“DON PASQUALE : Donizetti
Original Air Date: 01/20/1979
Cast: Rescigno; Bacquier, Sills, Kraus, Hagegård
Media: MOD Audio SID.18190745 Tags: Archive; 2018
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.”
“NABUCCO : Verdi
Original Air Date: 12/03/1960
Cast: Schippers; MacNeil, Rysanek, Siepi, Fernandi
Media: MOD Audio SID.18190747 Tags: Archive; 2018, Verdi
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.”
“SALOME : Strauss
Original Air Date: 03/13/1965
Cast: Böhm; Nilsson, Liebl, Dalis, Cassel, Shirley
Media: MOD Audio SID.18200102 Tags: Archive; 2018, Nilsson
This is an absolute MUST. Mercifully it’s on Met Player (at least for North America). Bohm and Nilsson are ablaze. I saw two performance this first season of the Rennert/Heinrich production and as much as I loved the Solti recording, and later Nilsson with Solti and CSO at Carnegie Hall, Bohm and Nilsson burned ever so brightly, and the conductor threw in a concert Don Juan before the Salome to warm the orchestra up. I added Ernst Wiemann who as First Nazarene makes his presence known, and he was part of excellent Met singers in secondary parts.
The supporting cast is very strongly cast (the five Jews and the Nazarenes Ernst Wiemann and the recently deceased Calvin Marsh are very distinctive.
One of the great performances captured, with Nilsson in her only broadcast Met Salome, and it’s a humdinger. Liebl and Dalis both in the new Rennert production and their vivid singing contribute strongly, but in the end it’s a Birgit and Karl show.”
“DIE WALKURE : Wagner
Original Air Date: 03/01/1969
Cast: von Karajan; Nilsson, Adam, Crespin, Vickers, Veasey, Talvela
Media: MOD Audio SID.18200104 Tags: Archive; 2018, Nilsson, Wagner
To my knowledge this is the only broadcast opera performance (not counting galas) in which both Nilsson and Crespin appear together. This is Crespin’s only broadcast Sieglinde from the Met. It is also Karajan’s final Met performance (he had done the Rheingold broadcast a week earlier (also on MOoD); it is also Josephine Veasey’s Met farewell.
I’m rather sorry that Stewart did not get this broadcast, but he had the first year’s with Nilsson, Rysanek, Vickers,and Ludwig. Adam is experienced (he is in Bohm’s Bayreuth Ring of the same period, but his tone is not so agreeable to me.) This 1969 broadcast is Talvela’s only broadcast Hunding.
The quality of the performance is one of the best postwar Walkures.
2/10/12 -This is one of von Karajan’s two Met broadcasts (the other is Rheingold), and Crespin’s only Sieglinde broadcast. The performance is also on MetPlayer. I’m not a big fan of Adam, but this is still powerhouse casting. Karajan’s conducting is in many ways closer to his early Bayreuth conducting than his 60s studio efforts.”
“DIE WALKURE : Wagner
Original Air Date: 03/01/1969
Cast: von Karajan; Nilsson, Adam, Crespin, Vickers, Veasey, Talvela
Media: MOD Audio SID.18200105 Tags: Archive; 2018, Nilsson, Wagner
To my knowledge this is the only broadcast opera performance (not counting galas) in which both Nilsson and Crespin appear together. This is Crespin’s only broadcast Sieglinde from the Met. It is also Karajan’s final Met performance (he had done the Rheingold broadcast a week earlier (also on MOoD); it is also Josephine Veasey’s Met farewell.
I’m rather sorry that Stewart did not get this broadcast, but he had the first year’s with Nilsson, Rysanek, Vickers,and Ludwig. Adam is experienced (he is in Bohm’s Bayreuth Ring of the same period, but his tone is not so agreeable to me.) This 1969 broadcast is Talvela’s only broadcast Hunding.
The quality of the performance is one of the best postwar Walkures.
2/10/12 -This is one of von Karajan’s two Met broadcasts (the other is Rheingold), and Crespin’s only Sieglinde broadcast. The performance is also on MetPlayer. I’m not a big fan of Adam, but this is still powerhouse casting. Karajan’s conducting is in many ways closer to his early Bayreuth conducting than his 60s studio efforts.”
“TRISTAN UND ISOLDE : Wagner
Original Air Date: 03/18/1961
Cast: Rosenstock; Nilsson, Dalis, Liebl, Cassel, Hines
Media: MOD Audio SID.18200107 Tags: Archive; 2018, Nilsson, Wagner
This is Nilsson’s second of four Isolde broadcasts from the Met, and is also available in MOoD as is the exact same cast but under Solti in one of his rare Met broadcasts two years later in 1963.
Rosenstock rarely thrills me, but the key question is how well Liebl holds up two years into his Tristan ventures. Nilsson’s first Isolde broadcast from 1960 features Bohm in the pit, but has never been on Sirius, an unfortunate omission.
5/24/2012 – This is Nilsson’s second Isolde broadcast, and Liebel is much helped by the microphones. Nilsson is also available in 1963 with much the same cast under Solti. Both this performance and the Solti are on MOoD.
What has not been on Sirius is Nilsson’s first Isolde from 1960 which features Bohm’s only season in the pit for Tristan and Vinay as her Tristan. The supporting cast is otherwise much the same. Could we dig that one out as well?
8/7/2011 – This performance has been available for some time on Met Player, and Met Player recently added the Nilsson Solti from 1963 with much the same supporting cast. My records show that Nilsson’s debut year Isolde under Bohm has still not been on Sirius.”
“FIDELIO : Beethoven
Original Air Date: 02/13/1960
Cast: Böhm; Nilsson, Vickers, Uhde, Czerwenka, Hurley, Anthony
Media: MOD Audio SID.18200208 Tags: Archive; 2018, Nilsson
This performance was issued also on Sony’s Met Historic CD series, as well as being in MOoD. Bohm, Nilsson, and Vickers bring all the exaltation and passion one could want to this opera. Vickers still continues to leave most other Florestans in the dust.
What a privilege to have seen him from beginning (1958 in Dallas) to end great performances well into the 1980s. He’s not for everyone, but in his core roles– Grimes, Otello, Siegmund, Florestan, Samson, Parsifal, Tristan, Enee he never left audiences wanting.
One of the very greatest singers ever to appear on ANY stage, and it
was my privilege to have shared so many evenings with him.
Czerwenka is not my idea of Rocco, but Bohm, Nilsson and Vickers are pretty unbeatable, and no one plays the Leonore No. 3 like Bohm.”
“ELEKTRA : Strauss
Original Air Date: 02/27/1971
Cast: Böhm; Nilsson, Rysanek, Madeira, Stewart, Nagy
Media: MOD Audio SID.18200209 Tags: Archive; 2018, Nilsson
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.”
“UN BALLO IN MASCHERA : Verdi
Original Air Date: 02/28/1959
Cast: Schippers; Stella, Hurley, Madeira, Peerce, Merrill
Media: MOD Audio SID.18200210 Tags: Archive; 2018, Verdi
I saw Antonietta Stella in this part on November 23, 1963 in Dallas with Di Stefano, Sereni, Berini, and Guglielmi; it was originally scheduled for the 22nd but postponed because of the JFK assassination the day before. I did not see her again until (and last time) in Philadelphia in 1974 in a Puccini gala in Philadelphia celebrating the 50th anniversary of Puccini’s death when she did the 4th Act of Manon Lescaut. The gala also featured Bergonzi and Scotto in Act 1 of Butterfly and with Mastilovic added, Acts 2 & 3 of Turandot– to my knowledge the only stage Turandot appearances for Bergonzi and Scotto.
Back to Ballo. Peerce’s association with Ballo goes back to the 1940s and he also is on Toscanini’s broadcast with Merrill and Nelli. This performance is better than OK, but not one of the great ones such as the Milanov Bjorling from 1940 and Price Bergonzi from 1966, both on MOoD.
This performance was rotated with more regularity early on the Sirius service. Peerce is not my favorite tone in Riccardo, but the overall cast is in good representative form.”
“TURANDOT : Puccini
Original Air Date: 12/03/1966
Cast: Mehta; Nilsson, Freni, Corelli, Giaiotti
Media: MOD Audio SID.18200211 Tags: Archive; 2018, Nilsson, Puccini
Sirius Broadcast Premiere.
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.
The Orientalism in the music may be super-imposed, but its romanticism is ingrained. I missed both the lushness and the theatrical magic lurking in the score. In short, the orchestral playing had neither glow nor dramatic bite to do justice to this fullest-scored and most mature of Puccini’s operas.
Just to hear Nilsson and Corelli almost sufficed last night since both were in superb voice. Yet Teresa Stratas gave such an artistically appealing portrayal of Liu that she deservedly belonged in their company. Bonaldo Giaiotti contributed a Timur of vocal and dramatic consequence.
Those conspirators Ping, Pang and Pong carried off their tricky roles more successfully than usual. I thought, thanks to the rapport of Theodor Uppman (new as Ping), Robert Nagy, and Charles Anthony. Thus the performance on stage had the best integration since the season began.
Turandot has found a sure place in the repertory; in fact, it could be developing into an old favorite. Outstanding success does pivot on the title role, to be sure, but at the moment that could not be better cast anywhere.”
“MACBETH : Verdi
Original Air Date: 02/21/1959
Cast: Leinsdorf; Warren, Rysanek, Hines, Bergonzi
Media: MOD Audio SID.18200316 Tags: Archive; 2018, Verdi
This is the Met broadcast premiere of Macbeth, and it’s a sterling cast– also went into the studio to record it as well and long available on RCA. Rysanek at very close to her best.”
“TRISTAN UND ISOLDE : Wagner
Original Air Date: 03/18/1961
Cast: Rosenstock; Nilsson, Dalis, Liebl, Cassel, Hines
Media: MOD Audio SID.18200317 Tags: Archive; 2018, Nilsson, Wagner
This is Nilsson’s second of four Isolde broadcasts from the Met, and is also available in MOoD as is the exact same cast but under Solti in one of his rare Met broadcasts two years later in 1963.
Rosenstock rarely thrills me, but the key question is how well Liebl holds up two years into his Tristan ventures. Nilsson’s first Isolde broadcast from 1960 features Bohm in the pit, but has never been on Sirius, an unfortunate omission.
5/24/2012 – This is Nilsson’s second Isolde broadcast, and Liebel is much helped by the microphones. Nilsson is also available in 1963 with much the same cast under Solti. Both this performance and the Solti are on MOoD.
What has not been on Sirius is Nilsson’s first Isolde from 1960 which features Bohm’s only season in the pit for Tristan and Vinay as her Tristan. The supporting cast is otherwise much the same. Could we dig that one out as well?
8/7/2011 – This performance has been available for some time on Met Player, and Met Player recently added the Nilsson Solti from 1963 with much the same supporting cast. My records show that Nilsson’s debut year Isolde under Bohm has still not been on Sirius.”
“ROMÉO ET JULIETTE : Gounod
Original Air Date: 02/01/1947
Cast: Cooper; Sayão, Bjorling,, Brownlee, Moscona
Media: MOD Audio SID.18200423 Tags: Archive; 2018
One of the greatest performances to ever emanate from the Met stage. Available on Met Player, SonyCD, and despite the AM sound, Bjorling sings his second and last Met Romeo for the broadcast airwaves. Sayao with somewhat more limited vocal artillery is still every bit his equal artistically, and this performance comes pretty close to universal. If you haven’t heard it in some time, take a listen.”
“ELEKTRA : Strauss
Original Air Date: 02/27/1971
Cast: Böhm; Nilsson, Rysanek, Madeira, Stewart, Nagy
Media: MOD Audio SID.18200425 Tags: Archive; 2018, Nilsson
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.”
“LA JUIVE : Halévy
Original Air Date: 12/13/2003
Cast: Viotti; Isokoski, Shicoff, Futral, Cutler, Furlanetto
Media: MOD Audio SID.18200428 Tags: Archive; 2018
Viotti died only a year or so after premiering the Juive. He was a real talent, and Shicoff, Isokoski and Furlanetto all bring their considerable talents in a production transferred from Vienna. This is the Met’s first season since the mid 1930s and its only broadcast to date. Some early 1930s operas were broadcast but don’t exist. La Juive was never broadcast until 2003.”
“DIE WALKURE : Wagner
Original Air Date: 03/01/1969
Cast: von Karajan; Nilsson, Adam, Crespin, Vickers, Veasey, Talvela
Media: MOD Audio SID.18200530 Tags: Archive; 2018, Nilsson, Wagner
To my knowledge this is the only broadcast opera performance (not counting galas) in which both Nilsson and Crespin appear together. This is Crespin’s only broadcast Sieglinde from the Met. It is also Karajan’s final Met performance (he had done the Rheingold broadcast a week earlier (also on MOoD); it is also Josephine Veasey’s Met farewell.
I’m rather sorry that Stewart did not get this broadcast, but he had the first year’s with Nilsson, Rysanek, Vickers,and Ludwig. Adam is experienced (he is in Bohm’s Bayreuth Ring of the same period, but his tone is not so agreeable to me.) This 1969 broadcast is Talvela’s only broadcast Hunding.
The quality of the performance is one of the best postwar Walkures.
2/10/12 -This is one of von Karajan’s two Met broadcasts (the other is Rheingold), and Crespin’s only Sieglinde broadcast. The performance is also on MetPlayer. I’m not a big fan of Adam, but this is still powerhouse casting. Karajan’s conducting is in many ways closer to his early Bayreuth conducting than his 60s studio efforts.”
“DIE WALKURE : Wagner
Original Air Date: 03/01/1969
Cast: von Karajan; Nilsson, Adam, Crespin, Vickers, Veasey, Talvela
Media: MOD Audio SID.18200531 Tags: Archive; 2018, Nilsson, Wagner
To my knowledge this is the only broadcast opera performance (not counting galas) in which both Nilsson and Crespin appear together. This is Crespin’s only broadcast Sieglinde from the Met. It is also Karajan’s final Met performance (he had done the Rheingold broadcast a week earlier (also on MOoD); it is also Josephine Veasey’s Met farewell.
I’m rather sorry that Stewart did not get this broadcast, but he had the first year’s with Nilsson, Rysanek, Vickers,and Ludwig. Adam is experienced (he is in Bohm’s Bayreuth Ring of the same period, but his tone is not so agreeable to me.) This 1969 broadcast is Talvela’s only broadcast Hunding.
The quality of the performance is one of the best postwar Walkures.
2/10/12 -This is one of von Karajan’s two Met broadcasts (the other is Rheingold), and Crespin’s only Sieglinde broadcast. The performance is also on MetPlayer. I’m not a big fan of Adam, but this is still powerhouse casting. Karajan’s conducting is in many ways closer to his early Bayreuth conducting than his 60s studio efforts.”
“TRISTAN UND ISOLDE : Wagner
Original Air Date: 03/18/1961
Cast: Rosenstock; Nilsson, Dalis, Liebl, Cassel, Hines
Media: MOD Audio SID.18200533 Tags: Archive; 2018, Nilsson, Wagner
This is Nilsson’s second of four Isolde broadcasts from the Met, and is also available in MOoD as is the exact same cast but under Solti in one of his rare Met broadcasts two years later in 1963.
Rosenstock rarely thrills me, but the key question is how well Liebl holds up two years into his Tristan ventures. Nilsson’s first Isolde broadcast from 1960 features Bohm in the pit, but has never been on Sirius, an unfortunate omission.
5/24/2012 – This is Nilsson’s second Isolde broadcast, and Liebel is much helped by the microphones. Nilsson is also available in 1963 with much the same cast under Solti. Both this performance and the Solti are on MOoD.
What has not been on Sirius is Nilsson’s first Isolde from 1960 which features Bohm’s only season in the pit for Tristan and Vinay as her Tristan. The supporting cast is otherwise much the same. Could we dig that one out as well?
8/7/2011 – This performance has been available for some time on Met Player, and Met Player recently added the Nilsson Solti from 1963 with much the same supporting cast. My records show that Nilsson’s debut year Isolde under Bohm has still not been on Sirius.”
“SALOME : Strauss
Original Air Date: 03/13/1965
Cast: Böhm; Nilsson, Liebl, Dalis, Cassel, Shirley
Media: MOD Audio SID.18200636 Tags: Archive; 2018, Nilsson
This is an absolute MUST. Mercifully it’s on Met Player (at least for North America). Bohm and Nilsson are ablaze. I saw two performance this first season of the Rennert/Heinrich production and as much as I loved the Solti recording, and later Nilsson with Solti and CSO at Carnegie Hall, Bohm and Nilsson burned ever so brightly, and the conductor threw in a concert Don Juan before the Salome to warm the orchestra up. I added Ernst Wiemann who as First Nazarene makes his presence known, and he was part of excellent Met singers in secondary parts.
The supporting cast is very strongly cast (the five Jews and the Nazarenes Ernst Wiemann and the recently deceased Calvin Marsh are very distinctive.
One of the great performances captured, with Nilsson in her only broadcast Met Salome, and it’s a humdinger. Liebl and Dalis both in the new Rennert production and their vivid singing contribute strongly, but in the end it’s a Birgit and Karl show.”
“TURANDOT : Puccini
Original Air Date: 12/03/1966
Cast: Mehta; Nilsson, Freni, Corelli, Giaiotti
Media: MOD Audio SID.18200638 Tags: Archive; 2018, Nilsson, Puccini
Sirius Broadcast Premiere.
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.
The Orientalism in the music may be super-imposed, but its romanticism is ingrained. I missed both the lushness and the theatrical magic lurking in the score. In short, the orchestral playing had neither glow nor dramatic bite to do justice to this fullest-scored and most mature of Puccini’s operas.
Just to hear Nilsson and Corelli almost sufficed last night since both were in superb voice. Yet Teresa Stratas gave such an artistically appealing portrayal of Liu that she deservedly belonged in their company. Bonaldo Giaiotti contributed a Timur of vocal and dramatic consequence.
Those conspirators Ping, Pang and Pong carried off their tricky roles more successfully than usual. I thought, thanks to the rapport of Theodor Uppman (new as Ping), Robert Nagy, and Charles Anthony. Thus the performance on stage had the best integration since the season began.
Turandot has found a sure place in the repertory; in fact, it could be developing into an old favorite. Outstanding success does pivot on the title role, to be sure, but at the moment that could not be better cast anywhere.”
“ELEKTRA : Strauss
Original Air Date: 02/27/1971
Cast: Böhm; Nilsson, Rysanek, Madeira, Stewart, Nagy
Media: MOD Audio SID.18200641 Tags: Archive; 2018, Nilsson
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.”
“LA JUIVE : Halévy
Original Air Date: 12/13/2003
Cast: Viotti; Isokoski, Shicoff, Futral, Cutler, Furlanetto
Media: MOD Audio SID.18200744 Tags: Archive; 2018
Viotti died only a year or so after premiering the Juive. He was a real talent, and Shicoff, Isokoski and Furlanetto all bring their considerable talents in a production transferred from Vienna. This is the Met’s first season since the mid 1930s and its only broadcast to date. Some early 1930s operas were broadcast but don’t exist. La Juive was never broadcast until 2003.”
“FIDELIO : Beethoven
Original Air Date: 02/13/1960
Cast: Böhm; Nilsson, Vickers, Uhde, Czerwenka, Hurley, Anthony
Media: MOD Audio SID.18200749 Tags: Archive; 2018, Nilsson
This performance was issued also on Sony’s Met Historic CD series, as well as being in MOoD. Bohm, Nilsson, and Vickers bring all the exaltation and passion one could want to this opera. Vickers still continues to leave most other Florestans in the dust.
What a privilege to have seen him from beginning (1958 in Dallas) to end great performances well into the 1980s. He’s not for everyone, but in his core roles– Grimes, Otello, Siegmund, Florestan, Samson, Parsifal, Tristan, Enee he never left audiences wanting.
One of the very greatest singers ever to appear on ANY stage, and it
was my privilege to have shared so many evenings with him.
Czerwenka is not my idea of Rocco, but Bohm, Nilsson and Vickers are pretty unbeatable, and no one plays the Leonore No. 3 like Bohm.”
“MACBETH : Verdi
Original Air Date: 02/21/1959
Cast: Leinsdorf; Warren, Rysanek, Hines, Bergonzi
Media: MOD Audio SID.18210101 Tags: Archive; 2018, Verdi
This is the Met broadcast premiere of Macbeth, and it’s a sterling cast– also went into the studio to record it as well and long available on RCA. Rysanek at very close to her best.”
“I PURITANI : Bellini
Original Air Date: 03/13/1976
Cast: Bonynge; Sutherland, Pavarotti, Milnes, Morris
Media: MOD Audio SID.18210103 Tags: Archive; 2018, Pavarotti
I was at this broadcast as well as the premiere, and while I did not see the historic concert Puritanis that Sutherland did 12 years earlier at Carnegie Hall (and Philadelphia and DC as well) with Gedda, Bing delivered a lovely production, and the 4 principals all were well suited to their roles. This was a big break-out part for Morris and the Suoni la tromba duet with Milnes almost stole the show from Pavarotti and Sutherland.
Sutherland is 50 for this performance, and amazingly is back ten years later for another Puritani broadcast. This 1976 is the preferred broadcast and deservingly is on Met Player. It’s just a shame it wasn’t videod as well (the first video of the modern series comes a year later).
This performance is also on MOoD and is a fitting document to one of the strongest Puritani quartets ever. While I didn’t
have the good luck to be in NYC or Philadelphia for the legendary 1963 concert performances Sutherland with Gedda (American Opera Society, not othe Met in both places) Sutherland was still in pretty triumpant voice 13 years later and I was in the Met audence for both the premiere of the production and this broadcast a few weeks later. I’m not the world’s biggest Milnes fan, but there is no arguing that Met casting was top tier, and this certainly lifted Morris up from being promising to being major.
This is one of the truly historic Met broadcasts. Sutherland may not be as overwhelming as she had been in the New York, Philadelphia, and Washington concert Puritanis with Gedda (American Opera Society) a dozen years before, but she still had plenty of star power to match the three robust voiced males. I was in the theatre for this broadcast and the excitement was tremendous.”
“GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG : Wagner
Original Air Date: 03/02/1957
Cast: Stiedry; Harshaw, Windgassen, Böhme, Uhde, Schech, Madeira
Media: MOD Audio SID.18210105 Tags: Archive; 2018, Wagner
This is a very solid performance and Windgassen in one of only two broadcasts from his single season at the Met. While Frick was the pre-eminent Wagner bass of the 50s, for Hagen there was a strong competition between Bohme and Greindl for next slot. I always preferred Bohme’s voice. Harshaw is up to the score in every way if without the star presence of Nilsson or Varnay. This performance is also available in MOoD. This used to be a very rare performance.
11/21/11 – The Siegfried from this cycle was on a few weeks ago, and while Harshaw is a far different Brunnhilde than Modl, I look forward to hearing this. These are major Wagnerians (mostly native Europeans) from the late 1950s, and well worth hearing. “
“AIDA : Verdi
Original Air Date: 02/20/1954
Cast: Cleva; Milanov, Baum, Barbieri, Warren, Hines
Media: MOD Audio SID.18210208 Tags: Archive; 2018, Verdi
Milanov, Barbieri, Warren and Hines are major Aida players any way you look at it. I used to have some cavils about Warren’s lack of equalization, but after the Verdi baritone singing I’ve endured the last quarter century, I am always grateful to encounter him in one of his signature roles.”
“TANNHÄUSER : Wagner
Original Air Date: 01/09/1954
Cast: Szell; Vinay, Harshaw, Varnay, London, Hines
Media: MOD Audio SID.18210210 Tags: Archive; 2018, Wagner
You either love Vinay or you hate him (even as a tenor). As a tenor I like him very much. Wolfram is a particularly congenial part for London, and this was the third performance of a four performance run (at least with Szell who did the next performance after this one and left the Met forever). Szell is one of the prime attractions and this performance is available on Met Player.
This performance is on MOoD and notable as Szell’s last Met broadcast and his penultimate appearance at the Met. Cast are well up to their roles, though Vinay is not to every taste– he is to mine.
This performance is available also in MOoD as well as the Sony Box and has been on Sirius before. I’m sorry that they did not seek out the 1941 Flagstad Melchior broadcast which was at one time available from the Met in their historic LP series so a decent tape does exist. The Dresden version is used.
I take nothing away from the distinction of Szell, but in Tannhauser, the title role is what makes or breaks the performance. Vinay is acceptable, but he is not prime Melchior either.
“
“CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA / PAGLIACCI : Mascagni / Leoncavallo
Original Air Date: 12/07/1985
Cast: Navarro; Behrens, Moldoveanu, Clark / Pilou, Vickers, Milnes
Media: MOD Audio SID.18210212 Tags: Archive; 2018
New wave of Wagner singer (Behrens) meets older wave (Vickers) but it’s Cav/Pag, not Wagner. Behrens’ only run as Santuzza at the Met is a distant memory for me, and she doesn’t rise to one of the great Santuzzas (now Dimitrova, not always a favorite, DOES)
Vickers’ debuted in 1960 as Canio, and this 1985 broadcast performance is his final Canio at the Met. As always Vickers does it his way. He is not quite as demented as his Colon (Buenos Aires) broadcast but if you get his message (and I do), he does great honor to his farewell at the Met to this role in his antepenultimate broadcast.”
“I PURITANI : Bellini
Original Air Date: 03/13/1976
Cast: Bonynge; Sutherland, Pavarotti, Milnes, Morris
Media: MOD Audio SID.18210319 Tags: Archive; 2018, Pavarotti
I was at this broadcast as well as the premiere, and while I did not see the historic concert Puritanis that Sutherland did 12 years earlier at Carnegie Hall (and Philadelphia and DC as well) with Gedda, Bing delivered a lovely production, and the 4 principals all were well suited to their roles. This was a big break-out part for Morris and the Suoni la tromba duet with Milnes almost stole the show from Pavarotti and Sutherland.
Sutherland is 50 for this performance, and amazingly is back ten years later for another Puritani broadcast. This 1976 is the preferred broadcast and deservingly is on Met Player. It’s just a shame it wasn’t videod as well (the first video of the modern series comes a year later).
This performance is also on MOoD and is a fitting document to one of the strongest Puritani quartets ever. While I didn’t
have the good luck to be in NYC or Philadelphia for the legendary 1963 concert performances Sutherland with Gedda (American Opera Society, not othe Met in both places) Sutherland was still in pretty triumpant voice 13 years later and I was in the Met audence for both the premiere of the production and this broadcast a few weeks later. I’m not the world’s biggest Milnes fan, but there is no arguing that Met casting was top tier, and this certainly lifted Morris up from being promising to being major.
This is one of the truly historic Met broadcasts. Sutherland may not be as overwhelming as she had been in the New York, Philadelphia, and Washington concert Puritanis with Gedda (American Opera Society) a dozen years before, but she still had plenty of star power to match the three robust voiced males. I was in the theatre for this broadcast and the excitement was tremendous.”