“SUSANNAH : Floyd
Original Air Date: 04/03/1999
Cast: Conlon; Fleming, Hadley, Ramey
Media: MOD Audio SID.18240102 Tags: Archive; 2018
This is the Met’s only broadcast of Susannah to date, and finds all three principals on especially fine form. I’ve seen the opera 4 times, and each time it is very successful and attention holding. Even without the visual appeal, the opera makes an impact from the music alone.
This was a highly successful Met repertory debut for the Carlisle Floyd opera and both Fleming and Ramey are extremely well cast. Conlon is very committed to the work, and it is a contemporary work that works almost as well in audio only as in the theatre with its sure-fire theatrics. One of the best efforts of the Met for both American and contemporary opera.
Very fine performances from both Fleming and Ramey under Conlon bring great credit to the Met and the artists. One of the most distinctive broadcasts of the week.
This is one of Fleming’s very best outings, and Ramey and Hadley are well cast as well. One of the better 20th century American operas.”
“ERNANI : Verdi
Original Air Date: 12/01/1962
Cast: Schippers; Bergonzi, Price, MacNeil, Tozzi
Media: MOD Audio SID.18240103 Tags: Archive; 2018, 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.”
“DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE : Mozart
Original Air Date: 02/07/1981
Cast: Foster; Popp, Kuebler, Duesing, Donat, Macurdy
Media: MOD Audio SID.18240214 Tags: Archive; 2018, Mozart
Lucia Popp made her debut with the Chagall Flute as Queen of the Night, the first season in the new house. She didn’t broadcast the role until 3 years later, and then 11 years later moves down to Pamina in this broadcast She’s a very fine Pamina, but overall I am not impressed by the remainder of the cast.
The main distinction here is Popp’s Pamina, and she is one of the best. The rest of the cast is OK, but there are other broadcasts of more distinction in the other roles.”
“EUGENE ONEGIN : Tchaikovsky
Original Air Date: 12/19/1992
Cast: Ozawa; Leiferkus, Freni, Hadley, Svendén, Ghiaurov
Media: MOD Audio SID.18240315 Tags: Archive; 2018
This is Freni’s second Met broadcast of Tatiana. In 1989 with Levine conducting, Hadley repeats with Hynninen in the title role, and Robert Lloyd as Gremin. The 1989 performance is available in MOoD.
This is one of Ozawa’s two matinee broadcasts, the second one 16 years later in Tchaikovsky’s Queen of Spades. Ozawa is ok, but there’s plenty of fine Onegin conducting at the Met.”
“SUSANNAH : Floyd
Original Air Date: 04/03/1999
Cast: Conlon; Fleming, Hadley, Ramey
Media: MOD Audio SID.18240318 Tags: Archive; 2018
This is the Met’s only broadcast of Susannah to date, and finds all three principals on especially fine form. I’ve seen the opera 4 times, and each time it is very successful and attention holding. Even without the visual appeal, the opera makes an impact from the music alone.
This was a highly successful Met repertory debut for the Carlisle Floyd opera and both Fleming and Ramey are extremely well cast. Conlon is very committed to the work, and it is a contemporary work that works almost as well in audio only as in the theatre with its sure-fire theatrics. One of the best efforts of the Met for both American and contemporary opera.
Very fine performances from both Fleming and Ramey under Conlon bring great credit to the Met and the artists. One of the most distinctive broadcasts of the week.
This is one of Fleming’s very best outings, and Ramey and Hadley are well cast as well. One of the better 20th century American operas.”
“IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA : Rossini
Original Air Date: 03/19/1966
Cast: Varviso; Herlea, Grist, Shirley, Corena, Siepi
Media: MOD Audio SID.18240424 Tags: Archive; 2018
This is Reri Grist’s debut year, and the broadcast comes three weeks later. Herlea had some success debuting in Don Carlo two years earlier. One does not get better than Corena and Siepi in these roles. As Barbieres go, this one is not bad.
Corena and Siepi are absolute masters in these roles, and the rest of the cast is good to very good– Grist has made her debut a few weeks before this broadcast.
Varviso has an excellent studio Barbiere with Berganza, but this is a fine cast, which in the case of Corena and Siepi is not surpassed. Herlea is not as impressive here as in his Rodrigo (Don Carlo) but still a decent Figaro. I prefer a mezzo Rosina, but Grist is a fine singer and under-represented.”
“SUSANNAH : Floyd
Original Air Date: 04/03/1999
Cast: Conlon; Fleming, Hadley, Ramey
Media: MOD Audio SID.18240636 Tags: Archive; 2018
This is the Met’s only broadcast of Susannah to date, and finds all three principals on especially fine form. I’ve seen the opera 4 times, and each time it is very successful and attention holding. Even without the visual appeal, the opera makes an impact from the music alone.
This was a highly successful Met repertory debut for the Carlisle Floyd opera and both Fleming and Ramey are extremely well cast. Conlon is very committed to the work, and it is a contemporary work that works almost as well in audio only as in the theatre with its sure-fire theatrics. One of the best efforts of the Met for both American and contemporary opera.
Very fine performances from both Fleming and Ramey under Conlon bring great credit to the Met and the artists. One of the most distinctive broadcasts of the week.
This is one of Fleming’s very best outings, and Ramey and Hadley are well cast as well. One of the better 20th century American operas.”
“EUGENE ONEGIN : Tchaikovsky
Original Air Date: 12/19/1992
Cast: Ozawa; Leiferkus, Freni, Hadley, Svendén, Ghiaurov
Media: MOD Audio SID.18240638 Tags: Archive; 2018
This is Freni’s second Met broadcast of Tatiana. In 1989 with Levine conducting, Hadley repeats with Hynninen in the title role, and Robert Lloyd as Gremin. The 1989 performance is available in MOoD.
This is one of Ozawa’s two matinee broadcasts, the second one 16 years later in Tchaikovsky’s Queen of Spades. Ozawa is ok, but there’s plenty of fine Onegin conducting at the Met.”
“IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA : Rossini
Original Air Date: 03/19/1966
Cast: Varviso; Herlea, Grist, Shirley, Corena, Siepi
Media: MOD Audio SID.18240640 Tags: Archive; 2018
This is Reri Grist’s debut year, and the broadcast comes three weeks later. Herlea had some success debuting in Don Carlo two years earlier. One does not get better than Corena and Siepi in these roles. As Barbieres go, this one is not bad.
Corena and Siepi are absolute masters in these roles, and the rest of the cast is good to very good– Grist has made her debut a few weeks before this broadcast.
Varviso has an excellent studio Barbiere with Berganza, but this is a fine cast, which in the case of Corena and Siepi is not surpassed. Herlea is not as impressive here as in his Rodrigo (Don Carlo) but still a decent Figaro. I prefer a mezzo Rosina, but Grist is a fine singer and under-represented.”
“ERNANI : Verdi
Original Air Date: 12/01/1962
Cast: Schippers; Bergonzi, Price, MacNeil, Tozzi
Media: MOD Audio SID.18240743 Tags: Archive; 2018, 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.”
“EUGENE ONEGIN : Tchaikovsky
Original Air Date: 12/19/1992
Cast: Ozawa; Leiferkus, Freni, Hadley, Svendén, Ghiaurov
Media: MOD Audio SID.18240747 Tags: Archive; 2018
This is Freni’s second Met broadcast of Tatiana. In 1989 with Levine conducting, Hadley repeats with Hynninen in the title role, and Robert Lloyd as Gremin. The 1989 performance is available in MOoD.
This is one of Ozawa’s two matinee broadcasts, the second one 16 years later in Tchaikovsky’s Queen of Spades. Ozawa is ok, but there’s plenty of fine Onegin conducting at the Met.”
“SUSANNAH : Floyd
Original Air Date: 04/03/1999
Cast: Conlon; Fleming, Hadley, Ramey
Media: MOD Audio SID.18240748 Tags: Archive; 2018
This is the Met’s only broadcast of Susannah to date, and finds all three principals on especially fine form. I’ve seen the opera 4 times, and each time it is very successful and attention holding. Even without the visual appeal, the opera makes an impact from the music alone.
This was a highly successful Met repertory debut for the Carlisle Floyd opera and both Fleming and Ramey are extremely well cast. Conlon is very committed to the work, and it is a contemporary work that works almost as well in audio only as in the theatre with its sure-fire theatrics. One of the best efforts of the Met for both American and contemporary opera.
Very fine performances from both Fleming and Ramey under Conlon bring great credit to the Met and the artists. One of the most distinctive broadcasts of the week.
This is one of Fleming’s very best outings, and Ramey and Hadley are well cast as well. One of the better 20th century American operas.”
“MANON : Massenet
Original Air Date: 12/15/1951
Cast: Cleva; Albanese, Di Stefano, Singher
Media: MOD Audio SID.18250106 Tags: Archive; 2018
If Singher is the only one to really be a master of the French style, Albanese and Di Stefano are not without interest.”
“OTELLO : Verdi
Original Air Date: 03/08/1958
Cast: Cleva; Del Monaco, de los Angeles, Warren, Franke
Media: MOD Audio SID.18250212 Tags: Archive; 2018, Verdi
This is a splendid performance, and should also note the number of fine Otellos which have not been on Sirius, including but not limited to the the 3 1940s Otellos with Stella Roman, Tebaldi’s two Desdemonas from 1955 and 1958 (the 1955 is uncommon on the private market, and the 1958 never seen, even the 1958 from La Scala with the same trio– Tebaldi, Del Monaco, Warren is not that common and the 1963 Tucci, McCracken , Merrill with Solti have all been missed by Sirius. Really too many omissions for relatively recent performances. Also the Bohm (his only Verdi at the Met) from April 1972”
“MANON : Massenet
Original Air Date: 12/15/1951
Cast: Cleva; Albanese, Di Stefano, Singher
Media: MOD Audio SID.18250422 Tags: Archive; 2018
If Singher is the only one to really be a master of the French style, Albanese and Di Stefano are not without interest.”
“GIULIO CESARE : Handel
Original Air Date: 04/17/1999
Cast: Nelson; Larmore, McNair, Daniels, Blythe, Asawa
Media: MOD Audio SID.18250531 Tags: Archive; 2018
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.18250640 Tags: Archive; 2018
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.”
“HÄNSEL UND GRETEL : Humperdinck
Original Air Date: 12/29/2001
Cast: Mackerras; Larmore, Upshaw, Forst, Blythe, Josephson
Media: MOD Audio SID.18260209 Tags: Archive; 2018
This performance is indeed in German and yet is performed by a 100% Anglophone cast. Irony indeed. Mackerras is the most distinctive contributor to a work whose orchestral passages are among its most interesting. Also worth noting is there is a separate listing in MOoD for the English language versions and the German version. But though the language was German it was the same production as premiered in English in 1967-1968 by O’Hearn and Merrill and concluded with these performances in 2001-2. Hansel returned in a new also English language production by Richard Jones in 2007-2008.”
“DIE FRAU OHNE SCHATTEN : Strauss
Original Air Date: 12/17/1966
Cast: Böhm; Rysanek, King, Ludwig, Berry, Dalis
Media: MOD Audio SID.18260210 Tags: Archive; 2018, Strauss
This is the Met broadcast premiere of one of Strauss’ greatest works. I went to a performance a few weeks earlier in the gala opening weeks of the Met’s Lincoln Center house. Hearing the performance almost five decades later it still holds up as one of the great ensemble and individual performance efforts in Met history. All of the singers are excellent, and for radio only, the voice that makes the best effect is Walter Berry. His work may be less well known to newer opera-goers, but for my money he is my favorite Barak on disc or in the theatre. FiDi was by all accounts quite memorable in the theatre, but I never saw him in the role. This performance really belongs in the Met Opera on Demand (MOoD) series as well, but for the moment it is now being issued as part of the Met at Lincoln Center 50th anniversary CD box.”
“CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA / PAGLIACCI : Mascagni / Leoncavallo
Original Air Date: 04/04/1953
Cast: Erede; Milanov, Baum, Valentino / Rigal, Del Monaco, Silveri
Media: MOD Audio SID.18260212 Tags: Archive; 2018
This performance is most notable for Del Monaco’s relatively early Canio. The role is his farewell 6 years later in 1959. The 1959 broadcast should be added to the Sirius rotation / MOoD because it features Mitropoulos in the pit, but also Warren in one of his greatest roles. Warren’s previous broadcast Tonio was 1951.”
“DON PASQUALE : Donizetti
Original Air Date: 01/09/1965
Cast: Varviso; Corena, Peters, Alva, Guarrera
Media: MOD Audio SID.18260213 Tags: Archive; 2018
“
“HÄNSEL UND GRETEL : Humperdinck
Original Air Date: 12/29/2001
Cast: Mackerras; Larmore, Upshaw, Forst, Blythe, Josephson
Media: MOD Audio SID.18260425 Tags: Archive; 2018
This performance is indeed in German and yet is performed by a 100% Anglophone cast. Irony indeed. Mackerras is the most distinctive contributor to a work whose orchestral passages are among its most interesting. Also worth noting is there is a separate listing in MOoD for the English language versions and the German version. But though the language was German it was the same production as premiered in English in 1967-1968 by O’Hearn and Merrill and concluded with these performances in 2001-2. Hansel returned in a new also English language production by Richard Jones in 2007-2008.”
“CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA / PAGLIACCI : Mascagni / Leoncavallo
Original Air Date: 04/04/1953
Cast: Erede; Milanov, Baum, Valentino / Rigal, Del Monaco, Silveri
Media: MOD Audio SID.18260428 Tags: Archive; 2018
This performance is most notable for Del Monaco’s relatively early Canio. The role is his farewell 6 years later in 1959. The 1959 broadcast should be added to the Sirius rotation / MOoD because it features Mitropoulos in the pit, but also Warren in one of his greatest roles. Warren’s previous broadcast Tonio was 1951.”
“DON PASQUALE : Donizetti
Original Air Date: 01/09/1965
Cast: Varviso; Corena, Peters, Alva, Guarrera
Media: MOD Audio SID.18260529 Tags: Archive; 2018
“
“SAMSON ET DALILA : Saint-Saëns
Original Air Date: 04/18/1987
Cast: Fournet; Vickers, Horne, Quilico
Media: MOD Audio SID.18260637 Tags: Archive; 2018
This is Vickers’ farewell to the Met (not announced in advance). For many of us, he is a legendary singer who spans the beginning of our operatic journey, and 26 years later still shines very brightly indeed. In almost every assumption he not only gave his individual commitment (he was Giasone to Callas in my first opera in 1958 in Dallas) but simply encompassed roles as few ever do and was always in the top rank and usually best ever seen in the roles. Samson is certainly one of those roles, and if the opera has been a bit overdone on Sirius, I am never finished with my enjoyment of Vickers. Horne is a singer I admire on many fronts– her support of young artists, the advocacy for vocal recitals, and certainly outstanding Rossinian efforts. But I’m not much of Rossini guy, and I find many of her ventures beyond not to my taste, Verdi (even as Quickly) really doesn’t work and Dalila doesn’t compare with my first (Rita Gorr in the premiere of the O’Hearn Merrill production in 1964) or some of my best more recent ones– Borodina’s voice was made for those languorous lines. This is Vickers’ only broadcast of Samson et Dalila, and sometime min the last 3 years has been added to MOoD as a testament to his work and whom we lost July 13, 2015 after a long illness.”
“HÄNSEL UND GRETEL : Humperdinck
Original Air Date: 12/29/2001
Cast: Mackerras; Larmore, Upshaw, Forst, Blythe, Josephson
Media: MOD Audio SID.18260641 Tags: Archive; 2018
This performance is indeed in German and yet is performed by a 100% Anglophone cast. Irony indeed. Mackerras is the most distinctive contributor to a work whose orchestral passages are among its most interesting. Also worth noting is there is a separate listing in MOoD for the English language versions and the German version. But though the language was German it was the same production as premiered in English in 1967-1968 by O’Hearn and Merrill and concluded with these performances in 2001-2. Hansel returned in a new also English language production by Richard Jones in 2007-2008.”
“DIE FRAU OHNE SCHATTEN : Strauss
Original Air Date: 12/17/1966
Cast: Böhm; Rysanek, King, Ludwig, Berry, Dalis
Media: MOD Audio SID.18260642 Tags: Archive; 2018, Strauss
This is the Met broadcast premiere of one of Strauss’ greatest works. I went to a performance a few weeks earlier in the gala opening weeks of the Met’s Lincoln Center house. Hearing the performance almost five decades later it still holds up as one of the great ensemble and individual performance efforts in Met history. All of the singers are excellent, and for radio only, the voice that makes the best effect is Walter Berry. His work may be less well known to newer opera-goers, but for my money he is my favorite Barak on disc or in the theatre. FiDi was by all accounts quite memorable in the theatre, but I never saw him in the role. This performance really belongs in the Met Opera on Demand (MOoD) series as well, but for the moment it is now being issued as part of the Met at Lincoln Center 50th anniversary CD box.”
“FALSTAFF : Verdi
Original Air Date: 12/16/1967
Cast: Amaducci; Flagello, Curtin, Guarrera, Barbieri, Raskin, Alva
Media: MOD Audio SID.18270102 Tags: Archive; 2018, Verdi
Barbieri, Guarrera, and Alva are veterans of many Falstaffs, and Flagello features a lot of voice for a bass Falstaff. Amaducci, by memory, didn’t have much sparkle. High praise for Alva and Barbieri; she is a characterful Quickly, and he a perfect Fenton, but Amaducci is possibly the weakest Falstaff conductor in Met history(certainly on broadcasts).
The 1964 Bernstein has never been on Sirius, and though the Met Database records the 1972 as having been on Sirius with Gobbi, Tebaldi, and Paskalis under von Dohnanyi, it has not been on more than once, and should be heard again. Both of these performances belong in MOoD not this performance.
Flagello who had one of the great voices in a time when the Met’s bass cabinet was chock full sings the part very well, but for this work, you must have a conductor to work with you, and that he doesn’t have. Alas, Falstaff is about ensemble, not individual efforts.”
“MANON LESCAUT : Puccini
Original Air Date: 03/12/1966
Cast: Adler; Kabaivanska, Tucker, Walker, Esparza
Media: MOD Audio SID.18270105 Tags: Archive; 2018, Puccini
While I still want to hear Tucker and Tebaldi from 7 years earlier, this gives us the advantage of hearing a young Kabaivanska. I saw her do this part with a young Domingo pretty contemporaneous with this broadcast in Fort Worth, and what a pair they were. Esparza is for party tapes, and Walker was promoted as a more cornfed Merrill. Cornfed he may be, but any comparison to Merrill is not critically alert. Merrill on the Albanese Bjorling recording is like sable (the fur not the fish).
Also available on MOoD (Met Opera on Demand)
Manon Lescaut is my favorite Puccini and Kabaivanska is an excellent Manon. Sirius is still omitting the 1959 broadcast with Tebaldi and Tucker when both are at their absolute best. Esparza is an unfunny Thanksgiving joke; he makes Corena sound like Ezio Pinza.”
“PETER GRIMES : Britten
Original Air Date: 12/31/1994
Cast: Conlon; Rolfe Johnson, Fleming, Opie, Walker, Howard
Media: MOD Audio SID.18270209 Tags: Archive; 2018
Fleming in an unusual role and Rolfe Johnson taken from us much too soon. One of Fleming’s most successful outings. I like hearing a young
fresh voice as Ellen Orford. This is Fleming’s only season as Ellen Orford, and I find her youthful singing a most pleasant plus.
Excellent all-around performance. One of Fleming’s most successful outings. I like hearing a young fresh voice as Ellen Orford. Excellent all-around performance.”