COSÌ FAN TUTTE : Mozart
Original Air Date: 01/20/1990
Cast: Levine; Mims, Hadley, Troyanos, Hampson, Hong, Van Allan
Media: MOD Audio SID.18400212
This performance is notable as Troyanos’ only Met season as Dorabella, and the same holds true for Hampson’s Guglielmo. She has a well regarded RCA recording from 1968 (!!!) very early in her career. I find Levine at his most inspired in Mozart, and especially so in Cosi. It will be his return opera to the Met next season and is scheduled for Live in HD. The ensemble is well drilled. Worth a listen.
Updated note : Sirius subscribers have heard Levine’s return in Cosi already with the matinee broadcast and Live in HD to come in March 2014. I thought Levine lived up to his considerable reputation in the fall Cosis.
ORFEO ED EURIDICE : Gluck
Original Air Date: 01/18/1958
Cast: Rudolf; Stevens, Amara, Cundari
Media: MOD Audio SID.18400422 Tags: Archive; 2018
The strongest thing about this performance is Rudolf’s conducting. Stevens was definitely a star Orfeo, but she’s never an audio favorite of mine. A very great artist outstanding advocate for American artists , and the role of the arts in general. She had quite a following, but her audios alone do not make a career. She is still with us, and may she have many more years.
For me this is much too late for Stevens (She retires in 1960). I did check Paul Jackson’s authoritative volume on Met broadcasts– and he’s at his best in the 40s and 50s, but has nothing to say about this performance. This performance has been on before and is on MOoD.
BENVENUTO CELLINI : Berlioz
Original Air Date: 12/27/2003
Cast: Levine; Giordani, Bayrakdarian, Del Carlo, Jepson, Lloyd
Media: MOD Audio SID.18400531 Tags: Archive; 2018, Levine
“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.”
IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA : Rossini
Original Air Date: 03/09/1963
Cast: Strasfogel; Guarrera, D’Angelo, Shirley, Corena, Tozzi
Media: SID.18400532 Tags: Archive; 2018
The only known I will vouch for in advance is Corena, one of his very best roles. Tozzi becomes more variable in this period, so I don’t want to praise a performance I have not recently heard. This performance could be anything from a train wreck to a secret gem. What I am sure about is that it is not the Zedda critical edition (not yet published).
ELEKTRA : Strauss
Original Air Date: 02/16/1980
Cast: Levine; Nilsson, Rysanek, Dunn, McIntyre, Nagy
Media: SID.18400533 Tags: Archive; 2018, Nilsson, Strauss
This run of Elektras marked Nilsson’s return to the house after an absence of four years. It is also Levine’s first go at Elektra at the Met (maybe his first staged ones). Nilsson, by her standards is somewhat diminished compared to the 1971 performance under Bohm which catches her in much fresher form and under arguably one of the great Strauss conductors in history and luckily is available in MOoD. This 1980 performance was filmed and is available on DVD on Deutsche Grammophon.
I love Nilsson’s Elektra, but this is not the way to remember her. The video of this performance at least gives you some visuals. The 1971 despite Madeira’s unfortunate Met farewell Klytemnestra (she died not long thereafter) is the Met broadcast to hear Nilsson’s Elektra.
DER FLIEGENDE HOLLÄNDER : Wagner
Original Air Date: 02/16/1963
Cast: Böhm; London, Rysanek, Kónya, Tozzi
Media: MOD Audio SID.18400315 Tags: Archive; 2018
This is a legendary partnership of Bohm with London and Rysanek. Bohm and Rysanek are together for two later broadcasts in 1965 with David Ward, and 1970 with William Dooley. Neither of those have been on Sirius. This 1963 broadcast was swapped with Ariadne 2 weeks earlier when the Hollander cast could not be assembled. That swap denied the broadcast audience the chance to hear Della Casa’s Ariadne. For my money there is no Senta like Rysanek. Read the Opera-L archives for my appreciation (I saw a tour performance from the stage). Rysanek and London are certainly a remarkable pair, and the applause for their Act 2 duet (in the 3 act version) regularly seemed unending.
———-
10/10/11 This performance was originally scheduled 2 weeks earlier when Konya was sick and Ariadne was switched at the last minute (and effectively knocked Della Casa out of an Ariadne broadcast). The Met Hollander premiere 3 years earlier with Rysanek and London was with Schippers. Bohm takes command of 3 broadcasts all with Rysanek, but David Ward is on the second (I would love to hear this again– a fine singer almost forgotten), and the third in 1970 with Dooley. For me, Senta and Kaiserin are Rysanek’s two most singular creations. There is nothing like the finale and as I’ve noted in other Opera-L postings I once saw this creation from the stage with her first husband standing right behind me. Fortunately this performance is on Met Player, and is far more thrilling than the studio performance with much the same cast under Dorati.
CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA / PAGLIACCI : Mascagni / Leoncavallo
Original Air Date: 12/10/1988
Cast: Siciliani; Dimitrova, Mauro, Fondary / Giacomini, Soviero, Pons
Media: SID.18400535 Tags: Archive; 2018
Though Dimitrova was well regarded for her power and skill in the “big” roles, her Santuzza was one of the very best I’ve ever heard, and more importantly, seemed very personal. Her voice is satisfyingly volcanic this afternoon. No less impressive is the Pagliacci with Giacomini’s farewell to the Met. I much enjoyed his Don Carlo, and he is on top form for this Canio. Soviero has a strong Nedda as well. Siciliani gives full veristic sway in his conducting. Recommended.
FAUST : Gounod
Original Air Date: 02/26/1972
Cast: Rich; Domingo, Zylis-Gara, Tozzi, Sereni, von Stade
Media: MOD Audio SID.18400636 Tags: Archive; 2018
This over-programmed Faust is on again, but there are so many better Fausts on the shelf. Domingo is better than expected in one of his early broadcasts, but Tozzi, a Met stalwart, is in poor form. Mercifully, the rotation has slowed down on this performance.
There are a number of excellent Fausts, 2 with Bjorling (and Siepi) which Sirius has never played, and there are several much better Fausts in the Sirius rotation. This one does not deserve such airplay.
Nicolai Gedda is third in all-time performances (42) as Faust surpassed only by Jean de Reszke at 71 and Giovanni Martinelli at 56, and yet is represented by only one Faust broadcast in MOoD and Sirius reports replay of the 1972, but neither his 1966 or 1969 with interesting casts have been heard on either. Nicolai Gedda is still with us, A little more attention on him please. He was a Met star tenor for two decades, and we mostly hear him in Vanessa (where he is remarkable), but he was the leading Faust in the world with the passing of Bjorling his Swedish countryman.
FIDELIO : Beethoven
Original Air Date: 01/22/1966
Cast: Böhm; Nilsson, King, Evans, Edelmann, Pracht, Anthony
Media: MOD Audio SID.18400637 Tags: Archive; 2018
I was in attendance for this broadcast, and while I prefer the classic 1960 broadcast with Bohm, Nilsson, and Vickers, Nilsson and King are fine, but Geraint Evans, an artist I much admire is not meant for this kind of role vocally. Uhde has his deficiencies but is much more appropriate. It’s a bit too late for Edelmann, but I think there “never was” for Czerwenka in the 1960. The 1960 performance also appears on a Sony Historical CD. What has not appeared in the Sirius run is the Beethoven 1971 bicentenary broadcast of the new production with Rysanek, Vickers with an excellent effort by Berry and Tozzi also under Bohm. Serious omission!
COSÌ FAN TUTTE : Mozart
Original Air Date: 01/20/1990
Cast: Levine; Mims, Hadley, Troyanos, Hampson, Hong, Van Allan
Media: MOD Audio SID.18400212
This performance is notable as Troyanos’ only Met season as Dorabella, and the same holds true for Hampson’s Guglielmo. She has a well regarded RCA recording from 1968 (!!!) very early in her career. I find Levine at his most inspired in Mozart, and especially so in Cosi. It will be his return opera to the Met next season and is scheduled for Live in HD. The ensemble is well drilled. Worth a listen.
Updated note : Sirius subscribers have heard Levine’s return in Cosi already with the matinee broadcast and Live in HD to come in March 2014. I thought Levine lived up to his considerable reputation in the fall Cosis.
DER ROSENKAVALIER : Strauss
Original Air Date: 02/18/1956
Cast: Kempe; Stevens, Della Casa; Edelmann, Güden, Herbert
Media: MOD Audio SID.18400640 Tags: Archive; 2018
Sadly, we lost Della Casa this past week [December 2012]. No more
beautiful woman ever trod the operatic stage. With Kempe in the pit
for his final Met broadcast, this is a wonderful all-around performance.
5/3/11 – This performance has been on, but not frequently. I found a reference to my hearing it in January 2010, but Met Database does not show it has having been on Sirius. In any case I give the performance an absolute rave. If maybe a little late for Stevens, Della Casa and Guden are in absolute prime. Kempe appeared too little and we certainly need his Arabella (in English) with Steber, Guden and London to appear on Sirius. Don’t miss.
LES TROYENS : Berlioz
Original Air Date: 02/18/1984
Cast: Levine; Norman, Sooter, Monk, Taillon, Plishka, Ahlstedt
Media: MOD Audio SID.18400641 Tags: Archive; 2018
Norman repeated Verrett’s double assumption on this broadcast (Verrett’s was for the opening of the production in 1973 when Ludwig was indisposed–I was there, quite an evening). I rather prefer Norman’s Didon to her Cassandre, but this broadcast now takes its place in MOoD. Enee is close to an impossible part, but Sooter is no worse than Ronald Dowd was in Boston for Caldwell.
LES TROYENS : Berlioz
Original Air Date: 02/18/1984
Cast: Levine; Norman, Sooter, Monk, Taillon, Plishka, Ahlstedt
Media: MOD Audio SID.18400424 Tags: Archive; 2018, Levine
Norman repeated Verrett’s double assumption on this broadcast (Verrett’s was for the opening of the production in 1973 when Ludwig was indisposed–I was there, quite an evening). I rather prefer Norman’s Didon to her Cassandre, but this broadcast now takes its place in MOoD. Enee is close to an impossible part, but Sooter is no worse than Ronald Dowd was in Boston for Caldwell.
THE GAMBLER : Prokofiev
Original Air Date: 03/31/2001
Cast: Gergiev; Galouzine, Guryakova, Alexashkin, Obraztsova
Media: SID.18400426 Tags: Archive; 2018
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.
DER FLIEGENDE HOLLÄNDER : Wagner
Original Air Date: 02/16/1963
Cast: Böhm; London, Rysanek, Kónya, Tozzi
Media: MOD Audio SID.18400315 Tags: Archive; 2018
This is a legendary partnership of Bohm with London and Rysanek. Bohm and Rysanek are together for two later broadcasts in 1965 with David Ward, and 1970 with William Dooley. Neither of those have been on Sirius. This 1963 broadcast was swapped with Ariadne 2 weeks earlier when the Hollander cast could not be assembled. That swap denied the broadcast audience the chance to hear Della Casa’s Ariadne. For my money there is no Senta like Rysanek. Read the Opera-L archives for my appreciation (I saw a tour performance from the stage). Rysanek and London are certainly a remarkable pair, and the applause for their Act 2 duet (in the 3 act version) regularly seemed unending.
———-
10/10/11 This performance was originally scheduled 2 weeks earlier when Konya was sick and Ariadne was switched at the last minute (and effectively knocked Della Casa out of an Ariadne broadcast). The Met Hollander premiere 3 years earlier with Rysanek and London was with Schippers. Bohm takes command of 3 broadcasts all with Rysanek, but David Ward is on the second (I would love to hear this again– a fine singer almost forgotten), and the third in 1970 with Dooley. For me, Senta and Kaiserin are Rysanek’s two most singular creations. There is nothing like the finale and as I’ve noted in other Opera-L postings I once saw this creation from the stage with her first husband standing right behind me. Fortunately this performance is on Met Player, and is far more thrilling than the studio performance with much the same cast under Dorati.
ORFEO ED EURIDICE : Gluck
Original Air Date: 01/18/1958
Cast: Rudolf; Stevens, Amara, Cundari
Media: MOD Audio SID.18400422 Tags: Archive; 2018
The strongest thing about this performance is Rudolf’s conducting. Stevens was definitely a star Orfeo, but she’s never an audio favorite of mine. A very great artist outstanding advocate for American artists , and the role of the arts in general. She had quite a following, but her audios alone do not make a career. She is still with us, and may she have many more years.
For me this is much too late for Stevens (She retires in 1960). I did check Paul Jackson’s authoritative volume on Met broadcasts– and he’s at his best in the 40s and 50s, but has nothing to say about this performance. This performance has been on before and is on MOoD.
BENVENUTO CELLINI : Berlioz
Original Air Date: 12/27/2003
Cast: Levine; Giordani, Bayrakdarian, Del Carlo, Jepson, Lloyd
Media: MOD Audio SID.18400531 Tags: Archive; 2018, Levine
“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.”
RIGOLETTO : Verdi
Original Air Date: 12/29/1945
Cast: Sodero; Warren, Sayão, Björling, Cordon, Lipton
Media: MOD Audio SID.18400317 Tags: Archive; 2018, Verdi
This is the only broadcast Duke from the Met with Bjorling and while relatively early Warren, he is the vocal master of this part. Sound is typical AM 40s, but the voices are well captured.
I prefer this Bjorling Warren pairing to the RCA commercial from the mid-50s. Sayao is flattered a bit by the microphones, but there are some other 1940s Met broadcasts that should join this fine go at Rigoletto.
For years the Met with great regularity put out Warren, Merrill, and MacNeil in the title role. For Met listeners what’s not to like. Sayao and Bjorling are not exactly lesser grade. Don’t look for a Gossett critical edition, but Verdi is VERY well served. This performance is also on Met Player, as it should be.
IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA : Rossini
Original Air Date: 03/09/1963
Cast: Strasfogel; Guarrera, D’Angelo, Shirley, Corena, Tozzi
Media: SID.18400532 Tags: Archive; 2018
The only known I will vouch for in advance is Corena, one of his very best roles. Tozzi becomes more variable in this period, so I don’t want to praise a performance I have not recently heard. This performance could be anything from a train wreck to a secret gem. What I am sure about is that it is not the Zedda critical edition (not yet published).
ELEKTRA : Strauss
Original Air Date: 02/16/1980
Cast: Levine; Nilsson, Rysanek, Dunn, McIntyre, Nagy
Media: SID.18400533 Tags: Archive; 2018, Nilsson, Strauss
This run of Elektras marked Nilsson’s return to the house after an absence of four years. It is also Levine’s first go at Elektra at the Met (maybe his first staged ones). Nilsson, by her standards is somewhat diminished compared to the 1971 performance under Bohm which catches her in much fresher form and under arguably one of the great Strauss conductors in history and luckily is available in MOoD. This 1980 performance was filmed and is available on DVD on Deutsche Grammophon.
I love Nilsson’s Elektra, but this is not the way to remember her. The video of this performance at least gives you some visuals. The 1971 despite Madeira’s unfortunate Met farewell Klytemnestra (she died not long thereafter) is the Met broadcast to hear Nilsson’s Elektra.
ERNANI:Verdi
Original Air Date: 03/09/1985
Fulton; Mauro, Mitchell, Elvira, Plishka
MOD Audio SID.18410101
This first revival retains only Leona Mitchell from the production premiere. Particular attention should be paid to Pablo Elvira, a little light for his character, but a most agreeable voice. Mauro is no Pavarotti, but this is a well prepared performance of one of my favorite Verdi operas.
Only Mitchell survives from the production opening cast the previous season. Elvira was a lovely lyric baritone, but I prefer a MacNeil or Cappuccilli in this showy part. Among my very favorite early Verdi, even if this is not the performance I would first pull off the shelf.
BILLY BUDD:Britten
Original Air Date: 03/08/1997
Bedford; Croft, Langridge, Morris, Braun, Courtney
MOD AudioMOD Video SID.18410102
SR: Any opportunity to hear Billy Budd is not to be missed. This broadcast was also the “scratch” performance for the telecast taping on 3/11. A very strong conductor and cast really put the work over. Outstanding among many fine performances are James Morris’ unequalled Claggart, the late Philip Langridge’s haunting portrayal of Capt. Vere and Dwayne Croft’s Billy. The performance makes a good case for those who consider Billy Budd Britten’s strongest work.
RWW: This broadcast precedes the telecast performance from 3 days later. The video was recently added to MOoD, and it’s an outstanding performance, starting with Dwayne Croft, and ably partnered by Philip Langridge as Vere and James Morris as Claggart.
LA BOHÈME:Puccini
Original Air Date: 01/24/1970
Cleva; Tebaldi, Tucker, Carson, Walker, Siepi
SID.18410103
SR: Late Tebaldi and late Tucker..but still heads and above much of the competition in these roles. As an added bonus, we get Cesare Siepi’s Colline.
All of this conducted by Fausto Cleva – sometimes pooh-poohed as a “mere repetiteur.” There was no one who knew more about Italian opera style and who always transmitted it to his cast, his orchestra and the listeners.
RWW: This performance is not exactly a “youthful” special, but it is a memento of two veterans together in this opera. Siepi is a classy addition. A very special Colline.
IL TROVATORE:Verdi
Original Air Date: 02/06/1982
Conlon; Giacomini, Price, Cortez, Quilico, Cheek
SID.18410104
SR: Besides Price’s excellent “known quantity” Leonora, this broadcast offers the opportunity for Giacomini fans to relish his Manrico and to hear the very much in his prime Louis Quilico as di Luna. Some of the bloom had, by 1982, begun to depart from Viorica Cortez’ voice..but she still had much to offer. All-in-all an enjoyable outing.
This is a very young Conlon who still had 5 or 6 broadcasts already under his belt. I have no strong memory of this performance, but Giacomini’s certainly had the heft for Manrico if not necessarily easy upper register. Cortez is not one of my favorites. This is getting towards the end for Price. Listen to her in 1961 where her Leonora is stunning, and that is on Met Player as well as Sony CDs.
DIE MEISTERSINGER VON NÜRNBERG:Wagner
Original Air Date: 01/23/1993
Levine; McIntyre, Mattila, Araiza, Prey, Rootering, Magnusson
SID.18410105
SR: With the exception of Levine’s masterful conducting and Prey’s Beckmesser, the 2001 broadcast with Mattila (in better voice), Heppner, Morris and (above all) Polenzani as David is to be preferred. Certainly nothing shameful happens here..and there is much to enjoy. Sadly we don’t find Araiza’s Walther or Magnusson’s David in that category. However, for Levine and Prey alone this is worth your time.
LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR:Donizetti
Original Air Date: 04/21/1973
Molinari-Pradelli; Scotto, Alexander, Sereni, Plishka
SID.18410208
This is Scotto’s only Met broadcast of Lucia, even though she has two 39th street (old house) performances. Alexander is well suited to Edgardo and his Lucias include Sutherland, Moffo, Sills, Robinson, and Negri (his last in a Bronx Parks assignment). Sereni was a regular Enrico and Molinari-Pradelli is a solid maestro.
I don’t know the exact condition of Scotto in this broadcast but the previous performance she cancelled after Act 1, and this broadcast is her final New York Lucia. She does do five tour Lucias after this broadcast. The male contingent is fairly standard B+ casting from the Met, not more, not less. This is the first Met broadcast of Lucia since the Moffo, Gedda performance (debut of Franci and Bruson) of 2/1/69 which is a performance not yet on Sirius, but Jackson spends some time on it (and I remember it like yesterday). I love Lucia, but this was a bad period at the Met for the Bride of Lammermoor.
HAMLET:Thomas
Original Air Date: 03/27/2010
Langrée; Keenlyside, Petersen, Larmore, Morris, Spence
MOD Video SID.18410209
This is the only Met broadcast of the Thomas work. Keenlyside has a commercial DVD in the same production with Dessay from Barcelona 2004. Petersen was a late substitute for Dessay for the whole run. Larmoreis especially vivid as Gertrude, part of her movement into dramatic mezzo/soprano parts.
THE GHOSTS OF VERSAILLES:Corigliano
Original Air Date: 01/04/1992
Levine; Stratas, Hagegård, Quilico, Horne, Clark, Fleming
SID.18410210
This was a basically successful Met commission and beautifully cast and prepared. I think it is best experienced with the video from a telecast the next week), which is available from Levine’s 40th anniversary DVD package and in MOoD. The video really helps the work along.
From Sirius Website) December 19, 2016, marks the 25th anniversary of the premiere of John Corigliano’s The Ghosts of Versailles, and Met Opera Radio on SiriusXM celebrates the occasion with a broadcast of the opera originally recorded on January 4, 1992, during its premiere season. Commissioned by the Met and with a libretto by William M. Hoffman, the work imagines an opera put on by the ghost of Beaumarchais for the ghost of Marie Antoinette and the other spectral residents of Versailles. The sold-out, seven-performance premiere run featured an all-star cast that included Teresa Stratas, Håkan Hagegård, Renée Fleming, Graham Clark, Gino Quilico, and Marilyn Horne.
LA TRAVIATA:Verdi
Original Air Date: 03/06/2004
Gergiev; Fleming, Vargas, Hvorostovsky
SID.18410211
This is a very solid performance. Fleming’s LA and London DVDs are I think even better, but I prefer Hvorostovsky’s sound 8 years ago to his efforts in the Decker/Dessay production.
Violetta is a relatively late part for Fleming, but she ranks 11th in all-time Violettas (20) with more performances at the Met than Caballe (no broadcast, but opening night) Cotrubas, De Los Angeles, Dessay, Gheorghiu, Ponselle, Scotto, Sills, Steber, Sutherland.
The two huge totals are Albanese at 87, Moffo at 80, Bori at 58, and Sembrich at 47. Next down are Kirsten and Malfitano tied at 27. It’s one of Callas’ 4 roles at the Met so almost no one completely misses, but one who has is Netrebko (though originally announced for the Decker production.)
LULU:Berg
Original Air Date: 04/02/1988
Levine; Malfitano, Mazura, Troyanos, Hamilton, Foldi
SID.18410212
Lulu is not a regular item for me, but Mazura and Troyanos were specialists, and Leighton Kerner, the late Village Voice critic found her the most satisfying of 11 Lulus he had encountered. I don’t find Lulu a very good audio only encounter, and it’s sad that the Dexter production which was telecast with Migenes (replacing Stratas) has not made its way to Met OperaonDemand, but is on a Met issued DVD in the Levine 40th anniversary DVD box.