AGRIPPINA:Handel
Bicket; Rae, DiDonato, Lindsey, Davies, Rock, Rose
Original Air Date: 02/06/2020
SID.20060000
Handel’s tale of intrigue and impropriety in ancient Rome receives its first Met performances, with star mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato as the controlling, power-hungry Agrippina and Harry Bicket conducting. Sir David McVicar’s production ingeniously reframes the action of this black comedy about the abuse of power to “the present,” where it should loudly resonate. The all-star cast features mezzo-soprano Kate Lindsey as Agrippina’s son and future emperor Nerone, soprano Brenda Rae as the seductive Poppea, countertenor Iestyn Davies as the ambitious officer Ottone, and bass Matthew Rose as the weary emperor Claudius. This production was originally created by the Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie / De Munt Brussels and adapted by the Metropolitan Opera
I PURITANI:Bellini
Bonynge; Sutherland, Blake, Milnes, Ramey
Original Air Date: 12/13/1986
SID.20060529
This is Sutherland in her penultimate Met season and still singing this music at 60, and in many passages even better than she sang them 10 years earlier at 50. She also leaves us with the legendary New York and Philadelphia concert performances with a resplendent Nicolai Gedda. Blake is not Pavarotti, but Milnes and Ramey have a lot to offer in the other roles.
Wagner
Bodanzky; Melchior, Flagstad, Branzell, List, Huehn
Original Air Date: 04/16/1938
SID.20060530
This performance was first on Sirius last May when the Met’s bicentennial box of Wagner broadcasts was issued on Sony Classical and subsequently in MOoD. It’s not surround sound, but adding a major Flagstad Melchior Tristan is an important event. A not miss performance in any week.
CARMEN:Bizet
Patanè; Crespin, Chauvet, Mitchell, Devlin
Original Air Date: 12/09/1978
SID.20060531
Crespin’s earlier broadcast Carmen is on Met Player with William Lewis replacing the scheduled Domingo, and Henry Lewis conducting. My affection moves more strongly to this performance because it’s a great thrill to have Carmen and Jose sung by two Francophones, and Patane is a very fine conductor we lost much too soon. I am such a partisan of Crespin– she can be a very uneven singer, that I always suggest that you sample and see if this Gallic tang is to your taste. For me, just about always. A highly recommended Carmen.
IDOMENEO:Mozart
Levine; Domingo, Hong, Deshorties, von Otter, Oswald
Original Air Date: 01/26/2002
SID.20060532
This is Levine’s next to last run of Idomeneo at the Met which is 2006 [last]. This 2002 cast whose main feature is Domingo is surpassed by the 1995 version with a stronger supporting cast, and Levine’s 2006 broadcast which features Roschmann and Kozena both excellent as Ilia and Idamante. Deshorties has had not one, but two Elettras, and the part calls for a Vaness (two excellent broadcasts) or Studer (never broadcast from the Met but in a fall series of performances.) Levine’s Mozart is among his very best operatic work. This is Domingo’s and Von Otter’s second Idomeneo broadcast. Domingo made a strong stab at Idomeno, but I think he’s better on the studio version. The 1995 broadcast also has Carol Vaness’s outstanding Elettra, a much more settled affair than Deshorties. Hong is an excellent Ilia in this 2002 outing. Deshorties had a big success at Glimmerglass this summer as Medea, but her Met work doesn’t always succeed.
TOSCA:Puccini
Oren; Holleque, Pavarotti, Pons
Original Air Date: 04/01/1995
SID.20060533
If I’m going to see/hear Pavarotti in Cavaradossi, I prefer the Verrett/MacNeil performance of 17 years earlier which is also in MOoD. 7/18/11 – This is 17 years after Pavarotti’s first Cavaradossi broadcast with Verrett, and he would do it again 4 years after this with Carol Vaness. This performance is on Met Player and the the Verrett telecast is also on MetPlayer.
LES CONTES D’HOFFMANN:Offenbach
Baudo; Gedda, Bacquier, Boky, Crespin, Amara, von Stade
Original Air Date: 04/10/1971
MOD Audio
SID.20060534
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. In the fall performances Grist and Lorengar were excellent. The broadcast does not come until spring, Crespin’s 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 is 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 four comic tenor parts, and Paul Franke as an inimitable Spalanzani.
DIE WALKÜRE:Wagner
Levine; Jones, Morris, Gessendorf, Lakes, Ludwig, Salminen
Original Air Date: 04/03/1993
SID.20060535
This is Gwyneth Jones’ second Walkure Brunnhilde broadcast, her earlier one in 1983 was with Behrens as Sieglinde. This broadcast marks Christa Ludwig’s farewell to the Met in one of her signature roles. Mechthild Gessendorf sings one of the very best broadcast Sieglindes with gleaming tone at the top and a solid rich middle and lower voice. This broadcast is definitely worthy of your attention.
DIE WALKÜRE:Wagner
Levine; Jones, Morris, Gessendorf, Lakes, Ludwig, Salminen
Original Air Date: 04/03/1993
SID.20060636
This is Gwyneth Jones’ second Walkure Brunnhilde broadcast, her earlier one in 1983 was with Behrens as Sieglinde. This broadcast marks Christa Ludwig’s farewell to the Met in one of her signature roles. Mechthild Gessendorf sings one of the very best broadcast Sieglindes with gleaming tone at the top and a solid rich middle and lower voice. This broadcast is definitely worthy of your attention.
AN AMERICAN TRAGEDY:Picker
Conlon; Gunn, Racette, Graham, Zajick, Larmore
Original Air Date: 12/24/2005
MOD Audio
SID.20060637
An American Tragedy was premiered at the Met and should have been HDd during a scheduled revival in 2008 which was taken by Last Emperor (in hopes of a China tour which did not materialize). Zambello directed, and she remains faithful to the work which was revived at Glimmerglass in 2014 in a revised edition. On the radio the real standout is Zajick who makes conventional lines sound momentous, but the overall cast was well chosen.
I PURITANI:Bellini
Bonynge; Sutherland, Blake, Milnes, Ramey
Original Air Date: 12/13/1986
SID.20060638
This is Sutherland in her penultimate Met season and still singing this music at 60, and in many passages even better than she sang them 10 years earlier at 50. She also leaves us with the legendary New York and Philadelphia concert performances with a resplendent Nicolai Gedda. Blake is not Pavarotti, but Milnes and Ramey have a lot to offer in the other roles.
Various:Various
Various Artists
Original Air Date: 01/01/9999
SID.20060639
LA DAMNATION DE FAUST:Berlioz
Gardner; Garanca, Spyres, Abdrazakov
Original Air Date: 02/08/2020
SID.20060640
Single Intermission
Backstage Pass – Loren Toolajian interviews Michael Spyres
Backstage Pass – Loren Toolajian interviews Elīna Garanča and
Ildar Abrazakov (TBC)
Mary Jo Hearth interviews Brenda Rae about Agrippina
DON PASQUALE:Donizetti
Rescigno; Bacquier, Sills, Kraus, Hagegård
Original Air Date: 01/20/1979
MOD Audio
SID.20060641
This is Beverly Sills’ farewell production and her company farewell comes at the end of the Met spring tour in Detroit. This is the audio broadcast that followed the national telecast by 9 days, and marks her Metropolitan Opera House farewell. Both performances are available in Met Opera on Demand (MOoD). I find Sills’ video a congenial interpretation even if I prefer the Netrebko video. For audio, I prefer the younger Kraus with Grist and Corena.
CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA / PAGLIACCI:Mascagni / Leoncavallo
Davies; Urmana, Villa, Burchinal / Racette, Mac Master, Pons
Original Air Date: 03/26/2005
SID.20060642
I repeat my annotation in the hope that someone at Sirius is listening. The Met can and has done better for the ham and eggs of opera. For the life of me I can’t figure out why Sirius singles THIS performance out for rebroadcast. Not an Italian in the bunch, and no singers I want to hear in this music.
IDOMENEO:Mozart
Levine; Domingo, Hong, Deshorties, von Otter, Oswald
Original Air Date: 01/26/2002
SID.20060744
This is Levine’s next to last run of Idomeneo at the Met which is 2006 [last]. This 2002 cast whose main feature is Domingo is surpassed by the 1995 version with a stronger supporting cast, and Levine’s 2006 broadcast which features Roschmann and Kozena both excellent as Ilia and Idamante. Deshorties has had not one, but two Elettras, and the part calls for a Vaness (two excellent broadcasts) or Studer (never broadcast from the Met but in a fall series of performances.) Levine’s Mozart is among his very best operatic work. This is Domingo’s and Von Otter’s second Idomeneo broadcast. Domingo made a strong stab at Idomeno, but I think he’s better on the studio version. The 1995 broadcast also has Carol Vaness’s outstanding Elettra, a much more settled affair than Deshorties. Hong is an excellent Ilia in this 2002 outing. Deshorties had a big success at Glimmerglass this summer as Medea, but her Met work doesn’t always succeed.
CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA / PAGLIACCI:Mascagni / Leoncavallo
Davies; Urmana, Villa, Burchinal / Racette, Mac Master, Pons
Original Air Date: 03/26/2005
SID.20060745
I repeat my annotation in the hope that someone at Sirius is listening. The Met can and has done better for the ham and eggs of opera. For the life of me I can’t figure out why Sirius singles THIS performance out for rebroadcast. Not an Italian in the bunch, and no singers I want to hear in this music.
CARMEN:Bizet
Patanè; Crespin, Chauvet, Mitchell, Devlin
Original Air Date: 12/09/1978
SID.20060746
Crespin’s earlier broadcast Carmen is on Met Player with William Lewis replacing the scheduled Domingo, and Henry Lewis conducting. My affection moves more strongly to this performance because it’s a great thrill to have Carmen and Jose sung by two Francophones, and Patane is a very fine conductor we lost much too soon. I am such a partisan of Crespin– she can be a very uneven singer, that I always suggest that you sample and see if this Gallic tang is to your taste. For me, just about always. A highly recommended Carmen.
Wagner
Bodanzky; Melchior, Flagstad, Branzell, List, Huehn
Original Air Date: 04/16/1938
SID.20060747
This performance was first on Sirius last May when the Met’s bicentennial box of Wagner broadcasts was issued on Sony Classical and subsequently in MOoD. It’s not surround sound, but adding a major Flagstad Melchior Tristan is an important event. A not miss performance in any week.
performance was broadcast. Colin Davis, Jon Vickers, and Geraint Evans are the gold standard in this workThis is the same cast and conductor as the production premiere the previous season in the new house’s inaugural season when the third performance was broadcast. Colin Davis, Jon Vickers, and Geraint Evans are the gold standard in this work.
KÁT’A KABANOVÁ:Janácek
Mackerras; Malfitano, Randová, Straka, Koptchak, Clarke, Karnéus
Original Air Date: 01/09/1999
SID.20060749
Mackerras is a notable Janacek conductor, and the whole is well performed, but I don’t feel the warmth I do from Jenufa or even Makropoulos . Still, a nice contrast to other repertory. Mackerras is a master of the Czech repertoire, but I really need the visual to work for me with Kat’a.
TOSCA:Puccini
Oren; Holleque, Pavarotti, Pons
Original Air Date: 04/01/1995
SID.20070101
If I’m going to see/hear Pavarotti in Cavaradossi, I prefer the Verrett/MacNeil performance of 17 years earlier which is also in MOoD. 7/18/11 – This is 17 years after Pavarotti’s first Cavaradossi broadcast with Verrett, and he would do it again 4 years after this with Carol Vaness. This performance is on Met Player and the the Verrett telecast is also on MetPlayer.
TURANDOT:Puccini
Mehta; Nilsson, Freni, Corelli, Giaiotti
Original Air Date: 12/03/1966
MOD Audio
SID.20070102
This performance is Included in the Met’s 50th Anniversary collection. Turandot: The Best To Date at New Met [Unsigned review in the Journal-American of opening night September 26, 1966] The celebrating the opening of the new opera house over, the Metropolitan Opera settled for repertory last night and put on its best show to date. Puccini’s Turandot began the regular subscription season as a five-year old production that readily adjusted itself to new surroundings. It looked handsome, and it moved handsomely. Sighs. Birgit Nilsson and Franco Corelli took the leading roles as usual, the singing was magnificent. What else is there to say! This was a beautifully knit performance. Cecil Beaton’s sets and costumes rate among the best creations. Nathaniel Merrill has achieved some of the most imaginative staging. The cast is excellent. A new element entered with Zubin Mehta taking the conductor’s assignment. He imparts vitality and usually comprehends everything he does. The live acoustics of the pit led to overloud playing, but most interestingly he restrained himself in giving full rein to Puccini’s romanticism.
Levine; Norden, Mitchell, Scotto, Horne, Giacomini, Ghiaurov, Milnes, Morris
Original Air Date: 02/24/1979
SID.20070103
for Lindstrom, and she returned again in 2015 for more Turandots at the Met including Eyvazov (Mr. Netrebko)’s debut. Sunnegardh was a Volpe protege who didn’t quite take off– Waitress debuts at the Met. There have been worse Fidelios however, but no need for a special search for this.
RIGOLETTO:Verdi
Santi; Nucci, Swenson, Leech, Rootering, White
Original Air Date: 03/07/1992
SID.20070106
I have no specific memory of this performance, but it’s a reasonable time period for these singers who do have voices sufficient for the roles (not always true!!!!) What is not quite so understandable is the number of appearances in MOoD for Nucci compared to Bumbry.
EUGENE ONEGIN:Tchaikovsky
Tchakarov; Mazurok, Kabaivanska, Gedda, Jones, Plishka
Original Air Date: 12/08/1979
SID.20070107
I saw this cast and this performance is Kabaivanska’s Met farewell. Well cast and well conducted, there are two broadcasts of Onegin in 1979 (but different seasons),both with Mazurok and Plishka the only repeats from one to another. To me, this is slightly better. For those who have never encountered Mazurok, I find his voice as velvety as Hvorostovsky, and an upper register that definitely has squillo. Wish the Met would transfer one of these Mazurok Onegins to MOoD. Glad that it at least gets a regular Sirius re-hearing.
DAS RHEINGOLD:Wagner
Levine; Welch-Babidge, Petrova, Zifchak, Bunnell, Zaremba, Naef, Baker, Langridge, Siegel, Fink, Held, Nikitin, Koptchak, Morris
Original Air Date: 03/20/2004
MOD Audio
SID.20070208
There are multiple Rheingolds with Morris and Levine on MOoD; this is from Morris penultimate season in the Ring at the Met. The 1961 Leinsdorf Nilsson Ring has been on Sirius, but only the Walkure and Gotterdammerung have made their way to MOoD. The 1951 and 1957 Rheingolds make it to MOoD as well, but no Siegfied pre-Levine is on MOoD except the 1937 Bodanzky Melchior.
WOZZECK Berg
Levine; Hornik, Behrens, Clark, McIntyre, King
Original Air Date: 01/06/1990
SID.20070209
Behrens had done Marie in 1985 with Christian Boesch also under Levine. King is luxury casting as the Drum Major, but I think Cassilly’s rougher voice in 1985 is more appropriate. Still well worth a listen.
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