RODELINDA:Handel
Original Air Date: 01/01/2005
Bicket; Fleming, Daniels, van Rensburg, Blythe, Mehta, Relyea
MOD Audio SID.19180529
Fleming is the star in all three seasons of Rodelinda at the Met, and the first two broadcasts from 2005 (this one) and 2006 have a major shift with Bicket handing over to Patrick Summers, and the lead countertenor role from David Daniels to Andreas Scholl. The telecast/moviecast is on Decca DVD and in MOoD comes five years later in 2011 and returns Bicket to the podium, but for my money finds Scholl in considerably diminished form compared to his excellent effort in 2006. I’m not a big fan of Handel, and while several of the individual arias are notable, the absence of ensembles (except for the glorious duet for Blythe with the lead countertenor) and the ABA aria style make for a long afternoon or evening of listening or watching. The comings and goings of Rodelinda at the Met are well documented in MOoD, and this first broadcast is a good place to start.
JENUFA:Janácek
Original Air Date: 02/17/2007
Belohlávek; Mattila, Silja, Silvasti, Morris, Dever
SID.19180530
I was disappointed in this production when it was new in 2003, and had seen Silja recently in Barcelona and found her inferior to Marton who was almost as impressive as Rysanek had been as the Kostelnicka. This is Mattila’s second Jenufa broadcast, here first 4 years earlier was with Polaski under Jurowski. Now that we are more aware of Jay Hunter Morris, I will take another listen. Do love Jenufa, but not every performance automatically clicks. The Benackova/ Rysanek under Conlon in 1992 broadcast definitely “clicks!” Alas no Jenufa in MOoD. Belohlavek is a fine Janacek conductor, but both Mattila and Silja are too mature for my taste. The other interest is the first Met broadcast appearance of Jay Hunter Morris,now a Met Siegfried; he had debuted 3 days earlier as Steva. I wish the Met had telecast Mattila’s Jenufa either the first year of the production or with this revival.
LA CLEMENZA DI TITO:Mozart
Original Air Date: 12/06/1997
Levine; Rolfe Johnson, von Otter, Vaness, Kirchschlager, Grant Murphy
SID.19180531
Vaness and von Otter team up with Levine for Idomeneo also. Clemenza has some glorious moments, but I like Idomeneo better. One of Carol Vaness’s best efforts at the Met.
SAMSON ET DALILA:Saint-Saëns
Original Air Date: 04/18/1987
Fournet; Vickers, Horne, Quilico
MOD Audio SID.19180532
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.
ERNANI:Verdi
Original Air Date: 04/10/1965
Schippers; Corelli, Price, Sereni, Siepi
MOD Audio SID.19180533
The Met has two outstanding Ernani broadcasts from the mid 1960s, both with Schippers and Leontyne Price. The first is with Bergonzi and MacNeil, and the second features the special contributions of Corelli and Siepi. Luckily both are on MOoD, with the first also issued on Sony Historical CD. I love Ernani, and both these performances belong in every Verdi lover’s playlist. Ernani is back this season with Domingo in the baritone role; his only Met appearance in the title role was in 1971 (not broadcast).
MANON LESCAUT:Puccini
Original Air Date: 03/31/1956
Mitropoulos; Albanese, Björling, Guarrera, Corena
SID.19180636
For me, one of the top 10 Met broadcasts ever. Highly recommended. This performance is on MetPlayer, although not so marked in the Met data base.This is one of the very greatest ever Metropolitan broadcasts. I am not a major fan of Albanese, but here she is at her very best, and Mitropoulos is something special. It comes up occasionally but not quite monthly so one never tires of hearing it. Sirius has still not broadcast the 1959 Tebaldi-Tucker Manon Lescaut which is of the same quality though the approach is very different. Though Albanese and Bjorling recorded this together, their white hot broadcast under Mitropoulos (who is not on the recording) is the way to experience this opera. For me, one of the top 10 Met broadcasts ever. Highly recommended. This performance is on MetPlayer, although not so marked in the Met data base. This is one of the very greatest ever Metropolitan broadcasts. I am not a major fan of Albanese, but here she is at her very best, and Mitropoulos is something special. It comes up occasionally but not quite monthly so one never tires of hearing it. Albanese and Bjorling have a perfectly nice RCA recording (with the plush of Merrill as Lescaut), but the addition of Mitropoulos and a live matinee audience make this one of the greatest performances ever. Manon Lescaut is my favorite Puccini opera. The music for the two principals always thrills me. The Met should put up the Tebaldi Tucker performance from 1959 which is only a hair behind this 1956 performance, but for those of you who haven’t sampled, and you like Puccini at all, this is a feast. Albanese and Bjorling have a perfectly nice RCA recording (with the plush of Merrill as Lescaut), but the addition of Mitropoulos and a live matinee audience make this one of the greatest performances ever. Luckily, it is also in MOoD to hear as often as you want. Manon Lescaut is my favorite Puccini opera. The music for the two principals always thrills me. The Met should put up the Tebaldi Tucker performance from 1959 which is only a hair behind this 1956 performance, but for those of you who haven’t sampled, and you like Puccini at all, this is a feast.
FAUST:Gounod
Original Air Date: 03/17/2007
Benini; Vargas, Swenson, Abdrazakov, Yun, Deshayes
MOD Audio SID.19180637
The singers are OK, but there are some major Fausts still in the vault– including Bjorling from 1950 one month after his opening night Don Carlo for Bing and 1959, both with Siepi. Why Swenson ends up with 6 broadcasts in MOoD and major artists have half is inexplicable to me. Not one of the glory nights of the Gelb decade.
DON PASQUALE:Donizetti
Original Air Date: 01/09/1965
Varviso; Corena, Peters, Alva, Guarrera
MOD Audio SID.19180638
For me the stars of this broadcast are the matchless Corena and Peruvian tenor Luigi Alva. Alva is still with us and remains much beloved in his home country as well. In terms of style and stage presence, Alva yielded nothing to his more famous successors as Ernesto Alfredo Kraus and fellow Peruvian Juan Diego Florez. Corena shows up again five years later with Reri Grist and Kraus under Carlo Franci. Luckily both performances are in MOoD.
Various:Various
Original Air Date: 01/01/9999
Various Artists
SID.19180639
Various selections between scheduled operas. Siriusxm Radio and web player will show the Composer and Title.
AIDA : Verdi
OAD: 10/06/2018 Rebroadcast 5/04/2019
Luisotti; Netrebko, Rachvelishvili, Antonenko, Kelsey, Belosselskiy, Speedo Green
Program: 100618-aida
NYT Review (Tommassini) Last spring at the Metropolitan Opera, the soprano Anna Netrebko took on the title role of Puccini’s “Tosca” for the first time. She claimed that touchstone part for her own, and put her mark on the whole season. On Wednesday at the Met, Ms. Netrebko did it again, this time in the title role of Verdi’s “Aida.” She is still fairly new to this challenging part, which she introduced at the Salzburg Festival a year ago. There was something fresh and exploratory about her performance on Wednesday. Yet it also felt fully formed, dramatically deep. And she sang magnificently.
Observer (Jorden) “Ritorna vincitor!” cries the Egyptian throng in the first scene of Aida as they send their hero off to war: “Return in triumph!” And that’s what the Met’s undisputed prima donna Anna Netrebko did last night in her first local performance of the protean title role of this opera: she came, she sang and she conquered.
THE GREAT GATSBY:Harbison
Original Air Date: 01/01/2000
Levine; Hadley, Upshaw, Croft, Graham, Baker, Lieberson
MOD Audio SID.19180641
Levine is a great promoter of Harbison’s work, but I miss the appeal. First appearance of Hunt Lieberson whose only other role was Didon in the new Troyens production whose broadcast marks Hunt Lieberson’s Met farewell in February 2003 before her untimely death in July 2006.
LA TRAVIATA:Verdi
Original Air Date: 04/06/1957
Cleva; Tebaldi, Campora, Warren
MOD Audio SID.19180642
This performance divides some people. To use the old 4 act nomenclature, Tebaldi’s best act is not Act 1, but for me Acts 2-4 make for stiff competition for any Violetta. The Act 2 duet with Germont and the final act are one of the great performances in Met broadcast history. Tebaldi only did this at the Met one season, but Bing took her everywhere for 21 performances, This is about halfway through the run. Warren is a most sympathetic Germont.
CARMEN:Bizet
Original Air Date: 04/20/1968
Lombard; Bumbry, Tucker, Freni, Díaz
MOD Audio SID.19180743
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: 04/10/1965
Schippers; Corelli, Price, Sereni, Siepi
MOD Audio SID.19180744
The Met has two outstanding Ernani broadcasts from the mid 1960s, both with Schippers and Leontyne Price. The first is with Bergonzi and MacNeil, and the second features the special contributions of Corelli and Siepi. Luckily both are on MOoD, with the first also issued on Sony Historical CD. I love Ernani, and both these performances belong in every Verdi lover’s playlist. Ernani is back this season with Domingo in the baritone role; his only Met appearance in the title role was in 1971 (not broadcast).
TRISTAN UND ISOLDE:Wagner
Original Air Date: 03/01/1958
Stiedry; Vinay, Harshaw, Thebom, Edelmann, Cassel
MOD Audio SID.19180745
This is Stiedry’s broadcast farewell, and comes only a month before his final Met appearance in Don Giovanni. I prefer Harshaw in her other assignments like Ortrud or Brunnhilde a bit more. Thebom and Cassel are very high quality support.
TRISTAN UND ISOLDE:Wagner
Original Air Date: 03/01/1958
Stiedry; Vinay, Harshaw, Thebom, Edelmann, Cassel
MOD Audio SID.19180746
This is Stiedry’s broadcast farewell, and comes only a month before his final Met appearance in Don Giovanni. I prefer Harshaw in her other assignments like Ortrud or Brunnhilde a bit more. Thebom and Cassel are very high quality support.
RODELINDA:Handel
Original Air Date: 01/01/2005
Bicket; Fleming, Daniels, van Rensburg, Blythe, Mehta, Relyea
MOD Audio SID.19180747
Fleming is the star in all three seasons of Rodelinda at the Met, and the first two broadcasts from 2005 (this one) and 2006 have a major shift with Bicket handing over to Patrick Summers, and the lead countertenor role from David Daniels to Andreas Scholl. The telecast/moviecast is on Decca DVD and in MOoD comes five years later in 2011 and returns Bicket to the podium, but for my money finds Scholl in considerably diminished form compared to his excellent effort in 2006. I’m not a big fan of Handel, and while several of the individual arias are notable, the absence of ensembles (except for the glorious duet for Blythe with the lead countertenor) and the ABA aria style make for a long afternoon or evening of listening or watching. The comings and goings of Rodelinda at the Met are well documented in MOoD, and this first broadcast is a good place to start.
SAMSON ET DALILA:Saint-Saëns
Original Air Date: 04/18/1987
Fournet; Vickers, Horne, Quilico
MOD Audio SID.19180748
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.
CARMEN:Bizet
Original Air Date: 04/20/1968
Lombard; Bumbry, Tucker, Freni, Díaz
MOD Audio SID.19180749
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.
JENUFA:Janácek
OAD: 02/17/2007
Belohlávek; Mattila, Silja, Silvasti, Morris, Dever
SID.19190101
I was disappointed in this production when it was new in 2003, and had seen Silja recently in Barcelona and found her inferior to Marton who was almost as impressive as Rysanek had been as the Kostelnicka. This is Mattila’s second Jenufa broadcast, here first 4 years earlier was with Polaski under Jurowski. Now that we are more aware of Jay Hunter Morris, I will take another listen. Do love Jenufa, but not every performance automatically clicks. The Benackova/ Rysanek under Conlon in 1992 broadcast definitely “clicks!” Alas no Jenufa in MOoD. Belohlavek is a fine Janacek conductor, but both Mattila and Silja are too mature for my taste. The other interest is the first Met broadcast appearance of Jay Hunter Morris,now a Met Siegfried; he had debuted 3 days earlier as Steva. I wish the Met had telecast Mattila’s Jenufa either the first year of the production or with this revival.
DIE FLEDERMAUS:Strauss Jr.
OAD: 01/23/1954
Kozma; Steber, Kullman, Munsel, Hayward, Novotná, Brownlee
SID.19190315
Steber lets the end of the Czardas get away from her, and John Brownlee is never a voice I want to hear, but Munsel is quite a trouper in this role; Novotna is a stylish Orlofsky. Why is the Fledermaus translation not a problem for the Met, but their Arabella is? This is Steber’s only broadcast Rosalinde, and she makes a meal of it. This is getting toward the end of Munsel’s reign at the Met with mostly Perichole and some Depinas ahead of her. My problem is with Brownlee, one of the driest voices ever .
FEDORA:Giordano
OAD: 04/26/1997
Abbado; Freni, Domingo, Croft, Arteta
MOD Video SID.19190316
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.
LES CONTES D’HOFFMANN:Offenbach
OAD: 02/13/1993
Levine; Domingo, Vaness, Held, Mentzer
MOD Audio SID.19190317
One of the best performances I ever saw from Domingo was a NYCO in Philadelphia 1965 Hoffmann with Sills and Treigle. He premieres not one but two Met productions (1973 with Sutherland and Bacquier, and 1982 under Chailly with Morris). This 1993 broadcast follows opening the season in Hoffmann which had Ramey as the villains. The 1982 (which has been on Sirius but not on MOoD, is much better on all counts.
RIGOLETTO:Verdi
OAD: 01/15/2000
Jurowski; Nucci, Jo, Álvarez, Hawlata, Livengood
SID.19190318
Jurowski, a talented conductor returned to the Met recently conducting Die Frau ohne Schatten in a most successful revival. This is Jurowski’s debut season and the cast is reasonably strong. Nucci is a solid Rigoletto, and more to my taste more than most post 2000 baritones. Jo is helped a lot by the microphones, and Alvarez early in his Met career does an OK Duke.
TANNHÄUSER:Wagner
OAD: 01/09/1954
Szell; Vinay, Harshaw, Varnay, London, Hines
MOD Audio SID.19190319
You either love Vinay or you hate him (even as a tenor). As a tenor I like him very much. Wolfram is a particularly congenial part for London, and this was the third performance of a four performance run (at least with Szell who did the next performance after this one and left the Met forever). Szell is one of the prime attractions and this performance is available on Met Player. This performance is on MOoD and notable as Szell’s last Met broadcast and his penultimate appearance at the Met. Cast are well up to their roles, though Vinay is not to every taste– he is to mine. This performance is available also in MOoD as well as the Sony Box and has been on Sirius before. I’m sorry that they did not seek out the 1941 Flagstad Melchior broadcast which was at one time available from the Met in their historic LP series so a decent tape does exist. The Dresden version is used. I take nothing away from the distinction of Szell, but in Tannhauser, the title role is what makes or breaks the performance. Vinay is acceptable, but he is not prime Melchior either.
DER ROSENKAVALIER:Strauss
OAD: 02/23/1974
Böhm; Fassbaender, Lear, Jungwirth, Mathis, Dooley
SID.19190320
Evelyn Lear is a solid Marschallin, even if she is somewhat eclipsed by Fassbaender and Mathis, among the two best performers to ever do these roles. Bohm is in the pit, and Jungwirth is an excellent Ochs (as he is on the Solti Crespin commercial.)
FALSTAFF:Verdi
OAD: 12/16/1967
Amaducci; Flagello, Curtin, Guarrera, Barbieri, Raskin, Alva
MOD Audio SID.19190422
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.
DIE FLEDERMAUS:Strauss Jr.
OAD: 01/23/1954
Kozma; Steber, Kullman, Munsel, Hayward, Novotná, Brownlee
SID.19190423
Steber lets the end of the Czardas get away from her, and John Brownlee is never a voice I want to hear, but Munsel is quite a trouper in this role; Novotna is a stylish Orlofsky. Why is the Fledermaus translation not a problem for the Met, but their Arabella is? This is Steber’s only broadcast Rosalinde, and she makes a meal of it. This is getting toward the end of Munsel’s reign at the Met with mostly Perichole and some Depinas ahead of her. My problem is with Brownlee, one of the driest voices ever .
LA FORZA DEL DESTINO:Verdi
OAD: 11/29/1952
Stiedry; Milanov, Tucker, Warren, Hines, Miller, Pechner
MOD Audio SID.19190424
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.
VANESSA:Barber
OAD: 04/03/1965
Steinberg; Costa, Alexander, Elias, Thebom, Tozzi
MOD Audio SID.19190425
The Met does well by Samuel Barber, and regularly programs on Sirius the Steber world premiere season broadcast from 1958. Elias and Tozzi remain from the original cast under William Steinberg. The skating aria for Vanessa is gone by this revival, another reason to check out the Steber broadcast in MOoD.