DEATH IN VENICE:Britten
Original Air Date: 02/26/1994
Atherton; Rolfe Johnson, Allen, Gall, von Aroldingen,
MOD Audio SID.19110316
“I’ve given Britten’s final work several tries in the theatre and on record, and it just doesn’t make it for me. I’m always game for Peter Grimes and Billy Budd, and enjoy Albert Herring as well, so it’s not any antipathy to Britten. But I feel the inspiration as barren as Aschenbach’s view of life. Both Met revivals, the original with Peter Pears from 1974 and this 1994 revival are available in MOoD.”I’ve given Britten’s final work several tries in the theatre and on record, and it just doesn’t make it for me. I’m always game for Peter Grimes and Billy Budd, and enjoy Albert Herring as well, so it’s not any antipathy to Britten. But I feel the inspiration as barren as Aschenbach’s view of life. Both Met revivals, the original with Peter Pears from 1974 and this 1994 revival are available in MOoD.
Puccini
Original Air Date: 02/03/2007
Rizzi; Gallardo-Domâs, Giordani, Arteta, Croft, Relyea, Plishka
SID.19110317
[Tommasini NYTimes 1/26/2007]…It was as Rodolfo that Mr. Giordani made his 1995 Met debut, and it is always rewarding to hear the role sung by a true Puccini tenor. Still, he has been branching out in recent years into weightier repertory, like Verdi’s Manrico and, at the Met, the hefty title role of Berlioz’s “Benvenuto Cellini.” While such choices testify to his adventurousness, they may explain why his Rodolfo seemed to have lost some of the velvety grace and glowing richness of earlier years. At times he ended melodic phrases abruptly and halted in his delivery. At his best Mr. Giordani can certainly invest a Puccini phrase with vibrant sound and soaring lyricism.
Ms. Gallardo-Domâs may not have a conventionally beautiful sound, and soft high singing does not come naturally to her. The earthy expressivity and subtle intensity of her singing, however, made her an affecting Mimi.
There were strong performances from the hearty baritone Dwayne Croft, a veteran Marcello; the bright-voiced soprano Ainhoa Arteta as Musetta; and the robust young baritone Aaron St. Clair Nicholson as Schaunard, the role of his Met debut last fall. The most complete vocal and dramatic portrayal came from the charismatic bass-baritone John Relyea as Colline. The bass Paul Plishka did double-duty as the hapless landlord Benoit and the wealthy Alcindoro. Carlo Rizzi was the very capable conductor.
L’ELISIR D’AMORE:Donizetti
Original Air Date: 12/24/1949
Antonicelli; Sayão, Tagliavini, Valdengo, Baccaloni, Lenchner
MOD Audio SID.19110318
This cast is a repeat of the previous season, with the men just about all you could want in these roles, and Sayao has plenty of her own artillery. It doesn’t hurt that the men are all native Italian speakers with distinguished reputations. Nice to hear some of the repertory from a different era. One of several performances from the 1949-50 season on this week, this cast is a repeat of the previous season, with the men just about all you could want in these roles, and Sayao has plenty of her own artillery. This performance is also available in MOoD.
ERNANI:Verdi
Original Air Date: 12/01/1962
Schippers; Bergonzi, Price, MacNeil, Tozzi, Ordassy, Nagy, Reitan
MOD Audio SID.19110319
This is one of the classic Met broadcasts, and on balance the best of the Ernani broadcasts. Corelli was more of an in-house Ernani, but for the broadcast mikes, Bergonzi is close to ideal. MacNeil, one of the Met mainstay baritones on this occasion delivers an absolutely historic performance with a seemingly unending upper register, but also a command of the style that surpassed any modern baritone at the Met. Price is not ideal as Elvira, but she has many superb moments, especially as captured by the mikes. Fortunately this performance as well as the 1965 with Corelli, Sereni, and Siepi joining Price are BOTH on MOoD, and both performances serve Verdi very well indeed.” Available in a Sony historical CD and on MOoD. As much as I love Bergonzi, the most remarkable performance of the afternoon is MacNeil in one of his greatest if not greatest broadcast appearance. Do not miss.
DER ROSENKAVALIER:Strauss
Original Air Date: 03/04/1995
Levine; von Otter, Gessendorf, Hawlata, Grant Murphy, Hornik, Elias, Senechal, Olsen
SID.19110320
Murphy is the main drag on this performance, but Gessendorf who has almost no commercial recording career is a creditable vocal Marschallin. Because Rosenkavalier seems to still be hobbled on rights, we still don’t have Steber with Reiner, Ludwig as Oktavian in 1959, and Tomowa-Sintow or Gwyneth Jones as Marschallin.
Original Air Date: 03/04/2000
Davis; von Stade, Domingo, Pulley, Groves
SID.19110422
This was first rebroadcast last May, but I didn’t listen. It is also the first season with von Stade. She broadcasts again the following season with Hagegard as her Danilo. This Tim Albery production is no more successful than this year’s new production. Merry Widow has better melodies than Lulu, but not more nourishing for me, and I’m not an major Lulu fan.
Holland, NYT
LA FORZA DEL DESTINO:Verdi
Original Air Date: 01/25/1958
Stiedry; Milanov, Labò, Sereni, Siepi, Roggero, Corena
SID.19110423
The fourth and last of Milanov’s Forza Leonoras. Siepi is the big plus here. A fresher Milanov can be heard in 1952 on MOoD with Tucker and Warren. In her best moments, her Leonora is major, but regardless of year, she can be uneven. Unlike most singing the part at 52, she still has the right voice.
IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA:Rossini
Original Air Date: 01/31/1976
Nelson; Stilwell, von Stade, Davies, Corena, Morris, Munzer
SID.19110424
To me the main interest here is Morris in his only season as Basilio (5 performances) and Corena’s last Bartolo broadcast (his 10th!). Corena’s successor in this role has still not appeared in my view, and he’s gone 37 years. He has 2 more years at the Met after this broadcast, and manages to be the Sacristan on the Verrett/Pavarotti/MacNeil Tosca video which is his last run except a farewell Don Pasquale with Sills on New Year’s Eve eve in 1978. This is a good enough cast for the opera, but the opera is overdone in regular Met repertory, and again on Sirius broadcasts. This is Corena’ss 10th and final broadcast of a role he owned. James Morris puts in an appearance as Basilio during his breakout year (he was in the new Puritani production). Barbiere is close to Boheme in number of performances in the most recent 10 years.
DIE MEISTERSINGER VON NÜRNBERG:Wagner
Original Air Date: 12/16/1995
Levine; Weikl, Mattila, Heppner, Svenden, Prey, Rootering, Magnussonm Del Carlo, Schaldenbrand, Pape
MOD Audio SID.19110425
Levine has six Meistersinger matinee broadcasts, and this, his second is arguably the most strongly cast with sterling work from Weikl and Prey and wonderful performances from Mattila and Heppner at their best. Very solid casting up and down the line for this deceptively challenging work. Available on MOoD and DVD both. Because of its length, it’s nice to have the choice of when to start and stop
DIE MEISTERSINGER VON NÜRNBERG:Wagner
Original Air Date: 12/16/1995
Levine; Weikl, Mattila, Heppner, Svenden, Prey, Rootering, Magnussonm Del Carlo, Schaldenbrand, Pape
MOD Audio SID.19110426
Levine has six Meistersinger matinee broadcasts, and this, his second is arguably the most strongly cast with sterling work from Weikl and Prey and wonderful performances from Mattila and Heppner at their best. Very solid casting up and down the line for this deceptively challenging work. Available on MOoD and DVD both. Because of its length, it’s nice to have the choice of when to start and stop
THE GAMBLER:Prokofiev
Original Air Date: 03/31/2001
Gergiev; Galouzine, Guryakova, Alexashkin, Obraztsova
SID.19110529
This is the Met broadcast premiere of this work. Seven years later Galouzine and Gergiev are together again for another broadcast at the Met, but with Diadkova in for Obraztsova. Galouzine has been through a lot of heavy singing in the seven years, so this is overall the best bet for experiencing the Prokofiev. Unfortunately, the MOoD only has the 2008 broadcast. I don’t know that this is an ideal opera for the radio, but this Met premiere cast give it everything they’ve got. I like it better than Semyon Kotko, and it’s shorter than War and Peace. In the theatre with lot of intense visuals, this was a most enjoyable production. Even with audio only Gergiev and Galouzine are still powerhouses.
Original Air Date: 03/26/1977
Levine; Domingo, Arroyo, MacNeil, Kraft, Love, Chookasian
MOD Audio SID.19110530
Domingo’s only Met broadcast outing despite appearances in 3 seasons. There are at least three major broadcasts not yet on Sirius which should be heard, the 1954 with Del Monaco, Milanov, Warren when the production was premiered, the 1960 broadcast with Tebaldi, Tucker, and Bastianini,the greatest Gerard I’ve heard on broadcast or record, and 1966, Tebaldi, Corelli, Colzani, Corelli being the outstanding Chenier of the postwar period for my money. Now these are Cheniers!
DER FLIEGENDE HOLLÄNDER:Wagner
Original Air Date: 12/16/2000
Gergiev; Morris, Stemme, Wagenführer, Rootering, Grove, Polenzani
MOD Audio SID.19110531
The Met for almost two decades led a charmed life with most Dutchman revivals centered on Leonie Rysanek as Senta, and for the first decade George London as the Dutchman. This performance was an early appearance by Nina Stemme at the Met, long before her acclaimed Brunnhildes around the world in the last 5 years. People were not thinking of her as a future Brunnhilde in 2000, and an important appearance in 2016 as Elektra in a new production.
Verdi
Original Air Date: 12/14/1968
Molinari-Pradelli; MacNeil, Tucci, Shirley, Hines, Milnes
SID.19110532
This is MacNeil’s only broadcast Doge, and is almost as notable for Milnes’ turn as Paolo emulating Leonard Warren who had debuted as Paolo in 1939 and premiered a new Met production less than a week before his untimely death onstage. Hines lacks the profile if not the voice for one of the most interesting of Verdi’s bass roles. Tucci and Shirley are decent if not as megawatt as Tebaldi and Tucker or Milanov and Bergonzi in past times, and Te Kanawa and Domingo in more recent times (though even that is more than 25 years ago now). The Met database in one of its rare errors does not show as having been on Sirius, and it’s been on rotation at least 3 weeks in the last four years, and should be in MOoD. In two complete misses on Boccanegra, the 1974 revival had two outstanding portrayals under Eherling: Ingvar Wixell in the title role, and Maliponte as Amelia. Tucker is on exceptional late form as well. Historically there are only two broadcasts 1935 and 1939 with Lawrence Tibbett and Ezio Pinza under Panizza should be added to the MOoD archive.
LA BOHEME Puccini
Original Air Date: 02/03/2007
Rizzi; Gallardo-Domâs, Giordani, Arteta, Croft, Relyea, Plishka
SID.19110533
[Tommasini NYTimes 1/26/2007]…It was as Rodolfo that Mr. Giordani made his 1995 Met debut, and it is always rewarding to hear the role sung by a true Puccini tenor. Still, he has been branching out in recent years into weightier repertory, like Verdi’s Manrico and, at the Met, the hefty title role of Berlioz’s “Benvenuto Cellini.” While such choices testify to his adventurousness, they may explain why his Rodolfo seemed to have lost some of the velvety grace and glowing richness of earlier years. At times he ended melodic phrases abruptly and halted in his delivery. At his best Mr. Giordani can certainly invest a Puccini phrase with vibrant sound and soaring lyricism.
Ms. Gallardo-Domâs may not have a conventionally beautiful sound, and soft high singing does not come naturally to her. The earthy expressivity and subtle intensity of her singing, however, made her an affecting Mimi.
There were strong performances from the hearty baritone Dwayne Croft, a veteran Marcello; the bright-voiced soprano Ainhoa Arteta as Musetta; and the robust young baritone Aaron St. Clair Nicholson as Schaunard, the role of his Met debut last fall. The most complete vocal and dramatic portrayal came from the charismatic bass-baritone John Relyea as Colline. The bass Paul Plishka did double-duty as the hapless landlord Benoit and the wealthy Alcindoro. Carlo Rizzi was the very capable conductor.
L’ELISIR D’AMORE:Donizetti
Original Air Date: 12/24/1949
Antonicelli; Sayão, Tagliavini, Valdengo, Baccaloni, Lenchner
MOD Audio SID.19110
This cast is a repeat of the previous season, with the men just about all you could want in these roles, and Sayao has plenty of her own artillery. It doesn’t hurt that the men are all native Italian speakers with distinguished reputations. Nice to hear some of the repertory from a different era. One of several performances from the 1949-50 season on this week, this cast is a repeat of the previous season, with the men just about all you could want in these roles, and Sayao has plenty of her own artillery. This performance is also available in MOoD.
ERNANI:Verdi
Original Air Date: 12/01/1962
Schippers; Bergonzi, Price, MacNeil, Tozzi, Ordassy, Nagy, Reitan
MOD Audio SID.19110535
This is one of the classic Met broadcasts, and on balance the best of the Ernani broadcasts. Corelli was more of an in-house Ernani, but for the broadcast mikes, Bergonzi is close to ideal. MacNeil, one of the Met mainstay baritones on this occasion delivers an absolutely historic performance with a seemingly unending upper register, but also a command of the style that surpassed any modern baritone at the Met. Price is not ideal as Elvira, but she has many superb moments, especially as captured by the mikes. Fortunately this performance as well as the 1965 with Corelli, Sereni, and Siepi joining Price are BOTH on MOoD, and both performances serve Verdi very well indeed.” Available in a Sony historical CD and on MOoD. As much as I love Bergonzi, the most remarkable performance of the afternoon is MacNeil in one of his greatest if not greatest broadcast appearance. Do not miss.
DER ROSENKAVALIER:Strauss
Original Air Date: 03/04/1995
Levine; von Otter, Gessendorf, Hawlata, Grant Murphy, Hornik, Elias, Senechal, Olsen
SID.19110636
Murphy is the main drag on this performance, but Gessendorf who has almost no commercial recording career is a creditable vocal Marschallin. Because Rosenkavalier seems to still be hobbled on rights, we still don’t have Steber with Reiner, Ludwig as Oktavian in 1959, and Tomowa-Sintow or Gwyneth Jones as Marschallin.
THE GAMBLER:Prokofiev
Original Air Date: 03/31/2001
Gergiev; Galouzine, Guryakova, Alexashkin, Obraztsova
SID.19110637
This is the Met broadcast premiere of this work. Seven years later Galouzine and Gergiev are together again for another broadcast at the Met, but with Diadkova in for Obraztsova. Galouzine has been through a lot of heavy singing in the seven years, so this is overall the best bet for experiencing the Prokofiev. Unfortunately, the MOoD only has the 2008 broadcast. I don’t know that this is an ideal opera for the radio, but this Met premiere cast give it everything they’ve got. I like it better than Semyon Kotko, and it’s shorter than War and Peace. In the theatre with lot of intense visuals, this was a most enjoyable production. Even with audio only Gergiev and Galouzine are still powerhouses.
Lehár
Original Air Date: 03/04/2000
Davis; von Stade, Domingo, Pulley, Groves
SID.19110638
This was first rebroadcast last May, but I didn’t listen. It is also the first season with von Stade. She broadcasts again the following season with Hagegard as her Danilo. This Tim Albery production is no more successful than this year’s new production. Merry Widow has better melodies than Lulu, but not more nourishing for me, and I’m not an major Lulu fan.
Various:Various
Original Air Date: 01/01/9999
Various Artists
SID.19110639
Various selections between scheduled operas. Siriusxm Radio and web player will show the Composer and Title.
IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA:Rossini
Original Air Date: 01/31/1976
Nelson; Stilwell, von Stade, Davies, Corena, Morris, Munzer
SID.19110641
To me the main interest here is Morris in his only season as Basilio (5 performances) and Corena’s last Bartolo broadcast (his 10th!). Corena’s successor in this role has still not appeared in my view, and he’s gone 37 years. He has 2 more years at the Met after this broadcast, and manages to be the Sacristan on the Verrett/Pavarotti/MacNeil Tosca video which is his last run except a farewell Don Pasquale with Sills on New Year’s Eve eve in 1978. This is a good enough cast for the opera, but the opera is overdone in regular Met repertory, and again on Sirius broadcasts. This is Corena’ss 10th and final broadcast of a role he owned. James Morris puts in an appearance as Basilio during his breakout year (he was in the new Puritani production). Barbiere is close to Boheme in number of performances in the most recent 10 years.
DIE MEISTERSINGER VON NÜRNBERG:Wagner
Original Air Date: 12/16/1995
Levine; Weikl, Mattila, Heppner, Svenden, Prey, Rootering, Magnussonm Del Carlo, Schaldenbrand, Pape
MOD Audio SID.19110642
Levine has six Meistersinger matinee broadcasts, and this, his second is arguably the most strongly cast with sterling work from Weikl and Prey and wonderful performances from Mattila and Heppner at their best. Very solid casting up and down the line for this deceptively challenging work. Available on MOoD and DVD both. Because of its length, it’s nice to have the choice of when to start and stop
DIE MEISTERSINGER VON NÜRNBERG:Wagner
Original Air Date: 12/16/1995
Levine; Weikl, Mattila, Heppner, Svenden, Prey, Rootering, Magnussonm Del Carlo, Schaldenbrand, Pape
MOD Audio SID.19110743
Levine has six Meistersinger matinee broadcasts, and this, his second is arguably the most strongly cast with sterling work from Weikl and Prey and wonderful performances from Mattila and Heppner at their best. Very solid casting up and down the line for this deceptively challenging work. Available on MOoD and DVD both. Because of its length, it’s nice to have the choice of when to start and stop
Verdi
Original Air Date: 12/14/1968
Molinari-Pradelli; MacNeil, Tucci, Shirley, Hines, Milnes
SID.19110744
This is MacNeil’s only broadcast Doge, and is almost as notable for Milnes’ turn as Paolo emulating Leonard Warren who had debuted as Paolo in 1939 and premiered a new Met production less than a week before his untimely death onstage. Hines lacks the profile if not the voice for one of the most interesting of Verdi’s bass roles. Tucci and Shirley are decent if not as megawatt as Tebaldi and Tucker or Milanov and Bergonzi in past times, and Te Kanawa and Domingo in more recent times (though even that is more than 25 years ago now). The Met database in one of its rare errors does not show as having been on Sirius, and it’s been on rotation at least 3 weeks in the last four years, and should be in MOoD. In two complete misses on Boccanegra, the 1974 revival had two outstanding portrayals under Eherling: Ingvar Wixell in the title role, and Maliponte as Amelia. Tucker is on exceptional late form as well. Historically there are only two broadcasts 1935 and 1939 with Lawrence Tibbett and Ezio Pinza under Panizza should be added to the MOoD archive.
ERNANI:Verdi
Original Air Date: 12/01/1962
Schippers; Bergonzi, Price, MacNeil, Tozzi, Ordassy, Nagy, Reitan
MOD Audio SID.19110745
This is one of the classic Met broadcasts, and on balance the best of the Ernani broadcasts. Corelli was more of an in-house Ernani, but for the broadcast mikes, Bergonzi is close to ideal. MacNeil, one of the Met mainstay baritones on this occasion delivers an absolutely historic performance with a seemingly unending upper register, but also a command of the style that surpassed any modern baritone at the Met. Price is not ideal as Elvira, but she has many superb moments, especially as captured by the mikes. Fortunately this performance as well as the 1965 with Corelli, Sereni, and Siepi joining Price are BOTH on MOoD, and both performances serve Verdi very well indeed.” Available in a Sony historical CD and on MOoD. As much as I love Bergonzi, the most remarkable performance of the afternoon is MacNeil in one of his greatest if not greatest broadcast appearance. Do not miss.
Giordano
Original Air Date: 03/26/1977
Levine; Domingo, Arroyo, MacNeil, Kraft, Love, Chookasian
MOD Audio SID.19110746
Domingo’s only Met broadcast outing despite appearances in three seasons. There are at least three major broadcasts not yet on Sirius which should be heard, the 1954 with Del Monaco, Milanov, Warren when the production was premiered, the 1960 broadcast with Tebaldi, Tucker, and Bastianini,the greatest Gerard I’ve heard on broadcast or record, and 1966, Tebaldi, Corelli, Colzani, Corelli being the outstanding Chenier of the postwar period for my money. Now these are Cheniers!
DER FLIEGENDE HOLLÄNDER:Wagner
Original Air Date: 12/16/2000
Gergiev; Morris, Stemme, Wagenführer, Rootering, Grove, Polenzani
MOD Audio SID.19110747
The Met for almost two decades led a charmed life with most Dutchman revivals centered on Leonie Rysanek as Senta, and for the first decade George London as the Dutchman. This performance was an early appearance by Nina Stemme at the Met, long before her acclaimed Brunnhildes around the world in the last 5 years. People were not thinking of her as a future Brunnhilde in 2000, and an important appearance in 2016 as Elektra in a new production.
DEATH IN VENICE:Britten
Original Air Date: 02/26/1994
Atherton; Rolfe Johnson, Allen, Gall, von Aroldingen,
MOD Audio SID.19110748
“I’ve given Britten’s final work several tries in the theatre and on record, and it just doesn’t make it for me. I’m always game for Peter Grimes and Billy Budd, and enjoy Albert Herring as well, so it’s not any antipathy to Britten. But I feel the inspiration as barren as Aschenbach’s view of life. Both Met revivals, the original with Peter Pears from 1974 and this 1994 revival are available in MOoD.”I’ve given Britten’s final work several tries in the theatre and on record, and it just doesn’t make it for me. I’m always game for Peter Grimes and Billy Budd, and enjoy Albert Herring as well, so it’s not any antipathy to Britten. But I feel the inspiration as barren as Aschenbach’s view of life. Both Met revivals, the original with Peter Pears from 1974 and this 1994 revival are available in MOoD.
LA FORZA DEL DESTINO:Verdi
Original Air Date: 01/25/1958
Stiedry; Milanov, Labò, Sereni, Siepi, Roggero, Corena
SID.19110749
The fourth and last of Milanov’s Forza Leonoras. Siepi is the big plus here. A fresher Milanov can be heard in 1952 on MOoD with Tucker and Warren. In her best moments, her Leonora is major, but regardless of year, she can be uneven. Unlike most singing the part at 52, she still has the right voice.