“FEDORA : Giordano
Original Air Date: 04/26/1997
Cast: Abbado; Freni, Domingo, Croft, Arteta
Media: MOD Video SID.18060422 Tags: Archive; 2018, Domingo
This is the Met’s only broadcast of this verismo work, and is available on DVD also. This is a solid performance even if it catches Freni in the extreme twilight of a very long career. This is Freni’s penultimate opera performance at the Met, with another Fedora 5 days later. She appears 5 years later in an opening night gala doing Act 2 of Fedora, and she returns 3 years later for an end of season concert that marks her last vocal appearance on any stage.”
“IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA : Rossini
Original Air Date: 12/21/1957
Cast: Rudolf; Guarrera, Peters, Valletti, Corena, Hines
Media: MOD Audio SID.18060424 Tags: Archive; 2018
Guarrera is an alert if not so suave Figaro. Rudolf leads an experienced ensemble. One should listen to Corena here to hear why he’s remains so missed. The Met should release the Berganza 1968 video if for no other reason to preserve his Bartolo.”
“IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA : Rossini
Original Air Date: 12/21/1957
Cast: Rudolf; Guarrera, Peters, Valletti, Corena, Hines
Media: MOD Audio SID.18060636 Tags: Archive; 2018
Guarrera is an alert if not so suave Figaro. Rudolf leads an experienced ensemble. One should listen to Corena here to hear why he’s remains so missed. The Met should release the Berganza 1968 video if for no other reason to preserve his Bartolo.”
“FEDORA : Giordano
Original Air Date: 04/26/1997
Cast: Abbado; Freni, Domingo, Croft, Arteta
Media: MOD Video SID.18060640 Tags: Archive; 2018, Domingo
This is the Met’s only broadcast of this verismo work, and is available on DVD also. This is a solid performance even if it catches Freni in the extreme twilight of a very long career. This is Freni’s penultimate opera performance at the Met, with another Fedora 5 days later. She appears 5 years later in an opening night gala doing Act 2 of Fedora, and she returns 3 years later for an end of season concert that marks her last vocal appearance on any stage.”
“AIDA : Verdi
Original Air Date: 02/25/1967
Cast: Schippers; Price, Bergonzi, Bumbry, Merrill, Hines
Media: SID.18090102 Tags: Archive; 2018, Verdi
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 3 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 4 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.
***
On paper this looks like dream casting, but starting with Sgarro (one really wants a major voice in the King, Sgarro is not) Price is not in the outstanding form she showed six months earlier in the Antony and Cleopatra world premiere. Bergonzi (despite a crazk in his Celeste Aida dimuendo), Bumbry and Merrill (esp. ) are in very fine form. Schippers is not my favorite Aida conductor, and he doesn’t get much of a tone out of the Met orchestra, though the chorus is on good form. This is on Met Player (along with the video of her farewell in 1985 and an audio with HOrne and McCracken. What is not on MetPlayer and has not been on either Sirius is Solti’s Met farewell staged opera (he also has a Verdi Requiem which has not been on Sirius) with Price, Gorr, Bergonzi, Sereni, Siepi. That is the performance that should be available.”
“EUGENE ONEGIN : Tchaikovsky
Original Air Date: 02/24/2007
Cast: Gergiev; Hvorostovsky, Fleming, Vargas, Zaremba, Aleksashkin
Media: Live in HDMOD AudioMOD Video SID.18090210 Tags: Archive; 2018
This performance is on DVD, Met Player, and certainly the combination of Gergiev, Hvorostovsky and Fleming is all to the good. A performers giving A performances. I would like a better Gremin.”
“AIDA : Verdi
Original Air Date: 02/25/1967
Cast: Schippers; Price, Bergonzi, Bumbry, Merrill, Hines
Media: SID.18090318 Tags: Archive; 2018, Verdi
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 3 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 4 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.
***
On paper this looks like dream casting, but starting with Sgarro (one really wants a major voice in the King, Sgarro is not) Price is not in the outstanding form she showed six months earlier in the Antony and Cleopatra world premiere. Bergonzi (despite a crazk in his Celeste Aida dimuendo), Bumbry and Merrill (esp. ) are in very fine form. Schippers is not my favorite Aida conductor, and he doesn’t get much of a tone out of the Met orchestra, though the chorus is on good form. This is on Met Player (along with the video of her farewell in 1985 and an audio with HOrne and McCracken. What is not on MetPlayer and has not been on either Sirius is Solti’s Met farewell staged opera (he also has a Verdi Requiem which has not been on Sirius) with Price, Gorr, Bergonzi, Sereni, Siepi. That is the performance that should be available.”
“EUGENE ONEGIN : Tchaikovsky
Original Air Date: 02/24/2007
Cast: Gergiev; Hvorostovsky, Fleming, Vargas, Zaremba, Aleksashkin
Media: Live in HDMOD AudioMOD Video SID.18090426 Tags: Archive; 2018
This performance is on DVD, Met Player, and certainly the combination of Gergiev, Hvorostovsky and Fleming is all to the good. A performers giving A performances. I would like a better Gremin.”
“AIDA : Verdi
Original Air Date: 02/25/1967
Cast: Schippers; Price, Bergonzi, Bumbry, Merrill, Hines
Media: SID.18090534 Tags: Archive; 2018, Verdi
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 3 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 4 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.
***
On paper this looks like dream casting, but starting with Sgarro (one really wants a major voice in the King, Sgarro is not) Price is not in the outstanding form she showed six months earlier in the Antony and Cleopatra world premiere. Bergonzi (despite a crazk in his Celeste Aida dimuendo), Bumbry and Merrill (esp. ) are in very fine form. Schippers is not my favorite Aida conductor, and he doesn’t get much of a tone out of the Met orchestra, though the chorus is on good form. This is on Met Player (along with the video of her farewell in 1985 and an audio with HOrne and McCracken. What is not on MetPlayer and has not been on either Sirius is Solti’s Met farewell staged opera (he also has a Verdi Requiem which has not been on Sirius) with Price, Gorr, Bergonzi, Sereni, Siepi. That is the performance that should be available.”
“EUGENE ONEGIN : Tchaikovsky
Original Air Date: 02/24/2007
Cast: Gergiev; Hvorostovsky, Fleming, Vargas, Zaremba, Aleksashkin
Media: Live in HDMOD AudioMOD Video SID.18090743 Tags: Archive; 2018
This performance is on DVD, Met Player, and certainly the combination of Gergiev, Hvorostovsky and Fleming is all to the good. A performers giving A performances. I would like a better Gremin.”
“THE QUEEN OF SPADES : Tchaikovsky
Original Air Date: 04/10/1999
Cast: Gergiev; Domingo, Gorchakova, Söderström, Hvorostovsky, Borodina, Putilin
Media: MOD AudioMOD Video SID.18100208 Tags: Archive; 2018, Domingo
This performance is too late for Soderstrom, too late for Domingo, and too late for Gorchakova. You can see the video of from five days later on MOoD as well. Better to hear the first season of the production with Gregorian who succeeded Heppner, Guleghina who succeeded Mattila with Rysanek. That has been on Sirius, but is not on MOoD. If Sirius had been at work when the production premiered we would have a broadcast of Heppner and Mattila at their very best. MOD is from 4-15-99 performance.”
“THE QUEEN OF SPADES : Tchaikovsky
Original Air Date: 04/10/1999
Cast: Gergiev; Domingo, Gorchakova, Söderström, Hvorostovsky, Borodina, Putilin
Media: MOD AudioMOD Video SID.18100424 Tags: Archive; 2018, Domingo
This performance is too late for Soderstrom, too late for Domingo, and too late for Gorchakova. You can see the video of from five days later on MOoD as well. Better to hear the first season of the production with Gregorian who succeeded Heppner, Guleghina who succeeded Mattila with Rysanek. That has been on Sirius, but is not on MOoD. If Sirius had been at work when the production premiered we would have a broadcast of Heppner and Mattila at their very best. MOD is from 4-15-99 performance.”
“THE QUEEN OF SPADES : Tchaikovsky
Original Air Date: 04/10/1999
Cast: Gergiev; Domingo, Gorchakova, Söderström, Hvorostovsky, Borodina, Putilin
Media: MOD AudioMOD Video SID.18100641 Tags: Archive; 2018, Domingo
This performance is too late for Soderstrom, too late for Domingo, and too late for Gorchakova. You can see the video of from five days later on MOoD as well. Better to hear the first season of the production with Gregorian who succeeded Heppner, Guleghina who succeeded Mattila with Rysanek. That has been on Sirius, but is not on MOoD. If Sirius had been at work when the production premiered we would have a broadcast of Heppner and Mattila at their very best. MOD is from 4-15-99 performance.”
“DER ROSENKAVALIER : Strauss
Original Air Date: 01/29/2000
Cast: Levine; Graham, Fleming, Hawlata, Grant Murphy, Ketelsen
Media: MOD Audio SID.18110210 Tags: Archive; 2018, Levine, Strauss
This is Fleming and Graham’s first Met broadcast outing in Rosenkavalier, and both are in excellent voice. 10 years later they did it in HD with Levine replaced by Edo de Waart due to one his earlier illnesses. That video is in MOoD. This 2000 performance is well worth a listen, though I think Fleming and Graham rather defy the years in the HD.This is Cheryl Studer’s penultimate Met performance in her 39 performance Met career. The Met has cast Rosenkavalier more strongly, but Studer still has major Strauss credentials.”
“DER ROSENKAVALIER : Strauss
Original Air Date: 01/29/2000
Cast: Levine; Graham, Fleming, Hawlata, Grant Murphy, Ketelsen
Media: MOD Audio SID.18110422 Tags: Archive; 2018, Levine, Strauss
This is Fleming and Graham’s first Met broadcast outing in Rosenkavalier, and both are in excellent voice. 10 years later they did it in HD with Levine replaced by Edo de Waart due to one his earlier illnesses. That video is in MOoD. This 2000 performance is well worth a listen, though I think Fleming and Graham rather defy the years in the HD.This is Cheryl Studer’s penultimate Met performance in her 39 performance Met career. The Met has cast Rosenkavalier more strongly, but Studer still has major Strauss credentials.”
“DON GIOVANNI : Mozart
Original Air Date: 03/25/1978
Cast: Bonynge; Morris, Sutherland, Bacquier, Varady, Brecknock, Tourangeau
Media: MOD Audio SID.18120208 Tags: Archive; 2018, Mozart
This is Julia Varady’s only season and broadcast from the Met, and earns a well-deserved place in MOoD. The missing piece is that 9 days earlier the Met telecast this, and it operatic stage. Traubel has never appeared in any form. There is so little Sutherland video from the Met. Of particular interest is Bacquier in his only season as Leporello and Morris makes a youthful but powerful Don. It also captures the last of the Berman production. The video please! Also Sutherland’s only other Donna Anna from the Met is from opening season of the new house at Lincoln Center under Karl Bohm with Siepi, Flagello, and Giaiotti with Lorengar as the Elvira. This has not been recently discussed on SIrius in 5 years and should be in MOoD.”
“DON GIOVANNI : Mozart
Original Air Date: 03/25/1978
Cast: Bonynge; Morris, Sutherland, Bacquier, Varady, Brecknock, Tourangeau
Media: MOD Audio SID.18120425 Tags: Archive; 2018, Mozart
This is Julia Varady’s only season and broadcast from the Met, and earns a well-deserved place in MOoD. The missing piece is that 9 days earlier the Met telecast this, and it operatic stage. Traubel has never appeared in any form. There is so little Sutherland video from the Met. Of particular interest is Bacquier in his only season as Leporello and Morris makes a youthful but powerful Don. It also captures the last of the Berman production. The video please! Also Sutherland’s only other Donna Anna from the Met is from opening season of the new house at Lincoln Center under Karl Bohm with Siepi, Flagello, and Giaiotti with Lorengar as the Elvira. This has not been recently discussed on SIrius in 5 years and should be in MOoD.”
“DON GIOVANNI : Mozart
Original Air Date: 03/25/1978
Cast: Bonynge; Morris, Sutherland, Bacquier, Varady, Brecknock, Tourangeau
Media: MOD Audio SID.18120641 Tags: Archive; 2018, Mozart
This is Julia Varady’s only season and broadcast from the Met, and earns a well-deserved place in MOoD. The missing piece is that 9 days earlier the Met telecast this, and it operatic stage. Traubel has never appeared in any form. There is so little Sutherland video from the Met. Of particular interest is Bacquier in his only season as Leporello and Morris makes a youthful but powerful Don. It also captures the last of the Berman production. The video please! Also Sutherland’s only other Donna Anna from the Met is from opening season of the new house at Lincoln Center under Karl Bohm with Siepi, Flagello, and Giaiotti with Lorengar as the Elvira. This has not been recently discussed on SIrius in 5 years and should be in MOoD.”
“I PURITANI : Bellini
Original Air Date: 02/01/1997
Cast: Müller; Swenson, Neill, Hampson, Miles
Media: MOD Audio SID.18140102 Tags: Archive; 2018
The Netrebko video and the Gruberova and Sutherland Elviras are all available in MOoD as well as this one. Swenson has an attractive voice, but I don’t find her especially compelling, and the supporting cast is much better on the other performances. Cavalleria/ Pagliacci from 1988 and Idomeneo from 1991 are added into the schedule beginning Wednesday.”
“I PURITANI : Bellini
Original Air Date: 02/01/1997
Cast: Müller; Swenson, Neill, Hampson, Miles
Media: MOD Audio SID.18140318 Tags: Archive; 2018
The Netrebko video and the Gruberova and Sutherland Elviras are all available in MOoD as well as this one. Swenson has an attractive voice, but I don’t find her especially compelling, and the supporting cast is much better on the other performances. Cavalleria/ Pagliacci from 1988 and Idomeneo from 1991 are added into the schedule beginning Wednesday.”
“I PURITANI : Bellini
Original Air Date: 02/01/1997
Cast: Müller; Swenson, Neill, Hampson, Miles
Media: MOD Audio SID.18140534 Tags: Archive; 2018
The Netrebko video and the Gruberova and Sutherland Elviras are all available in MOoD as well as this one. Swenson has an attractive voice, but I don’t find her especially compelling, and the supporting cast is much better on the other performances. Cavalleria/ Pagliacci from 1988 and Idomeneo from 1991 are added into the schedule beginning Wednesday.”
“THE FIRST EMPEROR : Dun
Original Air Date: 01/13/2007
Cast: Dun; Domingo, Futral, Groves, Tian, DeYoung
Media: Live in HDMOD Video SID.18150208 Tags: Archive; 2018, Domingo
This is Domingo’s vehicle and the broadcast and HD performance from its premiere season. Sony issued a commercial DVD. Better to watch than listen to.
***
I enjoyed seeing the production, and while it’s not on my weekly rotation, it held my interest more than Glass’ The Voyage. The simultaneous broadcast/HD moviecast is available on commercial DVD and MOoD (Metropolitan Opera on Demand).”
“THAÏS : Massenet
Original Air Date: 12/20/2008
Cast: López-Cobos; Fleming, Hampson, Schade
Media: Live in HDMOD Video SID.18150210 Tags: Archive; 2018
Although the video has been available almost continuously on MOoD, I find this performance preferable to the Sills Milnes, which was massively overplayed in the first years of Sirius Radio. I rather like Thais as a break from other titles in the repertory.”
“THE FIRST EMPEROR : Dun
Original Air Date: 01/13/2007
Cast: Dun; Domingo, Futral, Groves, Tian, DeYoung
Media: Live in HDMOD Video SID.18150423 Tags: Archive; 2018, Domingo
This is Domingo’s vehicle and the broadcast and HD performance from its premiere season. Sony issued a commercial DVD. Better to watch than listen to.
***
I enjoyed seeing the production, and while it’s not on my weekly rotation, it held my interest more than Glass’ The Voyage. The simultaneous broadcast/HD moviecast is available on commercial DVD and MOoD (Metropolitan Opera on Demand).”
“THAÏS : Massenet
Original Air Date: 12/20/2008
Cast: López-Cobos; Fleming, Hampson, Schade
Media: Live in HDMOD Video SID.18150426 Tags: Archive; 2018
Although the video has been available almost continuously on MOoD, I find this performance preferable to the Sills Milnes, which was massively overplayed in the first years of Sirius Radio. I rather like Thais as a break from other titles in the repertory.”
“THE FIRST EMPEROR : Dun
Original Air Date: 01/13/2007
Cast: Dun; Domingo, Futral, Groves, Tian, DeYoung
Media: Live in HDMOD Video SID.18150641 Tags: Archive; 2018, Domingo
This is Domingo’s vehicle and the broadcast and HD performance from its premiere season. Sony issued a commercial DVD. Better to watch than listen to.
***
I enjoyed seeing the production, and while it’s not on my weekly rotation, it held my interest more than Glass’ The Voyage. The simultaneous broadcast/HD moviecast is available on commercial DVD and MOoD (Metropolitan Opera on Demand).”
“THAÏS : Massenet
Original Air Date: 12/20/2008
Cast: López-Cobos; Fleming, Hampson, Schade
Media: Live in HDMOD Video SID.18150749 Tags: Archive; 2018
Although the video has been available almost continuously on MOoD, I find this performance preferable to the Sills Milnes, which was massively overplayed in the first years of Sirius Radio. I rather like Thais as a break from other titles in the repertory.”
“BILLY BUDD : Britten
Original Air Date: 04/04/1992
Cast: Mackerras; Hampson, Clark, Morris, Held, Courtney
Media: MOD Audio SID.18180211 Tags: Archive; 2018
Morris has sung almost every Claggart in the production and it is one of his best parts. Hampson isn’t always ideal as an innocent, but he’s a fine musician and the cast under Mackerras is top drawer. There is also an excellent Met video of the production with Dwayne Croft on MOoD.”
“LA FORZA DEL DESTINO : Verdi
Original Air Date: 11/29/1952
Cast: Stiedry; Milanov, Tucker, Warren, Hines, Miller, Pechner
Media: MOD Audio SID.18180212 Tags: Archive; 2018, Verdi
Here’s Milanov, Tucker, and Warren again and very well cast. This performance is available on Met Player and despite the odd (Bruno Walter) arrangement and cuts brings you a Forza you simply can’t hear today. two Leontyne Price Forzas (one from 1968 with Corelli, and the other from 1972 with Bergonzi whould be rebroadcast. She is very well represented in Sirius but the 1977 with Domingo and the 1984 video
do not show her as well as the earlier broadcasts.
This performance is available in MOoD, and with good reason. At pretty much close to their best, one of the strongest Forza casts in the postwar period.
All four of Milanov’s Forza broadcasts (all with Sitedry conducting)
have been on Sirius, and this, the earliest has also appeared in
MOoD. Despite the cuts and re-arrangement, when this performance
concludes you know you’ve heard Forza. Tucker and Warren make very
challenging parts sound almost easy. Hines is not as impressive as
Siepi, but he toweres over what passes for most bass singing today.”
“TRISTAN UND ISOLDE : Wagner
Original Air Date: 03/22/2008
Cast: Levine; Voigt, DeYoung, Smith, Schulte, Salminen
Media: Live in HDMOD Video SID.18180213 Tags: Archive; 2018, Levine
Celebrated Wagnerian conductor Daniel Barenboim made his Met debut with this production of one of opera’s greatest dramas. Gary Lehman and Katarina Dalayman are the legendary title characters in this searing story of love and destiny. Kwangchul Youn sings King Marke, the betrayed monarch whose understanding and forgiveness comes too late to save the lovers’ life. Michelle DeYoung is Isolde’s servant Brangäne and Gerd Grochowski sings Kurwenal, Tristan’s faithful companion.
***
I’ve enjoyed Dalayman in other Wagner roles, and Barenboim in his Tristans from Bayreuth and La Scala, but my memories just didn’t show this hanging together as well. I’ll be listening again via MOoD as well.. We are finally starting to have Gelb era broadcasts in the rotation and it is good to be able to hear some new views
“