role. This is offbeat repertory that I’m glad we’ve had. Gergiev and Putilin make a strong case for hearing the work more often. It should really be on MOoD.
UN BALLO IN MASCHERA:Verdi
Original Air Date: 02/26/1966
Molinari, Pradelli, Bergonzi, Price, Merrill, Peters, Dunn
SID.19030530
This is the first of Corelli’s four Don Carlo broadcasts and the 1964 performance which was issued in 2011 on Sony only retains Dalis and Uhde in their roles. Since Curtis-Verna is generally underrepresented, I am happy to have this on, but the missing broadcast which is earnestly called for is Bing’s final broadcast as general manager from 1972 with Siepi and Amara returning in their roles from Bing’s inaugural broadcast 22 years earlier. Curtis-Verna only has one other broadcast, that of Aida in 1957 replacing Tebaldi who had withdrawn the day before due to her mother’s death. Curtis-Verna has a very respectable 97 performances over 9 seasons all in leads, but does not make it past 1966 into the new House. She was interviewed in Opera News before her death in 2009 and finished off her career with a distinguished tenure at University of Washington for more than 3 decades in their voice department.
ARABELLA:Strauss
Original Air Date: 03/17/1984
Janowski; Andrade, Nentwig, Battle, Rendall, Dunn, Mazura
SID.19030531
I like Janowski very much as a conductor, but the substitution of Andrade for Te Kanawa who did the rest of the run lowers the voltage considerably, and Nentwig is not a high profile Mandryka for my taste; here was a role George London was absolutely perfect for, and it’s a shame the translation challenges of Sirius seem to keep the Kempe led Met premiere season off the air with Steber and London truly inspired. The problems with translations fall on deaf ears here since the translation was by John Gutman, longtime Met asst. Manager. For real value rebroadcast this less often and get London and Steber on the air– it’s the Met at its best.
L’ELISIR D’AMORE:Donizetti
Original Air Date: 01/07/2006
Barbacini; Vargas, Swenson, Shore, ColemanWright
SID.19030532
Swenson has 3 L’Elisir broadcasts all of which have been on Sirius. This is close to the end of Swenson’s Met tenure, and while Vargas is a strong Nemorino (Hadley and Pavarotti on the other two), the rest of the cast here is of no special distinction at all. Additionally, L’Elisir is overbroadcast with multiple offerings. Almost a poor man’s Boheme.
LES CONTES D’HOFFMANN:Offenbach
Original Air Date: 04/10/1971
Baudo; Gedda, Bacquier, Boky, Crespin, Amara, von Stade
SID.19030533
Here is why I love the current Sirius service for Met repertory : The fall performances went unbroadcast. This 1970/71 Hoffmann was divided between a fall group with Grist, Elias, and Lorengar in the three ladies and the spring offering was Boky, Crespin, and Amara. The excellent Gedda and Bacquier were in both parts of the revival. I saw one of the fall performances and Grist and Lorengar were excellent. The broadcast does not come until spring, and much as Ilove Crespin as an artist, her Giulietta while visually dazzling was one rocky ride on the Venetian canal. Amara sang a solid Antonia, but her tone never had the luster of a Lorengar. Boky I found similarly lacking compared to Grist. Baudo is no Julius Rudel (among the best conductors I’ve ever heard for Hoffmann) or Chailly, let alone Monteux who originated the production in 1955. What should be mentioned is the strong supporting cast including von Stade as Nicklausse , Velis in the 4 comic tenor parts, and Paul Franke as an inimitable Spalanzani.
LA FORZA DEL DESTINO:Verdi
Original Air Date: 01/23/1943
Walter; Roman, Jagel, Tibbett, Pinza, Petina, Baccaloni
SID.19030534
Roman is particularly impressive, and we don’t have so many surviving Bruno Walter broadcasts that this one is particularly welcome. This is a bit late for Tibbett, but Pinza is wonderful in one of Verdi’s greatest bass roles.
IL PIRATA:Bellini
Original Air Date: 02/08/2003
Campanella; Fleming, Giordani, Croft
MOD Audio SID.19030535
This is the Met premiere of Pirata and to date its only broadcast season, but I don’t find either the soprano or tenor quite right for their parts. This was the performance that started me on my Giordani no listen zone. I was lucky enough to see Caballe do a stage Pirata (2x) in Philadelphia, and she was almost ideally cast. Fleming is a versatile, highly skilled singer, but this part was not for her.
DER FLIEGENDE HOLLÄNDER:Wagner
Original Air Date: 03/05/1960
Schippers; London, Rysanek, Liebl, Tozzi
SID.19030636
This is the first of Rysanek’s five Senta broadcasts and she is paired with her longtime Dutchman partner, George London. Most of this cast re-assembled in London for a studio recording under Dorati, but the sound was never quite right, and the electricity of a live performance definitely not there. Rysanek’s two greatest roles for me were Senta and Empress in Frau. Her Senta was simply one of the greatest evenings in the theatre in 50 years of operagoing. Both this and two later Dutchman broadcasts with her are available in MOoD. This performance follows by less than 24 hours Leonard Warren’s onstage death in Forza. Warren had been Rysanek’s husband in her Met debut in Macbeth two years earlier. The fourth performance of the matchless combination of London and Rysanek. Three years later there is another broadcast under Bohm, which is on Met Player. This is the first broadcast pairing of Rysanek and London together. They were an unbeatable pair, and although I prefer Bohm’s rendition, this is best one for London. Best broadcast of the week by far.
ANDREA CHÉNIER:Giordano
Original Air Date: 12/28/1957
Cleva; Tucker, Milanov, Warren, Elias, Lipton, Amparan
MOD Audio SID.19030637
As I noted in 2012, I prefer 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. I love Chenier, but we definitely don’t have the singers for it. I’m afraid the Met’s 2013-2014 revival confirmed the current state of Chenier singing.
GIULIO CESARE:Handel
Original Air Date: 04/17/1999
Nelson; Larmore, McNair, Daniels, Blythe, Asawa
MOD Audio SID.19030638
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 passed away, and was one of the major groundbreaking countertenors.
PELLÉAS ET MÉLISANDE:Debussy
Original Air Date: 01/15/2019
Nézet-Séguin; Leonard, Lemieux, Appleby, Ketelsen, Furlanetto
SID.19030640
First Intermission
Backstage Pass: Loren Toolajian interviews tenor Paul Appleby
Pelléas et Mélisande feature with Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin
Second Intermission
Backstage Pass: Loren Toolajian interviews mezzo Isabel Leonard
Backstage Pass: Loren Toolajian interviews Kyle Ketelsen and Ferruccio Furlanetto
Mary Jo Heath interviews Roberto Alagna about Carmen
Debussy’s only opera, a mesmerizing meditation on love and betrayal, returns to the Met stage for the first time in almost a decade, with Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducting the landmark score. A pair of brilliant young Met stars, tenor Paul Appleby and mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard, are the naïve title lovers, and baritone Kyle Ketelsen is the imperious Prince Golaud. Ferruccio Furlanetto, as Arkel, and Marie-Nicole Lemieux, as Geneviève, complete the cast.
ERNANI:Verdi
Original Air Date: 12/29/1956
Mitropoulos; Del Monaco, Milanov, Warren, Siepi
MOD Audio SID.19030641
This is the first Met broadcast of Ernani, and although Del Monaco is slightly better in his Florence broadcast with Cerquetti, he is the Verdian bandit to the life. This is a bit late for Milanov, but Warren and Siepi are certainly top drawer as well. Mitropoulos brings his accustomed fire and a few odd choices in musical text. Not a bad preparation for the revival coming in February with Meade. I love Ernani, but I don’t love this performance. Mitropoulos and Del Monaco are better represented from Florence, and this part is simply too late for Milanov. This part is HARD– check Freni’s challenge at La Scala. Ernani involvami demands full blown coloratura mastery from the moment you open your mouth, and while the rest of the role is mostly ensembles, it’s challenging. Leona Mitchell is mostly very up to the challenges. Two good stabs at the part were NOT broadcast, Arroyo’s opening night with Bergonzi and Milnes, and Millo, (2 in the house, 4 in the parks very early in her Met career). The good news on Ernani is the complete Met broadcast history is documented on Sirius. The Met trots out its star Verdians for the first appearance of Ernani in a quarter century. It’s a bit too late for Milanov, but Del Monaco and Siepi are in especially fine form. This is also available on MOoD. Elvira is definitely a bit late for Milanov, but the men are the best in the business for these roles in 1956, and all among the greatest ever in these roles.
LA GIOCONDA:Ponchielli
Original Air Date: 04/20/1957
Cleva; Milanov, Poggi, Warren, Rankin, Siepi
SID.19030642
I never saw Milanov’s Gioconda, and strangely Paul Jackson in his history of Met broadcasts only deals with 1953 and 1961 in his volume that covers post 1950 Milanov. Rankin, Warren and Siepi are all among the very best exponents of their roles, but I’ve never gotten Poggi’s message. So it’s all about Milanov, and generally I always want her earlier (like 1939) rather than later. Milanov was definitely variable in the 50s for her Giocondas. She has 2 more going as last as 1961. Rankin, Warren and Siepi are fine support, and it all depends what kind of a day ZM is having. Her first (not yet broadcast by Sirius) is her best, though the 1946 is also very good (Tucker’s debut year, and he is leagues ahead of Poggi).
DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE:Mozart
Original Air Date: 04/16/2005
Levine; Milne, Polenzani, Goerne, Miklósa, Moll
MOD Audio SID.19030743
This is the broadcast from the first year of the Taymor production. This is an extremely solid cast with no weak links. Goerne was originally scheduled for the premiere in the fall, but had an injury, and was replaced by Pogossov. Roschmann was the premiere Pamina (and an outstanding one) but her only appearances on Sirius so far have been non-matinee broadcasts for Sirius subscribers. The Sirius 3 x a week of contemporary performances are invaluable. This is Moll’s broadcast farewell and his final Met appearance is Sarastro one week later (not marked in the Met Database-still true 4/2015) Moll also sang Commendatore in Don Giovanni in the evening after this Zauberflote matinee.
LA FORZA DEL DESTINO:Verdi
Original Air Date: 01/23/1943
Walter; Roman, Jagel, Tibbett, Pinza, Petina, Baccaloni
SID.19030744
Roman is particularly impressive, and we don’t have so many surviving Bruno Walter broadcasts that this one is particularly welcome. This is a bit late for Tibbett, but Pinza is wonderful in one of Verdi’s greatest bass roles.
L’ELISIR D’AMORE:Donizetti
Original Air Date: 01/07/2006
Barbacini; Vargas, Swenson, Shore, ColemanWright
SID.19030745
Swenson has 3 L’Elisir broadcasts all of which have been on Sirius. This is close to the end of Swenson’s Met tenure, and while Vargas is a strong Nemorino (Hadley and Pavarotti on the other two), the rest of the cast here is of no special distinction at all. Additionally, L’Elisir is overbroadcast with multiple offerings. Almost a poor man’s Boheme.
LOHENGRIN:Wagner
Original Air Date: 03/21/1998
Levine; Heppner Voigt, Polaski, Ketelsen, Halfvarson
MOD Audio SID.19030746
Heppner is the star here with outstanding orchestral performance as well. He did it the following season with Mattila and Pape, but that improved casting was not broadcast, and by the time 2006 rolled around, Levine was unavailable, Heppner was in more variable form, and Mattila was not the singer she was 8 years earlier.
LOHENGRIN:Wagner
Original Air Date: 03/21/1998
Levine; Heppner Voigt, Polaski, Ketelsen, Halfvarson
MOD Audio SID.19030747
Heppner is the star here with outstanding orchestral performance as well. He did it the following season with Mattila and Pape, but that improved casting was not broadcast, and by the time 2006 rolled around, Levine was unavailable, Heppner was in more variable form, and Mattila was not the singer she was 8 years earlier.
MAZEPPA:Tchaikovsky
Original Air Date: 03/18/2006
Gergiev; Putilin, Guryakova, Balashov, Burchuladze, Diadkova
SID.19030748
This is the only Met broadcast of Tchaikovsky’s powerful work. This performance is notable for Tchaikovsky’s powerful music, Gergiev’s assured conducting, and Putilin giving his considerable all to the title role. This is offbeat repertory that I’m glad we’ve had. Gergiev and Putilin make a strong case for hearing the work more often. It should really be on MOoD.
UN BALLO IN MASCHERA:Verdi
Original Air Date: 02/26/1966
Molinari, Pradelli, Bergonzi, Price, Merrill, Peters, Dunn
SID.19030749
This is the first of Corelli’s four Don Carlo broadcasts and the 1964 performance which was issued in 2011 on Sony only retains Dalis and Uhde in their roles.Since Curtis-Verna is generally underrepresented, I am happy to have this on, but the missing broadcast which is earnestly called for is Bing’s final broadcast as general manager from 1972 with Siepi and Amara returning in their roles from Bing’s inaugural broadcast 22 years earlier. Curtis-Verna only has one other broadcast, that of Aida in 1957 replacing Tebaldi who had withdrawn the day before due to her mother’s death. Curtis-Verna has a very respectable 97 performances over 9 seasons all in leads, but does not make it past 1966 into the new House. She was interviewed in Opera News before her death in 2009 and finished off her career with a distinguished tenure at University of Washington for more than 3 decades in their voice department.
LES CONTES D’HOFFMANN:Offenbach
Original Air Date: 04/10/1971
Baudo; Gedda, Bacquier, Boky, Crespin, Amara, von Stade
MOD Audio SID.19040101
Here is why I love the current Sirius service for Met repertory : The fall performances went unbroadcast. This 1970/71 Hoffmann was divided between a fall group with Grist, Elias, and Lorengar in the three ladies and the spring offering was Boky, Crespin, and Amara. The excellent Gedda and Bacquier were in both parts of the revival. I saw one of the fall performances and Grist and Lorengar were excellent. The broadcast does not come until spring, and much as Ilove Crespin as an artist, her Giulietta while visually dazzling was one rocky ride on the Venetian canal. Amara sang a solid Antonia, but her tone never had the luster of a Lorengar. Boky I found similarly lacking compared to Grist. Baudo is no Julius Rudel (among the best conductors I’ve ever heard for Hoffmann) or Chailly, let alone Monteux who originated the production in 1955. What should be mentioned is the strong supporting cast including von Stade as Nicklausse , Velis in the 4 comic tenor parts, and Paul Franke as an inimitable Spalanzani.
LA BOHÈME:Puccini
Original Air Date: 03/14/1964
Cleva; Tebaldi, Kónya, Hurley, Guarrera, Hines
SID.19040315
This is Tebaldi’s first of two broadcast Mimis, the other being from 1970 with Tucker and available on MOoD. She still notched 36 Met performances which puts her 9th in Mimi totals. Konya gets a good review from Peter G. Davis for this performance, and the supporting cast is solid. A nice pre-Gioconda memory of Tebaldi.
CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA / PAGLIACCI:Mascagni / Leoncavallo
Original Air Date: 03/03/1951
Erede; Milanov, Tucker, Harvuot / Rigal, Baum, Warren
MOD Audio SID.19040316
The Cavalleria is strongly cast, and Warren was the major Tonio of the 1950s in Pagliacci. 1/18/2012 – For me the two highlight vocal performances are Tucker in the Cavalleria and Warren in the Paglia cci. Milanov has a later broadcast on MetPlayer with Baum as Turiddu and Del Monaco as Canio. 1/12/2011 – Representative Met performance, especially in Cavalleria, but Warren’s Prologue is something to hear as well.
CARMEN:Bizet
Original Air Date: 03/22/1986
Levine; Ewing, Domingo, Malfitano, Devlin
MOD Audio SID.19040317
This is the second of Domingo’s three Jose broadcasts the first is 1971 with Ruza Baldani and Robert Merrill under Jean Morel which has not been rebroadcast on Sirius he also conducts a Carmen (not while singing Jose) and also has a telecast with Waltraud Meier, available on MOoD. Three days before the telecast is his last matinee broadcast, also not rebroadcast on Sirius. I was not a big fan of the Ewing Carmen, but for a change this is an interesting cast despite thinking Deomingo was always in Carmen, at the Met he was not– his 26 rank well behind Martinelli at 74 , Tucker at 60, or even McCracken at 47; not far behind PD are Del Monaco and Vickers at 18 each and Alagna at 20.
LA BOHÈME:Puccini
Original Air Date: 03/14/1964
Cleva; Tebaldi, Kónya, Hurley, Guarrera, Hines
SID.19040318
This is Tebaldi’s first of two broadcast Mimis, the other being from 1970 with Tucker and available on MOoD. She still notched 36 Met performances which puts her 9th in Mimi totals. Konya gets a good review from Peter G. Davis for this performance, and the supporting cast is solid. A nice pre-Gioconda memory of Tebaldi.
LE NOZZE DI FIGARO:Mozart
Original Air Date: 02/07/1987
Levine; Van Dam, Battle, Söderström, Hynninen, von Stade
SID.19040319
This is the second year of the Ponnelle production, and plenty of interesting casting with Battle and von Stade the only holdovers. This is Montarsolo’s farewell, but for me the real star is Levine welding the whole ensemble together.