“DER FLIEGENDE HOLLÄNDER : Wagner
Original Air Date: 01/27/1968
Cast: Klobucar; MacNeil, Rysanek, Parly, Tozzi
Media: MOD Audio SID.17420425 Tags: Archive; 2017, Wagner
I saw one of the performances in this run and MacNeil is quite a fine Dutchman, and Rysanek continues to be the standard in this role. No one does the end of the opera like her.
I very much enjoyed this run. People may forget that MacNeil studied under the premiere Dutchman of the 20th century–Friedrich Schorr. This is one of Tozzi’s most congenial parts, and I’ve certainly never seen a Senta to compare with Rysanek. She broadcasts the opera 5 times between 1960 and 1970, and both the 1963 with Bohm, London, and Konya and this 1968 are available in MOoD. Both are wonderful.
Three of Rysanek’s peerless Senta are available in MOoD, including
this one. If Klobucar and MacNeil are not Bohm or London, this performance still has much to commend it. Ticho Parly is far from being up to Konya’s high quality Erik however.”
“I VESPRI SICILIANI : Verdi
Original Air Date: 03/20/1982
Cast: Levine; Scotto, Ochman, Elvira, Raimondi
Media: MOD Audio SID.17420530 Tags: Archive; 2017, Levine, Verdi
Scotto could be an interesting singer in this music, but not by 1982–simply too much Lady Macbeth and Gioconda, among other things. I didn’t see her in 1974 which many people still rave about. 1974’s Arrigo was Domingo who had opened the season with Deutekom. Domingo never does the part after that 1974 run (he’s not in the spring 1975 broadcast)– it is among Verdi’s most challenging tenor assignments. Ochman is best described as earnest. Pablo Elvira was too little heard at the Met, and died prematurely. The broadcast mikes probably give him an extra volume boost, but he has nice Verdian style. Raimondi is never a favorite of mine, but Procida is one of the great Verdian bass roles– listen to Christoff with Callas (not from the Met). Siepi never did Procida at the Met and his omission from the Met premiere was part of his departure from the Met in April 1973.”
“THE FIRST EMPEROR : Dun
Original Air Date: 01/13/2007
Cast: Dun; Domingo, Futral, Groves, Tian, DeYoung
Media: Live in HDMOD Video SID.17420531 Tags: Archive; 2017, 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).”
“GIULIO CESARE : Handel
Original Air Date: 04/17/1999
Cast: Nelson; Larmore, McNair, Daniels, Blythe, Asawa
Media: MOD Audio SID.17420134 Tags: Archive; 2017
This is the first Met broadcast of Cesare as the 1988 production with Troyanos and Battle was not broadcast (a special shame because of Troyanos’ way with Handel) This was an early success for both Blythe and Daniels, but this is still not my work — too many countertenors and too few ensembles. Brian Asawa recently passed away, and was one of the major groundbreaking countertenors.”
“GIULIO CESARE : Handel
Original Air Date: 04/17/1999
Cast: Nelson; Larmore, McNair, Daniels, Blythe, Asawa
Media: MOD Audio SID.17420137 Tags: Archive; 2017
This is the first Met broadcast of Cesare as the 1988 production with Troyanos and Battle was not broadcast (a special shame because of Troyanos’ way with Handel) This was an early success for both Blythe and Daniels, but this is still not my work — too many countertenors and too few ensembles. Brian Asawa recently passed away, and was one of the major groundbreaking countertenors.”
“THE FIRST EMPEROR : Dun
Original Air Date: 01/13/2007
Cast: Dun; Domingo, Futral, Groves, Tian, DeYoung
Media: Live in HDMOD Video SID.17420742 Tags: Archive; 2017, 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).”
“I VESPRI SICILIANI : Verdi
Original Air Date: 03/20/1982
Cast: Levine; Scotto, Ochman, Elvira, Raimondi
Media: MOD Audio SID.17420743 Tags: Archive; 2017, Levine, Verdi
Scotto could be an interesting singer in this music, but not by 1982–simply too much Lady Macbeth and Gioconda, among other things. I didn’t see her in 1974 which many people still rave about. 1974’s Arrigo was Domingo who had opened the season with Deutekom. Domingo never does the part after that 1974 run (he’s not in the spring 1975 broadcast)– it is among Verdi’s most challenging tenor assignments. Ochman is best described as earnest. Pablo Elvira was too little heard at the Met, and died prematurely. The broadcast mikes probably give him an extra volume boost, but he has nice Verdian style. Raimondi is never a favorite of mine, but Procida is one of the great Verdian bass roles– listen to Christoff with Callas (not from the Met). Siepi never did Procida at the Met and his omission from the Met premiere was part of his departure from the Met in April 1973.”
“DER FLIEGENDE HOLLÄNDER : Wagner
Original Air Date: 01/27/1968
Cast: Klobucar; MacNeil, Rysanek, Parly, Tozzi
Media: MOD Audio SID.17420744 Tags: Archive; 2017, Wagner
I saw one of the performances in this run and MacNeil is quite a fine Dutchman, and Rysanek continues to be the standard in this role. No one does the end of the opera like her.
I very much enjoyed this run. People may forget that MacNeil studied under the premiere Dutchman of the 20th century–Friedrich Schorr. This is one of Tozzi’s most congenial parts, and I’ve certainly never seen a Senta to compare with Rysanek. She broadcasts the opera 5 times between 1960 and 1970, and both the 1963 with Bohm, London, and Konya and this 1968 are available in MOoD. Both are wonderful.
Three of Rysanek’s peerless Senta are available in MOoD, including
this one. If Klobucar and MacNeil are not Bohm or London, this performance still has much to commend it. Ticho Parly is far from being up to Konya’s high quality Erik however.”
“ARIADNE AUF NAXOS : Strauss
Original Air Date: 03/12/1988
Cast: Levine; Norman, King, Battle, Troyanos, Nentwig, Dickson
Media: MOD AudioMOD Video SID.17420745 Tags: Archive; 2017, Levine, Strauss
“
“PELLÉAS ET MÉLISANDE : Debussy
Original Air Date: 04/08/1995
Cast: Levine; D. Croft, von Stade, Braun, Lloyd, Horne
Media: MOD Audio SID.17430103 Tags: Archive; 2017, Levine
This production was to honor von Stade’s 25th anniversary at the Met. She is a fine Melisande, but the singing honors for me go to Dwayne Croft who was a handsomely voiced Pelleas. This production by Jonathan Miller and designs by John Conklin are not my way of seeing Pelleas, but it is the production we still live with. Generally the quality of the musicmaking is what governs the success of Pelleas, and the musicmaking is of a high order.”
“DIE WALKÜRE : Wagner
Original Air Date: 04/08/1989
Cast: Levine; Behrens, Morris, Norman, Lakes, Ludwig, Moll
Media: MOD AudioMOD Video SID.17430104 Tags: Archive; 2017, Levine, Wagner
This performance is in the MOoD as a video. Lakes is operating in a league that is at least a half step beyond him. Behrens, who is certainly well schooled, is not the right voice for me. Norman is very much her own stylist. Still this is a strong cast overall, and finds the Met orchestra and Levine in their first cycle together in extremely committed form.”
“DIE WALKÜRE : Wagner
Original Air Date: 04/08/1989
Cast: Levine; Behrens, Morris, Norman, Lakes, Ludwig, Moll
Media: MOD AudioMOD Video SID.17430105 Tags: Archive; 2017, Levine, Wagner
This performance is in the MOoD as a video. Lakes is operating in a league that is at least a half step beyond him. Behrens, who is certainly well schooled, is not the right voice for me. Norman is very much her own stylist. Still this is a strong cast overall, and finds the Met orchestra and Levine in their first cycle together in extremely committed form.”
“DAS RHEINGOLD : Wagner
Original Air Date: 01/27/1951
Cast: Stiedry; Hotter, Harshaw, Svanholm, Davidson, Hines, Ernster
Media: MOD Audio SID.17430210 Tags: Archive; 2017, Wagner
Hans Hotter’s MET debut season This performance is taken from the Wagner at the Met CD box set.
I have not heard this broadcast, but the chief vocal interest lies in
Hotter’s broadcast of Wotan one of only two Ring performances he broadcast from the Met; the other was Hunding (not Wotan) in Walkure in 1954. Branzell returns to the Met after a 7 year absence and moves down from Fricka to Erda, appearing in 2 Rheingolds and 3 Siegfrieds in 1951. Her Met career spans 27 years from 1924 to 1951 and 412 performances.
Paul Jackson in his survey of Met broadcasts is not enamored of Stiedry’s conducting. I still hope this means we will hear the rest of the 1951 Ring on Sirius soon (which includes Traubel’s Siegfried & Gotterdammerung Brunnhildes; Jackson is especially fond of her Siegfried even though she omits the few Bs and Cs of the role..*”
“DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE : Mozart
Original Air Date: 02/21/1998
Cast: de Waart; Bonney, Lopardo, Finley, Dunleavy, Moll
Media: MOD Audio SID.17430316 Tags: Archive; 2017, Mozart
I want to take a listen to this broadcast, esp. for Bonney and Finley. I wrote a few months ago on some missing gaps in Zauberflote:
If relatively recent sound is the criterion, more rotation of the Lorengar, Deutekom from 1968 is called for and I would love to hear again the 1970 and 1972 broadcasts which have not yet made it to Sirius. The 1970 features the matchless Papageno of Hermann Prey (and live performance is quite a different thing than the recording studio) Popp is out there for one of her last times as the QotN; the 1972 features the strong Queen of Edda Moser and an unusual Pamina, Adriana Maliponte. If sound is not the sole criterion, it would be nice to hear Bruno Walter conducting in the early 40s, with Steber leading the three ladies in three broadcasts succeeded in 1945 by Regina Resnik. Kipnis and Pinza are 2 of the Sarastros. For really splendid Mozart in English, the 1950 with Steber moving up to Pamina, and Tucker as Tamino; Erna Berger sings the Queen in English under Stiedry.”
“PELLÉAS ET MÉLISANDE : Debussy
Original Air Date: 04/08/1995
Cast: Levine; D. Croft, von Stade, Braun, Lloyd, Horne
Media: MOD Audio SID.17430321 Tags: Archive; 2017, Levine
This production was to honor von Stade’s 25th anniversary at the Met. She is a fine Melisande, but the singing honors for me go to Dwayne Croft who was a handsomely voiced Pelleas. This production by Jonathan Miller and designs by John Conklin are not my way of seeing Pelleas, but it is the production we still live with. Generally the quality of the musicmaking is what governs the success of Pelleas, and the musicmaking is of a high order.”
“DIE WALKÜRE : Wagner
Original Air Date: 04/08/1989
Cast: Levine; Behrens, Morris, Norman, Lakes, Ludwig, Moll
Media: MOD AudioMOD Video SID.17430423 Tags: Archive; 2017, Levine, Wagner
This performance is in the MOoD as a video. Lakes is operating in a league that is at least a half step beyond him. Behrens, who is certainly well schooled, is not the right voice for me. Norman is very much her own stylist. Still this is a strong cast overall, and finds the Met orchestra and Levine in their first cycle together in extremely committed form.”
“DIE WALKÜRE : Wagner
Original Air Date: 04/08/1989
Cast: Levine; Behrens, Morris, Norman, Lakes, Ludwig, Moll
Media: MOD AudioMOD Video SID.17430424 Tags: Archive; 2017, Levine, Wagner
This performance is in the MOoD as a video. Lakes is operating in a league that is at least a half step beyond him. Behrens, who is certainly well schooled, is not the right voice for me. Norman is very much her own stylist. Still this is a strong cast overall, and finds the Met orchestra and Levine in their first cycle together in extremely committed form.”
“DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE : Mozart
Original Air Date: 02/21/1998
Cast: de Waart; Bonney, Lopardo, Finley, Dunleavy, Moll
Media: MOD Audio SID.17430532 Tags: Archive; 2017, Mozart
I want to take a listen to this broadcast, esp. for Bonney and Finley. I wrote a few months ago on some missing gaps in Zauberflote:
If relatively recent sound is the criterion, more rotation of the Lorengar, Deutekom from 1968 is called for and I would love to hear again the 1970 and 1972 broadcasts which have not yet made it to Sirius. The 1970 features the matchless Papageno of Hermann Prey (and live performance is quite a different thing than the recording studio) Popp is out there for one of her last times as the QotN; the 1972 features the strong Queen of Edda Moser and an unusual Pamina, Adriana Maliponte. If sound is not the sole criterion, it would be nice to hear Bruno Walter conducting in the early 40s, with Steber leading the three ladies in three broadcasts succeeded in 1945 by Regina Resnik. Kipnis and Pinza are 2 of the Sarastros. For really splendid Mozart in English, the 1950 with Steber moving up to Pamina, and Tucker as Tamino; Erna Berger sings the Queen in English under Stiedry.”
“DAS RHEINGOLD : Wagner
Original Air Date: 01/27/1951
Cast: Stiedry; Hotter, Harshaw, Svanholm, Davidson, Hines, Ernster
Media: MOD Audio SID.17430533 Tags: Archive; 2017, Wagner
Hans Hotter’s MET debut season This performance is taken from the Wagner at the Met CD box set.
I have not heard this broadcast, but the chief vocal interest lies in
Hotter’s broadcast of Wotan one of only two Ring performances he broadcast from the Met; the other was Hunding (not Wotan) in Walkure in 1954. Branzell returns to the Met after a 7 year absence and moves down from Fricka to Erda, appearing in 2 Rheingolds and 3 Siegfrieds in 1951. Her Met career spans 27 years from 1924 to 1951 and 412 performances.
Paul Jackson in his survey of Met broadcasts is not enamored of Stiedry’s conducting. I still hope this means we will hear the rest of the 1951 Ring on Sirius soon (which includes Traubel’s Siegfried & Gotterdammerung Brunnhildes; Jackson is especially fond of her Siegfried even though she omits the few Bs and Cs of the role..*”
“PELLÉAS ET MÉLISANDE : Debussy
Original Air Date: 04/08/1995
Cast: Levine; D. Croft, von Stade, Braun, Lloyd, Horne
Media: MOD Audio SID.17430640 Tags: Archive; 2017, Levine
This production was to honor von Stade’s 25th anniversary at the Met. She is a fine Melisande, but the singing honors for me go to Dwayne Croft who was a handsomely voiced Pelleas. This production by Jonathan Miller and designs by John Conklin are not my way of seeing Pelleas, but it is the production we still live with. Generally the quality of the musicmaking is what governs the success of Pelleas, and the musicmaking is of a high order.”
“DIE WALKÜRE : Wagner
Original Air Date: 04/08/1989
Cast: Levine; Behrens, Morris, Norman, Lakes, Ludwig, Moll
Media: MOD AudioMOD Video SID.17430641 Tags: Archive; 2017, Levine, Wagner
This performance is in the MOoD as a video. Lakes is operating in a league that is at least a half step beyond him. Behrens, who is certainly well schooled, is not the right voice for me. Norman is very much her own stylist. Still this is a strong cast overall, and finds the Met orchestra and Levine in their first cycle together in extremely committed form.”
“DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE : Mozart
Original Air Date: 02/21/1998
Cast: de Waart; Bonney, Lopardo, Finley, Dunleavy, Moll
Media: MOD Audio SID.17430747 Tags: Archive; 2017, Mozart
I want to take a listen to this broadcast, esp. for Bonney and Finley. I wrote a few months ago on some missing gaps in Zauberflote:
If relatively recent sound is the criterion, more rotation of the Lorengar, Deutekom from 1968 is called for and I would love to hear again the 1970 and 1972 broadcasts which have not yet made it to Sirius. The 1970 features the matchless Papageno of Hermann Prey (and live performance is quite a different thing than the recording studio) Popp is out there for one of her last times as the QotN; the 1972 features the strong Queen of Edda Moser and an unusual Pamina, Adriana Maliponte. If sound is not the sole criterion, it would be nice to hear Bruno Walter conducting in the early 40s, with Steber leading the three ladies in three broadcasts succeeded in 1945 by Regina Resnik. Kipnis and Pinza are 2 of the Sarastros. For really splendid Mozart in English, the 1950 with Steber moving up to Pamina, and Tucker as Tamino; Erna Berger sings the Queen in English under Stiedry.”
“DAS RHEINGOLD : Wagner
Original Air Date: 01/27/1951
Cast: Stiedry; Hotter, Harshaw, Svanholm, Davidson, Hines, Ernster
Media: MOD Audio SID.17440101 Tags: Archive; 2017, Wagner
Hans Hotter’s MET debut season This performance is taken from the Wagner at the Met CD box set.
I have not heard this broadcast, but the chief vocal interest lies in
Hotter’s broadcast of Wotan one of only two Ring performances he broadcast from the Met; the other was Hunding (not Wotan) in Walkure in 1954. Branzell returns to the Met after a 7 year absence and moves down from Fricka to Erda, appearing in 2 Rheingolds and 3 Siegfrieds in 1951. Her Met career spans 27 years from 1924 to 1951 and 412 performances.
Paul Jackson in his survey of Met broadcasts is not enamored of Stiedry’s conducting. I still hope this means we will hear the rest of the 1951 Ring on Sirius soon (which includes Traubel’s Siegfried & Gotterdammerung Brunnhildes; Jackson is especially fond of her Siegfried even though she omits the few Bs and Cs of the role..*”
“IL TROVATORE : Verdi
Original Air Date: 12/19/1987
Cast: Bonynge; Pavarotti, Sutherland, Verrett, Nucci, De Grandis
Media: MOD Audio SID.17440105 Tags: Archive; 2017, Pavarotti, Verdi
This is Sutherland’s farewell Met operatic appearance (she and Bonynge do a piano recital 15 months later on the Met stage) and while none of her colleagues are in the first flush of youth either, with the exception of the always poor De Grandis, they still have enough pistons firing to make this Trovatore a stirring afternoon.
This is Verrett’s penultimate Met broadcast (her last is a late Samson in 1990 with Domingo) and shows that whatever the age, Azucena was a great part for her.”
“CARMEN : Bizet
Original Air Date: 04/20/1968
Cast: Lombard; Bumbry, Tucker, Freni, Díaz
Media: MOD Audio SID.17440207 Tags: Archive; 2017
Arguably three of the major voices of the 20th century, and whether you like their way with Carmen or not, they are not inexperienced. Bumbry, in particular, is the most notable LIVE Carmen I ever heard vocally. Though I wasn’t much of a fan of the Barrault production, she was splendid, and so she is here. Tucker premiered the previous production 18 years earlier with Stevens under Fritz Reiner with direction by Tyrone Guthrie. It’s not my favorite Tucker role, but he is exceeded in frequency only by Martinelli at the Met. Freni is caught in her youthful splendor. The French may not make for Academie Francaise, but Paris thought her their choice for Marguerite. I think her Micaela in this period is the one I always hear in my brain. Diaz looked fine as the Toreador (and even he ranks 4th in all-time at the Met) but he’s not in the same league as the others. I’m going to to take a 21st century listen.”
“ERNANI : Verdi
Original Air Date: 12/01/1962
Cast: Schippers; Bergonzi, Price, MacNeil, Tozzi
Media: MOD Audio SID.17440209 Tags: Archive; 2017, Verdi
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.”
“ERNANI : Verdi
Original Air Date: 12/01/1962
Cast: Schippers; Bergonzi, Price, MacNeil, Tozzi
Media: MOD Audio SID.17440209 Tags: Archive; 2017, Verdi
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.”
“DEATH IN VENICE : Britten
Original Air Date: 02/26/1994
Cast: Atherton; Rolfe Johnson, Allen, Gall
Media: MOD Audio SID.17440210 Tags: Archive; 2017
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.”
“ELEKTRA : Strauss
Original Air Date: 01/22/1994
Cast: Levine; Behrens, Voigt, Fassbaender, McIntyre, King
Media: MOD AudioMOD Video SID.17440211 Tags: Archive; 2017, Levine, Strauss
Behrens was not a natural Elektra voice, and her premiere of the production 2 years earlier was her last appearance in the part for close to 2 years. When she returned to the Met for this performance which was also videod and has been issued on DVD in the Levine 40th anniversary collection, she was able to do justice to the part, if not with the tonal reserves of a Nilsson, Varnay, or Jones. This is very early in Deborah Voigt’s career and one hears why she so impressed listeners in the early 90s. This broadcast/telecast is Fassbaender’s Met farewell, and vocally and dramatically she is a bit over the top. She still has her moments.”
“IL PIRATA : Bellini
Original Air Date: 02/08/2003
Cast: Campanella; Fleming, Giordani, Croft
Media: MOD Audio SID.17440314 Tags: Archive; 2017
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.”