“ANDREA CHÉNIER : Giordano
Original Air Date: 12/22/1990
Cast: Rudel; Martinucci, Millo, Milnes, Kesling, Castle, Johnson
Media: MOD Audio SID.18150319 Tags: Archive; 2018
This performance marks the 25th anniversary of Milnes’ Met debut, and he goes on to 1997. Millo and Martinucci are authentic Italianate performances with voices well suited to the roles, This is actually some of the best casting of the last 25 years for this opera.”
“DER ROSENKAVALIER : Strauss
Original Air Date: 12/19/1964
Cast: Schippers; Della Casa, Schwarzkopf, Edelmann, Raskin, Dönch
Media: MOD Audio SID.18150424 Tags: Archive; 2018, Strauss
Della Casa, a famous Marschallin in her own right, does her first Octavian with the Met in this series of performances. It’s not quite an ideal fit even if very starry. Schwarzkopf was certainly the most famous postwar Marschallin and is here in one of her only 2 Met broadcast appearances– the latter an unintentional Met farewell in a most unsatisfactory Donna Elvira 2 years later.”
“FAUST : Gounod
Original Air Date: 02/19/1955
Cast: Monteux; Peerce, de los Angeles, Siepi, Merrill, Miller
Media: MOD Audio SID.18150529 Tags: Archive; 2018
This is the second of Monteux’s three Faust broadcasts, the first one also including DeLosAngeles and Merrill. Paul Jackson, in is second volume reviewing Met broadcasts, Sign-off for the Old Met, is very favorable towards all three of them, a bit less so for Peerce and Siepi. I don’t have his reticence about Siepi and am glad this performance isvavailable on MOoD.”
“CAPRICCIO : Strauss
Original Air Date: 01/31/1998
Cast: Davis; Te Kanawa, Rootering, Kuebler, Keenlyside, Brendel, Harries
Media: MOD Audio SID.18150531 Tags: Archive; 2018, Strauss
The Met has only had two matinee broadcasts for Strauss’ final work: this one with Te Kanawa and Fleming in 2012. Andrew Davis conducted both revivals.
Clairon was a famous role for Troyanos and luckily it is captured on a San Francisco telecast with Te Kanawa, but she died in 1993, which I guess is one reason for the more lightweight casting. Te Kanawa is definitely worth hearing.”
“ANDREA CHÉNIER : Giordano
Original Air Date: 12/22/1990
Cast: Rudel; Martinucci, Millo, Milnes, Kesling, Castle, Johnson
Media: MOD Audio SID.18150636 Tags: Archive; 2018
This performance marks the 25th anniversary of Milnes’ Met debut, and he goes on to 1997. Millo and Martinucci are authentic Italianate performances with voices well suited to the roles, This is actually some of the best casting of the last 25 years for this opera.”
“LUISA MILLER : Verdi
Original Air Date: 04/14/2018
Cast: de Billy; Yoncheva, Beczala, Domingo, Vinogradov, Belosselskiy, Petrova
Media: Live in HD SID.18150640 Tags: LIVE; 2018, Domingo, Verdi
Plácido Domingo adds yet another role to his legendary Met career in this rarely performed Verdi gem, a heart-wrenching tragedy of fatherly love. Sonya Yoncheva sings the title role opposite Piotr Beczała in the first Met performances of the opera in more than ten years. Bertrand de Billy conducts.
Production a gift of Catherine and Ephraim Gildor
Revival a gift of Rolex and Mrs. Jayne Wrightsman
“
“FAUST : Gounod
Original Air Date: 02/19/1955
Cast: Monteux; Peerce, de los Angeles, Siepi, Merrill, Miller
Media: MOD Audio SID.18150744 Tags: Archive; 2018
This is the second of Monteux’s three Faust broadcasts, the first one also including DeLosAngeles and Merrill. Paul Jackson, in is second volume reviewing Met broadcasts, Sign-off for the Old Met, is very favorable towards all three of them, a bit less so for Peerce and Siepi. I don’t have his reticence about Siepi and am glad this performance isvavailable on MOoD.”
“CAPRICCIO : Strauss
Original Air Date: 01/31/1998
Cast: Davis; Te Kanawa, Rootering, Kuebler, Keenlyside, Brendel, Harries
Media: MOD Audio SID.18150747 Tags: Archive; 2018, Strauss
The Met has only had two matinee broadcasts for Strauss’ final work: this one with Te Kanawa and Fleming in 2012. Andrew Davis conducted both revivals.
Clairon was a famous role for Troyanos and luckily it is captured on a San Francisco telecast with Te Kanawa, but she died in 1993, which I guess is one reason for the more lightweight casting. Te Kanawa is definitely worth hearing.”
“ERNANI : Verdi
Original Air Date: 12/29/1956
Cast: Mitropoulos; Del Monaco, Milanov, Warren, Siepi
Media: MOD Audio SID.18160103 Tags: Archive; 2018, Verdi
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.”
“DIE WALKUERE : Wagner
Original Air Date: 02/24/1968
Cast: Klobucar; Nilsson, Stewart, Rysanek, Vickers, Ludwig, Ridderbusch
Media: MOD Audio SID.18160104 Tags: Archive; 2018, Nilsson, Wagner
This performance has been issued on Sony Historic CD, and certainly has the cream of the crop of contemporary Wagnerians. It’s also available on MOoD. Highly recommended.”
“DIE WALKUERE : Wagner
Original Air Date: 02/24/1968
Cast: Klobucar; Nilsson, Stewart, Rysanek, Vickers, Ludwig, Ridderbusch
Media: MOD Audio SID.18160105 Tags: Archive; 2018, Nilsson, Wagner
This performance has been issued on Sony Historic CD, and certainly has the cream of the crop of contemporary Wagnerians. It’s also available on MOoD. Highly recommended.”
“IL PIRATA : Bellini
Original Air Date: 02/08/2003
Cast: Campanella; Fleming, Giordani, Croft
Media: MOD Audio SID.18160106 Tags: Archive; 2018
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.”
“DON CARLO : Verdi
Original Air Date: 04/05/1952
Cast: Stiedry; Tucker, Rigal, Silveri, Barbieri, Hines, Hotter
Media: MOD Audio SID.18160212 Tags: Archive; 2018, Verdi
This is the first of Tucker’s three Don Carlo broadcasts, and I find his 1955 preferable. What I’ve never heard, but also from 1952 (but next season) is his second which has a better supporting cast with Merrill for Silveri, and Siepi for Hines as Filippo; Erede is in the pit for his only Don Carlo broadcast. May we hear this please?
This is most distinctive for being Tucker’s first Don Carlo broadcast and one of Hotter’s few. Tucker broadcast the opera again 8 months later in 1952 (but new season) with the production opening night cast (Merrill and Siepi replacing Silveri and Hines, and him of course replacing Bjorling) I’ve never heard this second 1952 broadcast.
Also unusual is that though Tucker went on to sing the opera for 15 more years after his 1955 broadcast with Steber, he never went to the airwaves for it again. At 26 performances, he is by far the Don Carlo champion– I saw him in it three times. most notably at a fall 1968 matinee not broadcast with (Orlandi, Verrett, Merrill, Ghiaurov, and Talvela under Abbado).
Bing did not see Hotter in leading roles and in Walkure he was cast as
Hunding, not Wotan. What has not been rebroadcast on Sirius is Hotter’s
farewell which is a 1954 Parsifal with Svanholm, Varnay, and London, and Hotter as Gurnemanz under Stiedry. I would love to hear that.”
“ERNANI : Verdi
Original Air Date: 12/29/1956
Cast: Mitropoulos; Del Monaco, Milanov, Warren, Siepi
Media: MOD Audio SID.18160320 Tags: Archive; 2018, Verdi
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.”
“DIE WALKUERE : Wagner
Original Air Date: 02/24/1968
Cast: Klobucar; Nilsson, Stewart, Rysanek, Vickers, Ludwig, Ridderbusch
Media: MOD Audio SID.18160321 Tags: Archive; 2018, Nilsson, Wagner
This performance has been issued on Sony Historic CD, and certainly has the cream of the crop of contemporary Wagnerians. It’s also available on MOoD. Highly recommended.”
“DIE WALKUERE : Wagner
Original Air Date: 02/24/1968
Cast: Klobucar; Nilsson, Stewart, Rysanek, Vickers, Ludwig, Ridderbusch
Media: MOD Audio SID.18160422 Tags: Archive; 2018, Nilsson, Wagner
This performance has been issued on Sony Historic CD, and certainly has the cream of the crop of contemporary Wagnerians. It’s also available on MOoD. Highly recommended.”
“IL PIRATA : Bellini
Original Air Date: 02/08/2003
Cast: Campanella; Fleming, Giordani, Croft
Media: MOD Audio SID.18160423 Tags: Archive; 2018
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.”
“DON CARLO : Verdi
Original Air Date: 04/05/1952
Cast: Stiedry; Tucker, Rigal, Silveri, Barbieri, Hines, Hotter
Media: MOD Audio SID.18160531 Tags: Archive; 2018, Verdi
This is the first of Tucker’s three Don Carlo broadcasts, and I find his 1955 preferable. What I’ve never heard, but also from 1952 (but next season) is his second which has a better supporting cast with Merrill for Silveri, and Siepi for Hines as Filippo; Erede is in the pit for his only Don Carlo broadcast. May we hear this please?
This is most distinctive for being Tucker’s first Don Carlo broadcast and one of Hotter’s few. Tucker broadcast the opera again 8 months later in 1952 (but new season) with the production opening night cast (Merrill and Siepi replacing Silveri and Hines, and him of course replacing Bjorling) I’ve never heard this second 1952 broadcast.
Also unusual is that though Tucker went on to sing the opera for 15 more years after his 1955 broadcast with Steber, he never went to the airwaves for it again. At 26 performances, he is by far the Don Carlo champion– I saw him in it three times. most notably at a fall 1968 matinee not broadcast with (Orlandi, Verrett, Merrill, Ghiaurov, and Talvela under Abbado).
Bing did not see Hotter in leading roles and in Walkure he was cast as
Hunding, not Wotan. What has not been rebroadcast on Sirius is Hotter’s
farewell which is a 1954 Parsifal with Svanholm, Varnay, and London, and Hotter as Gurnemanz under Stiedry. I would love to hear that.”
“DIE WALKUERE : Wagner
Original Air Date: 02/24/1968
Cast: Klobucar; Nilsson, Stewart, Rysanek, Vickers, Ludwig, Ridderbusch
Media: MOD Audio SID.18160637 Tags: Archive; 2018, Nilsson, Wagner
This performance has been issued on Sony Historic CD, and certainly has the cream of the crop of contemporary Wagnerians. It’s also available on MOoD. Highly recommended.”
“DIE WALKUERE : Wagner
Original Air Date: 02/24/1968
Cast: Klobucar; Nilsson, Stewart, Rysanek, Vickers, Ludwig, Ridderbusch
Media: MOD Audio SID.18160638 Tags: Archive; 2018, Nilsson, Wagner
This performance has been issued on Sony Historic CD, and certainly has the cream of the crop of contemporary Wagnerians. It’s also available on MOoD. Highly recommended.”
“THE EXTERMINATING ANGEL : Adès
Original Air Date: 11/18/2017
Cast: Adès; Luna, Echalaz, Matthews, etc.
Media: SID.18160640 Tags: LIVE; 2018
From metopera.org: Following the rapturous response to his last opera, The Tempest, the Met presents the American premiere of Thomas Adès’s The Exterminating Angel, inspired by the classic Luis Buñuel film of the same name. Hailed by the New York Times at its 2016 Salzburg Festival premiere as “inventive and audacious … a major event,” The Exterminating Angel is a surreal fantasy about a dinner party from which the guests can’t escape. Tom Cairns, who wrote the libretto, directs the new production, and Adès conducts his own adventurous new opera.
Music by Thomas Adès, libretto by Tom Cairns in collaboration with the composer, based on the screenplay by Luis Buñuel and Luis Alcoriza”
“DON CARLO : Verdi
Original Air Date: 04/05/1952
Cast: Stiedry; Tucker, Rigal, Silveri, Barbieri, Hines, Hotter
Media: MOD Audio SID.18160749 Tags: Archive; 2018, Verdi
This is the first of Tucker’s three Don Carlo broadcasts, and I find his 1955 preferable. What I’ve never heard, but also from 1952 (but next season) is his second which has a better supporting cast with Merrill for Silveri, and Siepi for Hines as Filippo; Erede is in the pit for his only Don Carlo broadcast. May we hear this please?
This is most distinctive for being Tucker’s first Don Carlo broadcast and one of Hotter’s few. Tucker broadcast the opera again 8 months later in 1952 (but new season) with the production opening night cast (Merrill and Siepi replacing Silveri and Hines, and him of course replacing Bjorling) I’ve never heard this second 1952 broadcast.
Also unusual is that though Tucker went on to sing the opera for 15 more years after his 1955 broadcast with Steber, he never went to the airwaves for it again. At 26 performances, he is by far the Don Carlo champion– I saw him in it three times. most notably at a fall 1968 matinee not broadcast with (Orlandi, Verrett, Merrill, Ghiaurov, and Talvela under Abbado).
Bing did not see Hotter in leading roles and in Walkure he was cast as
Hunding, not Wotan. What has not been rebroadcast on Sirius is Hotter’s
farewell which is a 1954 Parsifal with Svanholm, Varnay, and London, and Hotter as Gurnemanz under Stiedry. I would love to hear that.”
“ERNANI : Verdi
Original Air Date: 12/29/1956
Cast: Mitropoulos; Del Monaco, Milanov, Warren, Siepi
Media: MOD Audio SID.18160743 Tags: Archive; 2018, Verdi
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.”
“IL PIRATA : Bellini
Original Air Date: 02/08/2003
Cast: Campanella; Fleming, Giordani, Croft
Media: MOD Audio SID.18160746 Tags: Archive; 2018
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.”
“DEATH IN VENICE : Britten
Original Air Date: 12/14/1974
Cast: Bedford; Pears, Shirley Quirk, Velis
Media: MOD Audio SID.18170102 Tags: Archive; 2018
The Met saw the USA premiere of Britten’s Death in Venice and for the Met debut of Peter Pears. His only other role at the Met was Captain Vere in Billy Budd four years later; fortunately both of Pears’ roles are on MOoD. I always enjoy returning to Billy Budd, but I find Death in Venice a hard sit despite all the talent involved.”
“SIEGFRIED : Wagner
Original Air Date: 01/30/1937
Cast: Bodanzky; Melchior, Flagstad, Schorr, Thorborg, Laufkötter, Habich
Media: MOD Audio SID.18170104 Tags: Archive; 2018, Wagner
Melchior is simply in a class by himself because no one has a voice like his. The supporting cast are of major stature. This also appears in the Sony Wagner CD box from the Met.
This writer fails to recall an occasion when they sang the final duet of the opera in such fashion, with such wealth of tone and heroic passion … It was the lyrical flight of eagles – New York Times, 1937
Melchior had learned the role under the composer’s son, Siegfried, and widow, Cosima, at Bayreuth in the 1920s. Quite simply, no other tenor has been able to sing Siegfried like this – how the role was meant to be sung.
Two other cast members stand out. Friedrich Schorr was the leading interpreter of Wotan / Wanderer in the inter-war years. Norwegian soprano Kirsten Flagstad as Brunnhilde was the dominant Wagnerian soprano at the Met between 1935 and 1941 and Melchior and Flagstad together were the hottest opera ticket in New York. Her voice is beautifully controlled, delivering golden tone with ease.
This is the only complete recording of Melchior in Siegfried, and it is the only recording of Melchior and Flagstad together in the opera.
by Andrew Rose May 26, 2017”
“SIEGFRIED : Wagner
Original Air Date: 01/30/1937
Cast: Bodanzky; Melchior, Flagstad, Schorr, Thorborg, Laufkötter, Habich
Media: MOD Audio SID.18170105 Tags: Archive; 2018, Wagner
Melchior is simply in a class by himself because no one has a voice like his. The supporting cast are of major stature. This also appears in the Sony Wagner CD box from the Met.
This writer fails to recall an occasion when they sang the final duet of the opera in such fashion, with such wealth of tone and heroic passion … It was the lyrical flight of eagles – New York Times, 1937
Melchior had learned the role under the composer’s son, Siegfried, and widow, Cosima, at Bayreuth in the 1920s. Quite simply, no other tenor has been able to sing Siegfried like this – how the role was meant to be sung.
Two other cast members stand out. Friedrich Schorr was the leading interpreter of Wotan / Wanderer in the inter-war years. Norwegian soprano Kirsten Flagstad as Brunnhilde was the dominant Wagnerian soprano at the Met between 1935 and 1941 and Melchior and Flagstad together were the hottest opera ticket in New York. Her voice is beautifully controlled, delivering golden tone with ease.
This is the only complete recording of Melchior in Siegfried, and it is the only recording of Melchior and Flagstad together in the opera.
by Andrew Rose May 26, 2017”
“SIMON BOCCANEGRA : Verdi
Original Air Date: 01/28/1950
Cast: Stiedry; Warren, Varnay, Tucker, Székely, Valdengo
Media: MOD Audio SID.18170209 Tags: Archive; 2018, Verdi
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.”
“L’ELISIR D’AMORE : Donizetti
Original Air Date: 02/19/1972
Cast: Franci, Bergonzi, Scotto, Corena, Sereni
Media: MOD Audio SID.18170213 Tags: Archive; 2018
In my book, this is as good as it gets. I think Bergonzi is just that scintilla more seductive than Kraus, and the other 3 Italians are close to perfection. I miss Sereni and Corena a lot when I hear the current crop of buffos. Don’t miss. “
“AN AMERICAN TRAGEDY : Picker
Original Air Date: 12/24/2005
Cast: Conlon; Gunn, Racette, Graham, Zajick, Larmore
Media: MOD Audio SID.18170316 Tags: Archive; 2018
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.”