OTELLO:Verdi
Original Air Date: 03/08/1958
Cleva; Del Monaco, de los Angeles, Warren, Franke
MOD Audio SID.19150105
This is a splendid performance, and should also note the number of fine Otellos which have not been on Sirius, including but not limited to the the 3 1940s Otellos with Stella Roman, Tebaldi’s two Desdemonas from 1955 and 1958 (the 1955 is uncommon on the private market, and the 1958 never seen, even the 1958 from La Scala with the same trio– Tebaldi, Del Monaco, Warren is not that common and the 1963 Tucci, McCracken , Merrill with Solti have all been missed by Sirius. Really too many omissions for relatively recent performances. Also the Bohm (his only Verdi at the Met) from April 1972
L’ELISIR D’AMORE:Donizetti
Original Air Date: 03/14/1981
Rescigno; Pavarotti, Blegen, Bruscantini, Ellis
SID.19150106
This cast is represented (at least Blegen and Pavarotti) as far back as 1974 AND 1978 for on Met Opera on Demand (MOoD) as is this one in its video incarnation. Ellis is not what I want in Belcore and Bruscantini is an OK Dulcamara, but I was raised on Corena, and until Maestri started singing these roles we really did not have dependable buffo basses for almost 30 years. The 1978 performance documents Pavarotti’s only broadcast L’Elisir with Corena, but my preferred Corena broadcast is 1972 which features four natives at the top of their form: Scotto, Bergonzi, Sereni, and Corena. That performance is available on MOoD as well. L’Elisir is programmed on Sirius as frequently as Boheme. It’s a more fragile piece and along with Don Pasquale need to be rotated more sparingly.
NORMA:Bellini
Original Air Date: 03/17/1979
Maag; Verrett, Obraztsova, Cossutta, Plishka
SID.19150107
Verrett was a very fine Norma, but this broadcast marks her first in house Met Norma returning after indisposition on the opening night; Marisa Galvany made an unscheduled debut and a highly successful one. Obraztsova is not my idea of Adalgisa and doesn’t make a particularly good match. Verrett’s first Norma was with the Met on tour in Boston and a fine one it was; she also has a very successful broadcast from San Francisco which has appeared at times on private records. Cossutta had made his debut as Pollione on the 1973 Norma broadcast with Caballe and Cossotto (also available on MOoD. This 1979 Norma run marks the end of Cossutta’s Met career
NABUCCO:Verdi
Original Air Date: 12/03/1960
Schippers; MacNeil, Rysanek, Siepi, Fernandi
MOD Audio SID.19150208
MacNeil and Siepi are both excellent in the Met’s first Nabucco production. Rysanek gives her all, but really not the right match of voice and role for her. One does not hear the lead male roles sung like this anymore. This performance has also been reissued in the Met’s Verdi bicentennial CD box. In fact, this broadcast from a single season was Nabucco’s only presence in the Met repertoire until early 2000.
HAMLET:Thomas
Original Air Date: 03/27/2010
Langrée; Keenlyside, Petersen, Larmore, Morris, Spence
MOD Video SID.19150209
This is the only Met broadcast of the Thomas work. Keenlyside has a commercial DVD in the same production with Dessay from Barcelona 2004. Petersen was a late substitute for Dessay for the whole run. Larmoreis especially vivid as Gertrude, part of her movement into dramatic mezzo/soprano parts.
WERTHER:Massenet
Original Air Date: 01/23/1999
Runnicles; Hampson, Graham, Evans, Robertson
MOD Audio SID.19150210
I’m sorry I didn’t attend this revival with the title role moving to baritone hands (in Massenet’s own transposition) (still too high for Domingo?), but this broadcast catches Susan Graham in one of her very best afternoons. This is the baritone version Massenet wrote for Battistini. I didn’t see it in the theatre and just over the airwaves, it didn’t work for me. It however catches Susan Graham in particularly splendid voice. This is a novelty for if there were ever a tenor opera it is Werther, but the composer did arrange for baritone for Battistini. Hampson is very earnest, but I want the tenor colorations. This is one of Graham’s best Met outings.
LA FORZA DEL DESTINO:Verdi
Original Air Date: 03/24/1984
Levine; Price, Giacomini, Nucci, Giaiotti, Jones, Fissore
SID.19150211
This is a 3 performance group intended to capture the Price Leonora on video ; fall performances had featured mostly Bumbry (with a few to Amara) partnering Carreras. This is a solid performance but I prefer Price a decade earlier with Bergonzi in 1972; her supporting cast are full-throated Italians (Paskalis is Greek, but Bergonzi and Siepi are Verdians to their fingertips and that is much the best of the 1970s. Giacomini in this 1984 performance gets some rare visibility, and deservedly so.
DER ROSENKAVALIER:Strauss
Original Air Date: 02/20/1993
Thielemann; Liang, Tomowa-Sintow, Rootering, Grant Murphy, Schulte
SID.19150212
Thielemann conducts a lovely performance with Tomowa-Sintow in her Met broadcast farewell. Liang was a two performance replacement for Mentzer and whose only other Met appearance is part of the First Emperor run. Most notable for Thielemann’s conducting and Tomowa-Sintow’s Marschallin — her Met farewell is a week later.
DON GIOVANNI:Mozart
Original Air Date: 04/09/2019
Meister; Yu, Phillips, Malfi, Breslik, Mattei, Plachetka, Sim, Belosselskiy
SID.19150214
LA GIOCONDA:Ponchielli
Original Air Date: 03/31/1962
Cleva; Farrell, Corelli, Merrill, Rankin, Tozzi
SID.19150315
Here is why I love the current Sirius service for Met repertory : The fall performances went unbroadcast. This 19700/71 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.
ORFEO ED EURIDICE:Gluck
Original Air Date: 03/10/1962
Morel; Meyer, Amara, Rothenberger
SID.19150316
This is Meyer’s broadcast debut (she appears the following season in the Met’s first round of Ariadnes. I like my Orfeo with more profile, though I do prefer it with a mezzo instead of a countertenor. Kolodin’s contemporary review is mild indeed. *** I’m not sure what occasions this unearthing. I like Orfeo, and I admire Jean Morel, but Meyer’s voice is not one that makes a particularly interesting effect on the radio. Rothenberger is a far sight better than Murphy was on the recent Live in HD. *** This might in fact be new to Sirius. Stevens in 1955 and 1958 performances has been on the air as has Bumbry’s from 1971. What is missing is one of the grand Orfeos from 940 with Thorborg and Novotna under Leinsdorf.
ARIADNE AUF NAXOS:Strauss
Original Air Date: 01/05/1985
Davis; Norman, Cochran, Rolandi, Ewing, Weller, Duesing
SID.19150317
This is Ms. Norman’s first season at the Met in her most frequent assumption. Cochran makes his Met farewell in his only sizable part–Vogelsang in Meistersinger does not qualify. He had a distinguished career in Frankfurt that did not translate to New York in terms of timing or repertory. I heard him when he was still at Curtis, and while very musical, lacked a star sound. Ewing is not a Composer to my taste (nor is Stratas), but hearing early Norman or the charming Rolandi is not a poor way to pass the time. Ariadne remains my favorite Strauss opera.
SIEGFRIED:Wagner
Original Air Date: 04/13/2019
Jordan; Goerke, Morley, Cargill, Vinke, Siegel, Volle, Konieczny, Belosselskiy
SID.19150639
SEASON PREMIERE
Program 041319-Siegfried
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IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA:Rossini
Original Air Date: 03/19/1966
Varviso; Herlea, Grist, Shirley, Corena, Siepi
MOD Audio SID.19160102
This is Reri Grist’s debut year, and the broadcast comes three weeks later. Herlea had some success debuting in Don Carlo two years earlier. One does not get better than Corena and Siepi in these roles. As Barbieres go, this one is not bad. Corena and Siepi are absolute masters in these roles, and the rest of the cast is good to very good– Grist has made her debut a few weeks before this broadcast. Varviso has an excellent studio Barbiere with Berganza, but this is a fine cast, which in the case of Corena and Siepi is not surpassed. Herlea is not as impressive here as in his Rodrigo (Don Carlo) but still a decent Figaro. I prefer a mezzo Rosina, but Grist is a fine singer and under-represented.
AIDA:Verdi
Original Air Date: 02/25/1967
Schippers; Price, Bergonzi, Bumbry, Merrill, Hines
SID.19160103
On paper this performance looks like the dream cast. It is not. Price who sang possibly her very best performance ever in the opening night Antony and Cleopatra six months earlier, sings much too much on principal with a particularly vulgar opening of Ritorna vincitor. What is most sad is that her first two Aida broadcasts, the first with Gorr, Bergonzi, Sereni, Siepi, and Macurdy under Solti from 1963, the second from 1965 with Dalis, Tucker, Merrill, Ghiuselev, Michalski under Mehta have not been on Sirius. The first I remember vividly , and has been on private European pressings; it is one of the very best Met Aidas. Bergonzi is substantially stronger in 1963; The 1965 performance simply has Mehta as a better Aida conductor than Schippers. Richard Tucker, whose career is not overlooked by the Sirius folk, has not managed to have his Radames on Sirius despite having broadcast the role with Nilsson, Price, and Arroyo. Bumbry is here in the first of her three broadcast Amnerises, and she is better with Arroyo which has been on Sirius. Merrill is in remarkable voice 21 years after his debut (a few too many woofs, but still the most mellifluous Amonasro ever (though plenty of testosterone if not real anger). So here are four relatively recent Aidas (post 1960) which somehow can’t get to the airwaves. This 1967 is on Met Opera on Demand (MOoD) and also appears in the 2013 Verdi at the Met bicentennial box, but it still does not rank as one of Price’s best efforts, or one of the best modern Met Aidas. Available in MOoD. This is also in the new Verdi box , but the missing AIda should be the 1963 with Solti conducting Price, Gorr, Bergonzi, Siepi, Macurdy. Bergonzi cracks in the Celeste AIda and neither Price nor Bumbry are at their best.
ELEKTRA:Strauss
Original Air Date: 02/27/1971
Böhm; Nilsson, Rysanek, Madeira, Stewart, Nagy
MOD Audio SID.19160104
This performance marks Madeira’s Met farewell, and reveals some of the vocal weakness that is surely partly resultant from her illness and death a little more than a year later. The rest of the cast, and especially Bohm are white hot. For Madeira at her best, go to the Bohm studio with Inge Borkh as Elektra. A very satisfying recording on all counts.
LOHENGRIN:Wagner
Original Air Date: 01/31/1959
Schippers; Sullivan, Della Casa, Harshaw, Cassel, Edelmann
SID.19160105
This has been on before, and is a solid peformance from all concerned, not one for the history books, but especially fine work from Harshaw and Cassel. I do want to take note here that the January 1967 Lohengrin in the Wieland Wagner designed production is the only one of new house Lohengrin broadcasts to have not made it on to Sirius. It’s the only chance Sirius listeners would have to hear Christa Ludwig’s Ortrud, or Karl Bohm in the pit. Ingrid Bjoner is not much represented, and all around , it’s a splendid cast. What’s the problem?
LE NOZZE DI FIGARO:Mozart
Original Air Date: 02/09/2002
Runnicles; Furlanetto, Uecker, Isokoski, Mattei, Jepson
SID.19160106
This is a distinguished group of 21st century Mozarteans. In fact, Furlanetto and Mattei show up together on the Met’s Don Giovanni in February 2003 with Mattei as the Don and Furlanetto as Leporello (this performance is inMet Opera on Demand (MOoD). This Nozze should be as well. Isokoski is a major Countess and Kristine Jepson, whose career has been interrupted by some life threatening health issues continues the long line of outstanding Mozart lyric mezzos. Uecker, without the career either before or after to compare with her colleagues still gives her all. This is the debut season for both Isokoski and Mattei, who have fine reputations as Mozarteans. Furlanetto is actually 3d at 31 in the list of Met Figaros– Siepi at 79, Pinza at 47, which was a bit of a surprise. Furlanetto is on Levine’s studio with Met forces and Te Kanawa, Hampson, and Upshaw. Was Uecker a replacment for Upshaw in this run?This is a distinguished group of 21st century Mozarteans. In fact, Furlanetto and Mattei show up together on the Met’s Don Giovanni in February 2003 with Mattei as the Don and Furlanetto as Leporello (this performance is inMet Opera on Demand (MOoD). This Nozze should be as well. Isokoski is a major Countess and Kristine Jepson, whose career has been interrupted by some life threatening health issues continues the long line of outstanding Mozart lyric mezzos. Uecker, without the career either before or after to compare with her colleagues still gives her all.
LA SONNAMBULA:Bellini
Original Air Date: 12/21/1968
Bonynge; Sutherland, Alexander, Giaiotti, Boky
MOD Audio SID.19160107
This is Sutherland’s second Sonnambula broadcast and well equal to the 1963 supporting cast for Sutherland of Gedda and Flagello; Both of Sutherland’s Amina broadcasts are on MOoD. Alexander and Giaiotti are evenly matched substitutes for Gedda and Flagello. Both performances are in MOoD, and well they should be.
DAS RHEINGOLD:Wagner
Original Air Date: 02/15/1975
Ehrling; McIntyre, Dunn, Peterson, Rintzler, Rundgren, Macurdy
SID.19160208
This performance marks Donald McIntyre’s Met debut (broadcast debuts are not so common) and the farewell of Glade Peterson who had made his debut as Loge five days before. McIntyre would be the main reason for listening, but he has the Chereau Ring from Bayreuth three years later on video. I saw the 1978 Chereau Ring live, and he was definitely one of the brightest elements. 6/6/12 – This is only a three performance outing this week where McIntyre is the only real point of distinction. Not awful, but what’s the point? 6/22/11 – The cream of this 1975 cycle were the Nilsson parts of the Ring. Nothing especially remarkable here.
SUSANNAH:Floyd
Original Air Date: 04/03/1999
Conlon; Fleming, Hadley, Ramey
MOD Audio SID.19160209
This is the Met’s only broadcast of Susannah, and finds all three principals on especially fine form. I’ve seen the opera four times, and each time it is very successful and attention holding. Even without the visual appeal, the opera makes an impact from the music alone. This was a highly successful Met repertory debut for the Carlisle Floyd opera and both Fleming and Ramey are extremely well cast. Conlon is very committed to the work, and it is a contemporary work that works almost as well in audio only as in the theatre with its sure-fire theatrics. One of the best efforts of the Met for both American and contemporary opera. Very fine performances from both Fleming and Ramey under Conlon bring great credit to the Met and the artists. One of the most distinctive broadcasts of the week. This is one of Fleming’s very best outings, and Ramey and Hadley are well cast as well. One of the better 20th century American operas.
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SIMON BOCCANEGRA:Verdi
Original Air Date: 01/28/1950
Stiedry; Warren, Varnay, Tucker, Székely, Valdengo
MOD Audio SID.19160210
Reissued on Sony Classical in the Met’s Verdi box for his bicentennial. This is Warren’s only broadcast of the title role. He had done Paolo (the Valdengo role) a decade earlier shortly after winning the Met Auditions of the Air. His Simon was Lawrence Tibbett. This is Tucker’s first venture into the more dramatic tenor roles, and he sang it outstandingly for the next quarter century until his final Gabriel on the 1974 Met broadcast with plenty of gas still in the tank. This 1974 performance with Wixell and Maliponte is long overdue for a Sirius rebroadcast.
THE QUEEN OF SPADES:Tchaikovsky
Original Air Date: 12/30/1995
Gergiev; Grigorian, Guleghina, Rysanek, Hvorostovsky, Svendén, Putilin
SID.19160211
This was the year of the new production which had starred Mattila and Heppner along with Rysanek in her last Met role. This is Rysanek’s broadcast farewell, and her final Met performance took place three days later. Guleghina and Grigorian are very solid and Gergiev is at his best. and oh yes, there’s Hvorostovsky in absolute prime. This performance should really be in MOoD. This is Rysanek’s broadcast farewell, and Hvorostovsky’s broadcast debut. Rysanek’s farewell to the Met is three days later after a career spanning five decades (38 years). A shame the cameras did not catch the opening run with Mattila and Heppner at their best, but this is a very solid broadcast. Heppner and Mattila were replaced by Guleghina and Greigorian. Both pairs were very good. The two baritones are also outstanding. Among the very best of Queen of Spades’ broadcasts. The 1966 English language (we’ll never hear it ;(((( ) with McCracken and Stratas should really be heard; I’m sorry Resnik didn’t have the broadcast instead of Madeira, but would really like to break the Sirius logjam on translations.
DIE FRAU OHNE SCHATTEN:Strauss
Original Air Date: 12/17/1966
Böhm; Rysanek, King, Ludwig, Berry, Dalis
MOD Audio SID.19160212
This is the Met broadcast premiere of one of Strauss’ greatest works. I went to a performance a few weeks earlier in the gala opening weeks of the Met’s Lincoln Center house. Hearing the performance almost five decades later it still holds up as one of the great ensemble and individual performance efforts in Met history. All of the singers are excellent, and for radio only, the voice that makes the best effect is Walter Berry. His work may be less well known to newer opera-goers, but for my money he is my favorite Barak on disc or in the theatre. FiDi was by all accounts quite memorable in the theatre, but I never saw him in the role. This performance really belongs in the Met Opera on Demand (MOoD) series as well, but for the moment it is now being issued as part of the Met at Lincoln Center 50th anniversary CD box.
FIDELIO:Beethoven
Original Air Date: 04/10/1982
Haitink; Meier, Sooter, Roar, Macurdy, Blegen, Atherton
SID.19160214
This is Haitink’s only Met season, and Meier is pinch-hitting for Verrett who was sick for two other performances (also sung by Johanna Meier) in the run as well. Hard to believe the original casting for Florestan was Sooter, but in any event he gets a fine review from Harriet Johnson of the NY Post. To my knowledge, Verrett’s three performances are her only times in the part.
DON GIOVANNI:Mozart
Original Air Date: 03/13/1954
Rudolf; London, Harshaw, Corena, Steber, Conley, Conner
SID.19160315
The unusual casting is for the two leading ladies with Harshaw in her first Anna broadcast (the second comes a year later with Siepi for London, Amara for Steber, Valletti for Conley, and Peters for Conner. Rudolf, Harshaw, and Corena are the constants. Steber finishes her 1944-1954 Met connection with Elvira at three tour stops with Valletti back for them. With Bing’s full complement of lyric sopranos, he unveils a new production in 1957 with Steber moving up to Anna [Steber did a 2 performance preview of her Anna in the 1954-1955 season], Della Casa becoming the preferred Elvira, and Peters the preferred Zerlina. I’m happy to have this 1954 in the rotation, but once again call on the Met to offer the 1957 broadcast on Sirius and eventually on MOoD. it is one of the great broadcasts of the 1950s.
MACBETH:Verdi
Original Air Date: 02/21/1959
Leinsdorf; Warren, Rysanek, Hines, Bergonzi
MOD Audio SID.19160316
This is the Met premiere broadcast of Macbeth, and at least three of the principals are as good as you’re going to get. Mitropoulos was originally scheduled for this production but because of health problems it moved on to Leinsdorf. It’s a loss, but Rysanek more than holds up her end. This performance is also on Met Player for regular listening. Only the second year broadcast from 1960 has not appeared on Sirius (Barioni for Bergonzi) and it also has the duet on the heath cut. Still it would be interesting to hear as the contemporary reviews found the performance even better integrated. This cast was recorded by RCA shortly after the premiere, and this broadcast is available on Met Player. Very solid casting from top to bottom. Bergonzi really is luxury casting singing one of the great Verdi tenor arias, Ah, la paterna mano. Highly recommended.
LA TRAVIATA:Verdi
OAD: 04/17/2019 SID.19160321
Luisotti; Hartig, Costello, Domingo
LA CLEMENZA DI TITO:Mozart
OAD: 04/20/2019 SID.19160640
Koenigs; Fang, van den Heever, DiDonato, Murrihy, Polenzani, Van Horn
Program
THE QUEEN OF SPADES:Tchaikovsky
Original Air Date: 12/30/1995
Gergiev; Grigorian, Guleghina, Rysanek, Hvorostovsky, Svendén, Putilin
SID.19170101
This was the year of the new production which had starred Mattila and Heppner along with Rysanek in her last Met role. This is Rysanek’s broadcast farewell, and her final Met performance took place three days later. Guleghina and Grigorian are very solid and Gergiev is at his best. and oh yes, there’s Hvorostovsky in absolute prime. This performance should really be in MOoD. This is Rysanek’s broadcast farewell, and Hvorostovsky’s broadcast debut. Rysanek’s farewell to the Met is three days later after a career spanning five decades (38 years). A shame the cameras did not catch the opening run with Mattila and Heppner at their best, but this is a very solid broadcast. Heppner and Mattila were replaced by Guleghina and Greigorian. Both pairs were very good. The two baritones are also outstanding. Among the very best of Queen of Spades’ broadcasts. The 1966 English language with McCracken and Stratas should really be heard; I’m sorry Resnik didn’t have the broadcast instead of Madeira, but would really like to break the Sirius logjam on translations.