DER FREISCHÜTZ:Weber
Ludwig; Kónya, Lorengar, Feldhoff, Mathis
Original Air Date: 04/15/1972
MOD Audio
SID.19490211
This is the only Met broadcast of Freischutz, and despite some good work from the treble/tenor clef, Ludwig’s conducting does not give it the sparkle it needs. Feldhoff is more adequate than commanding. One cannot blame the Met entirely, this work simply is not as much a part of the standard opera house repertoire as it was 50 years ago.
Verdi
Panizza; Ponselle, Jagel, Tibbett
Original Air Date: 01/05/1935
SID.19490212
This is now the oldest broadcast to appear in the Sirius series. Ponselle and Tibbett are absolute magic in the 2nd act duet under Panizza. It’s not SACD, but still a remarkable document. The Met database is still [October 2016]) not up to date on some of these more recent additions to the Sirsi and MOoD coverage. This is now the oldest broadcast to appear in the Sirius series. Ponselle and Tibbett are absolute magic in the 2nd act duet under Panizza. Will be curious to hear what improvement if any they’ve made to the sound.
CARMEN:Bizet
Lewis; Horne, McCracken, Amara, Krause
Original Air Date: 03/10/1973
SID.19490213
I was surprised to find that there is only one other Horne-McCracken Carmen broadcast (from a year later with Reardon for Krause). The loss to the broadcasts is the premiere of the production with them under Bernstein (there is a commercial DG recording, but esp. for McCracken, live is very different). Most of the protagonists in Met broadcast Carmens have been represented back to 1937 with Ponselle. There are three 1950s performances which include two Joses from Mario del Monaco,and one with Giuseppe di Stefano, all with Stevens. I’ve heard excerpts of these, and they should be broadcast. The second Del Monaco from 1957 features Mitropoulos in the pit, so that would be first on my list. The DiStefano has been available on private recordings and features Di Stefano breaking her arm (literally) and her clearly saying Put my arm down. I would put in a word for Borodina’s 2001 Carmen (she has been streamed in recent years) with Richard Leech and snappy conducting from Bertrand de Billy. Vocally she is the most glamorous Carmen in some time, and especially so on this broadcast. Horne was very good when she opened the season under Bernstein, but the performance became steadily less subtle vocally,and by the time Lenny was gone, I found it very vin ordinaire Same cast and conductor (except Reardon for Krause) broadcast it again a year later in a performance available on MOoD. The performers are no better.
ARABELLA:Strauss
Eschenbach; Fleming; Ketelsen, Bonney, Very, Forst, Halfvarson
Original Air Date: 12/15/2001
MOD Audio
SID.19490214
This is Fleming’s only Met broadcast outing as Arabella. Eschenbach was the fly in the ointment when I saw the production prior to the broadcast, and so he remains. Because of the English translation used prior to the new production, Sirius listeners are regularly denied the glories of Steber under Kempe in the premiere season of 1955, and Della Casa from 1957-1965. Della Casa has studio and stage Arabellas in German from other sources, but Kempe is a special Straussian, and Steber is in particularly stunning voice with London from the premiere year. 09/24/2012 – I thought Eschenbach was the real fly in the ointment when this revival came around. Fleming is in very beautiful voice, but the performance as a whole lacks magic. Arabella takes special handling and this doesn’t really get it. 03/27/2012 – I saw an earlier performance in the run, and while OK, Fleming did not have a great deal of personality. The singing was excellent. I prefer Steber or Della Casa. 8/2/2011 – For me, Eschenbach is a bit of the fly in the ointment, but this is still a solid Arabella cast. This does give me a chance to make a plea for the Met premiere broadcast of Arabella (in English — part of the delay I am sure) with Steber, Guden, London, under Rudolf Kempe. What a magnificent performance from all concerned
Wagner
Nézet-Séguin; Volle, Wagner, Glueckert, Selig
Original Air Date: 04/29/2017
SID.19490426
LIVE BROADCAST
Tchaikovsky
Original Air Date: 12/05/2019
Petrenko; Davidsen, Maximova, Diadkova, Antonenko, Golovatenko, Markov
SID.19490000
Tchaikovsky’s eerie thriller of imperial Russia has its first performances at the Met since 2011. Tenor Aleksandrs Antonenko is Hermann, the fanatical gambler whose obsession with a powerful secret drives him to madness. Soprano Lise Davidsen makes her highly anticipated Met debut as his long-suffering lover, Lisa, with mezzo-soprano Larissa Diadkova as the otherworldly Countess. Baritone Igor Golovatenko is Yeletsky, baritone Alexey Markov is Tomsky, and Vasily Petrenko conducts.
AKHNATEN:Glass
Kamensek; Larusdottir, Bridges, Costanzo, Blake, Liverman, Bernstein, James
Original Air Date: 12/07/2019
SID.19490639
First Intermission
Mary Jo Heath interviews General Manager Peter Gelb about the 2019-20120 season.
Philip Glass Feature
Mary Jo Heath interviews Maestro Karen Kamensek
Second Intermission
Backstage Pass #1 – Loren Toolajian interviews Anthony Roth Costanzo
Backstage Pass #2 – Loren Toolajian interviews Dísella Lárusdóttir, J’Nai Bridges, and Zachery James
Lise Davidsen Feature
Wagner
Nézet-Séguin; Volle, Wagner, Glueckert, Selig
Original Air Date: 04/29/2017
SID.19490642
LIVE BROADCAST
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TBA
Original Air Date: 01/01/9999
SID.19500102
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TBA
Original Air Date: 01/01/9999
SID.19500103
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Original Air Date: 01/01/9999
SID.19500104
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Original Air Date: 01/01/9999
SID.19500105
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Original Air Date: 01/01/9999
SID.19500106
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Original Air Date: 01/01/9999
SID.19500107
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Original Air Date: 01/01/9999
SID.19500208
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Original Air Date: 01/01/9999
SID.19500209
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Original Air Date: 01/01/9999
SID.19500210
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Original Air Date: 01/01/9999
SID.19500211
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Original Air Date: 01/01/9999
SID.19500212
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Original Air Date: 01/01/9999
SID.19500213
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Original Air Date: 01/01/9999
SID.19500214
Strauss
Original Air Date: 12/13/2019
Rattle; Nylund, Kožená, Schultz, Goeldner, Polenzani, Ebenstein, Eiche, Groissböck
SID.19500000
Robert Carsen’s splendid staging returns for the first time since its blockbuster 2017 premiere, with Sir Simon Rattle on the podium to conduct Strauss’s glittering score. Star soprano Camilla Nylund is the worldly Marschallin, with the outstanding mezzo-soprano Magdalena Kožená as her exuberant young lover, Octavian. Bass Günther Groissböck reprises his definitive take on the lascivious Baron Ochs, and rising soprano Golda Schultz sings the innocent Sophie.
THE QUEEN OF SPADES:Tchaikovsky
Petrenko; Davidsen, Maximova, Diadkova, Antonenko, Golovatenko, Markov
Original Air Date: 12/14/2019
SID.19500639
Tchaikovsky’s eerie thriller of imperial Russia has its first performances at the Met since 2011. Tenor Yusif Eyvazovis Hermann, the fanatical gambler whose obsession with a powerful secret drives him to madness. Soprano Lise Davidsen makes her highly anticipated Met debut as his long-suffering lover, Lisa, with mezzo-soprano Larissa Diadkova as the otherworldly Countess. Baritone Igor Golovatenko is Yeletsky, baritone Alexey Markov is Tomsky, and Vasily Petrenko conducts.
The Sunday matinee performance on December 8 will feature a post-performance discussion with Lise Davidsen and Yusif Eyvazov, hosted by Met General Manager Peter Gelb.
Single Intermission
Backstage Pass #1 – Mary Jo Heath interviews Yusif Eyvazov
Backstage Pass #2 – Mary Jo Heath interviews Lise Davidsen
The Magic Flute Promotion – Mary Jo Heath interviews David Portillo, our Tamino
TBA:TBA
TBA
Original Air Date: 01/01/9999
SID.19510102
TRISTAN UND ISOLDE:Wagner
Leindsorf; Thomas, Nilsson, Dalis, Tozzi, Doole
Original Air Date: 12/18/1971
MOD Audio
SID.19510103
This performance is not often rebroadcast, and is as distinctive for Leinsdorf’s sleek conducting as for Nilsson’s continued mastery of Isolde. I find Jess Thomas less ingratiating than most, but this is one of his better performances.
Various:Various
Various Artists
Original Air Date: 01/01/9999
SID.19510104
UN BALLO IN MASCHERA:Verdi
Panizza; Björling, Milanov, Sved, Andreva, Castagna
Original Air Date: 12/14/1940
SID.19510105
Neither Milanov nor Bjorling recorded these roles complete, let alone together (Bjorling scheduled for two–Toscanini and Solti). Panizza, Milanov, and Bjorling all outstanding. It was widely available in various private pressings. This is still 1940s sound and this week is only the second appearance on Sirius. My guess is that this will appear in the MOoD offerings shortly [ well we’re two years later it still is not in MOoD], as almost all the big box reissues on CD make their way into MOoD.
ELEKTRA:Strauss
Levine; Schnaut, Voigt, Schwarz, Pape, Jerusalem
Original Air Date: 12/21/2002
SID.19510106
The same 3 ladies also have a 1999 broadcast with Levine which is regularly alternated on Sirius. For my taste, this is far too much Schnaut. Schwarz whom I remember fondly for her work on the Chereau Ring at Bayreuth (an outstanding Fricka) makes her last Met appearance with this broadcast, but though gone 12 years, the database does not yet mark it as a final Met appearance [still true in 2015]. I prefer Varnay, Borkh, and Nilsson. Eva Marton did not do her Elektra at the Met, a great loss, and Gwyneth Jones did not broadcast any of her 4 Met Elektras– one of her best roles. Marton does have a fantastic Chrysothemis with Mastilovic under Leinsdorf which has been on Sirius and well worth a listen.
TANNHÄUSER:Wagner
Levine; McCracken, Kubiak, Bumbry, Weikl, Macurdy
Original Air Date: 01/21/1978
SID.19510107
This is McCracken’s only broadcast outing as Tannhauser, and he is really very fine. Weikl and Bumbry are tops in these roles and Kubiak is a very decent Elisabeth. Levine is at his very best. What is inexplicable to me is why this performance has not made its way to MOoD. McCracken has 597 Met appearances, more than 300 of them after his return as Otello in March 1963. Bumbry, to my mind is the most important American mezzo of the 20th century. Venus was a breakthrough role for her in 1960 at the Bayreuth Festival. This is her only broadcast from the Met of Venus. This performance does great honor to all of the cast and I am grateful that it has been regularly on Sirius, but the better sound afforded in MOoD would definitely benefit Tannhauser.
ESCLARMONDE:Massenet
Bonynge; Sutherland, Aragall, Tourangeau, Grant
Original Air Date: 12/11/1976
MOD Audio
SID.19510208
This is the Met’s only broadcast of Esclarmonde, and the performance in addition to the predictable glitter from Sutherland, captures Aragall in one of his best performances. For many, his material was the best of absolute best, and the new generation of tenors in the 1970s, but it never quite all came together. Here is the exception. Enjoy.