DAS RHEINGOLD: Wagner
Original Air Date: 03/14/2019
Jordan; Harmer, Barton, Cargill, Ernst, Siegel, Grimsley, Konieczny, Groissböck, Belosselskiy
SID.19110428
Wagner’s visionary initial installment of the Ring Cycle depicts the original sin of the theft of the sacred golden treasure, the vanity of the gods, the greed of the Nibelungen, the fratricide of the giants, and the building of Valhalla. Bass-baritone Greer Grimsley and baritone Michael Volle share the role of Wotan, the conflicted lord of the gods. Mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton sings her first Wagner role at the Met as Wotan’s embattled wife, Fricka. In collaboration with Ex Machina
Freia……………….Wendy Bryn Harmer
Fricka……………..Jamie Barton*
Erda………………..Karen Cargill
Loge……………….Norbert Ernst (MET Debut)
Mime………………Gerhard Siegel
Donner……………Michael Todd Simpson
Wotan……………..Greer Grimsley
Alberich…………..Tomasz Konieczny (MET Debut)
Fasolt………………Gunter Groissbock
Fafner……………..Dmitry Belosselskiy
Woglinde………..Amanda Woodbury
Wellgunde……..Samantha Hankey
Flosshilde………Tamara Mumford
Conductor……….Philippe Jordan
Production …………………Robert Lepage
Associate Director ………Neilson Vignola
Set Designer ………………Carl Fillion
Costume Designer ….. …Francois St-Aubin
Lighting Designer ……….Etienne Boucher
Video Image Artist ……..Boris Firquet
Revival Stage Director ..J. Knighten Smit
*(Met Role Debut)
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.
Original Air Date: 03/16/2019
Farnes; Schultz, Pérez, Lemieux, Johnson Cano, Demuro, Maestri, Rodríguez
SID.19110640
FALSTAFF {192} Giuseppe Verdi–Arrigo Boito
Sir John Falstaff…….Ambrogio Maestri
Alice Ford…………..Ailyn Pérez
Ford………………..Juan-Jesús Rodriguez
Dame Quickly…………Marie-Nicole Lemieux
Nannetta…………….Golda Schultz
Fenton………………Francesco Demuro
Meg Page…………….Jennifer Johnson Cano
Dr. Cajus……………Tony Stevenson
Bardolfo…………….Keith Jameson
Pistola……………..Richard Bernstein
Conductor……………Richard Farnes
Production…………..Robert Carsen
Set Designer…………Paul Steinberg
Costume Designer……..Brigitte Reiffenstuel
Lighting designer…….Robert Carsen
Lighting Designer…….Peter Van Praet
Stage Director……….Gina Lapinski
Intermission
-Backstage Pass – Loren Toolajian interviews Ailyn Pérez, Marie-Nicole Lemieux, and Golda Schultz
-William Berger interviews Ambrogio Maestri, our Falstaff
-Mary Jo Heath interviews Christine Goerke, Brunhilde, about Die Walküre
The revival a gift of Edwin C. Holmer III
A co-production of the Metropolitan Opera; Royal Opera House, Covent Garden; Teatro alla Scala, Milan; the Canadian Opera Company, Toronto; and De Nederlandse Opera, Amsterdam
Baritone Ambrogio Maestri brings his larger-than-life portrayal of the title role back for the first time since his Met role debut in the 2013–14 season. Robert Carsen’s insightful production—which moves the action to postwar England in the 1950s—features an exceptional cast that includes soprano Ailyn Pérez as Alice Ford and soprano Golda Schultz as Nannetta.
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.
LA BOHÈME:Puccini
Original Air Date: 02/03/2007
Rizzi; Gallardo-Domâs, Giordani, Arteta, Croft, Relyea, Plishka
SID.19120101
[NYTimes Review] Rodolfo and Mimi Soar Again By ANTHONY TOMMASINI JAN. 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.
FIDELIO:Beethoven
Original Air Date: 12/18/1993
Michael; Evans, Heppner, Hale, Rootering, Donath, Schade
MOD Audio SID.19120317
This is not my favorite Fidelio, but more notable as Anne Evans’ Met farewell. Helen Donath has a small Met career (21 performances). She has a fine voice as first heard on the Solti Rosenkavalier as Sophie. I saw her several decades later in DC as she had moved up to the Marschallin. She has been active in selected parts well after her Met Susannas which came at the end of the Fidelio season (but not broadcast). Robert Hale was second choice for Wotan during a number of the Morris years and married at least two sopranos– Inge Nielsen and Marina Poplavskaya.
TRISTAN UND ISOLDE:Wagner
Original Air Date: 12/06/2008
Barenboim; Lehman, Dalayman, DeYoung, Youn, Grochowski
MOD Audio SID.19120318
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.
TRISTAN UND ISOLDE:Wagner
Original Air Date: 12/06/2008
Barenboim; Lehman, Dalayman, DeYoung, Youn, Grochowski
MOD Audio SID.19120319
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.
RIGOLETTO:Verdi
Original Air Date: 03/20/2019
Luisotti; Sierra, Zaharia, Hymel, Frontali, Kocán
SID.19120321
RIGOLETTO {893}
Giuseppe Verdi–Francesco Maria Piave/Victor Hugo
Rigoletto……………Roberto Frontali
Gilda……………….Nadine Sierra
Duke of Mantua……….Francesco Demuro
Maddalena……………Ramona Zaharia
Sparafucile………….Stefan Kocán
Monterone……………Robert Pomakov
Borsa……………….Eduardo Valdes
Marullo……………..Jeongcheol Cha
Count Ceprano………..Paul Corona
Countess Ceprano……..Samantha Hankey
Giovanna…………….Jennifer Roderer
Page………………..Catherine MiEun Choi-Steckmeyer
Guard……………….Earle Patriarco
Conductor……………Nicola Luisotti
Production…………..Michael Mayer
Set Designer…………Christine Jones
Costume Designer……..Susan Hilferty
Lighting Designer…….Kevin Adams
Choreographer………..Steven Hoggett
Stage Director……….Gregory Keller
This production of Rigoletto is set in Las Vegas, 1960.
Verdi’s tragic jester returns in Michael Mayer’s neon-bedecked, Las Vegas–themed production. Baritones Roberto Frontali and George Gagnidze share the title role, and soprano Nadine Sierra reprises her portrayal of Gilda, the role that helped launch her now-blossoming Met career. Tenors Vittorio Grigolo, Francesco Demuro, Matthew Polenzani, and Stephen Costello share the role of the lascivious Duke, and Nicola Luisotti conducts.
FALSTAFF:Verdi
Original Air Date: 03/08/1986
Levine; Taddei, Neblett, Monk, Cossotto, Blegen, Ahlstedt
MOD Audio SID.19120422
Its particularly good to have this performance back on the radio. Taddei and Cossotto make a most interesting pair, and I’m sorry she did not do more of the part. I don’t have strong memories of Neblett and Monk. Taddei who came very late to the Met did this run of Falstaff followed by a run in L’elisir which was broadcast and has been on Sirius. If they run that performance again I will check it out. Taddei’s actual Met farewell is as Dulcamara in Met in the Pennsauken Cooper River Park in New Jersey with Hong as his Adina. Taddei appeared as both Scarpia and Rigoletto in Philadelphia (both with Tucker) and I also saw his Leporello in Dallas (with Sutherland and the EMI gang), Germont (with Callas) and much later Leporello again in San Francisco with Siepi. The Met was not starving for good baritones in those days, so we got too little of him and very late. He has a nice non-Met legacy of studio and live performances. He died at 93 June 2, 2010.
LA FILLE DU RÉGIMENT:Donizetti
Original Air Date: 12/28/1940
Papi; Pons, Jobin, Petina, Baccaloni
MOD Audio SID.19120423
This performance has also been issued in the Sony Historical CD series from the Met. The surprise was that this was Pons’ only Met broadcast of Marie–she has thirteen Lucia broadcasts!!!!! This broadcast is her first time in the part at the Met (Broadcast production premieres were not common prior to Gelb) She was a huge Met star. She was my third Lucia (Callas and Sutherland first); that Fort Worth Lucia was not the way to remember her. Generally I don’t find Fille as strong a work as either Don Pasquale or L’Elisir d’Amore. This is not only the incomparable Lily Pons’s first performance in Donizetti’s comic opera at the Met; it is her only broadcast as Marie. Equal parts dazzling singer and romping tomboy, she is totally charming. No wonder Time magazine put her on its cover. Salvatore Baccaloni is Sergeant Sulpice and Raoul Jobin is the man who steals Pons’s heart. In this famous World War II-era broadcast Pons interpolates “La Marseillaise” at the end—bringing a cheering Met audience to its feet.
BENVENUTO CELLINI:Berlioz
Original Air Date: 12/27/2003
Levine; Giordani, Bayrakdarian, Del Carlo, Jepson, Lloyd
MOD Audio SID.19120424
This is the opera’s only broadcast from its only season. There is much lovely music along the way, but it does not have cumulative impact for me. Giordani copes not always pleasantly with an extremely challenging role. I think twice a year for Cellini is just about the maximum desired cycling. Once a year would be enough for me especially since it’s in MOoD.