NORMA:Bellini
Original Air Date: 02/17/1973
Cillario; Caballé, Cossotto, Cossutta, Tozzi
MOD Audio SID.18420532
This is from Caballe’s first run at Norma with the reliable Cossotto; they are certainly a team. Cossutta missed the premiere, and this is his debut; he would go on to do 12 more Polliones with Caballe, Galvany, and Verrett and that is his Met career. Tozzi would not be my choice for Oroveso.
This performance presents Caballe and Cossotto’s take on the Norma duo for the first time at the Met, and is preserved on Met Player as well. Norma is one of Caballe’s best roles. In terms of Norma, there was no complete broadcast of Norma with Ponselle (the Acts3-4 from 1931 do not survive as far as I’v ever heard). Ponselle is followed by Cigna and 3 broadcasts with Milanov (2 from 1944 in different seasons, and 1954 with Thebom (Barbieri only did the premiere). One of the 1944 performances at the minimum should be played, and my memory is that the Cigna is also available in decent sound. Sirius has not rebroadcast the 1982 Norma with Negri (making her house debut on the broadcast) where she replaced Scotto. Would like to hear this again.
LE NOZZE DI FIGARO:Mozart
Original Air Date: 02/12/1994
Rudel; Morris, McLaughlin, Fleming, Croft, Bunnell
MOD Audio SID.18420533
This is is Fleming’s first featured broadcast (she has a small part in Ghosts of Versailles) and it’s one of her best roles. The late — he died just a few weeks ago (2016) –Julius Rudel is too often underestimated, but he presided over many a fine Figaro at the NYCO before taking up residence at the Met. Morris and McLaughlin are an interesting servant pair and any performance with Senechal is guaranteed some attention. This performance is featured in MOoD.
7/8/13 – Fleming’s previous broadcast appearance was in the small role of Rosina (Countess) in Ghosts of Versailles, so her Nozze Countess is really her first broadcast feature. Rudel is a fine Mozartean with plenty of fine Figaros over at NYCO before moving over to the Met. Fleming and the whole cast are well matched. Recommended. Also in MOoD.
3/29/11 – Fleming’s Countess is rarer than you might think. She only has nine performances since her Met debut (in this role) in 1991. This broadcast is only her third and is available also on Met Player. She premieres the new production with Terfel and Bartoli, but only does the telecast (which is available on Met PLayer).
As for missing historic broadcasts, the original Texaco broadcast with Albanese and Pinza from 1940 should certainly be rebroadcast, and the Countesses of Eleanor Steber (five from 1943-50) and Victoria de los Angeles (1952) with the superb Count of Giuseppe Valdengo. Jarmila Novotna is a superb Cherubino on many of those Steber Countesses.
MADAMA BUTTERFLY:Puccini
Original Air Date: 03/30/2002
Armiliato; Dessì, Armiliato, Bunnell, Shimell, Fracker
SID.18420637
Dessi has focused her career primarily in Europe so she could regularly sing with her husband, Fabio Armiliato. She has only 20 Met performances covering a span of 15 years, and this is her final Met broadcast to date. Her brother-in-law is in the pit, who has 10 x the number of Met appearances. I relistened to the first act of this yesterday, and what a pleasure to two native Italians in the leads. Fabio’s absence from the Met tenor roster has been much felt in the last decade, and conductor Mario seemed much more detailed and involved than has been the norm from some of his recent Met outings. What IS missing us and MOOd are two broadcasts featuring native Italian speakers in the lead roles– Stella and Fernandi in 1958 and Tucci and Bergonzi from 1962.
L’ELISIR D’AMORE:Donizetti
Original Air Date: 01/25/1992
Panni; Pavarotti, Battle, Plishka, Pons
MOD Audio SID.18420638
I enjoy L’elisir d’amore, but the opera is not of such depth to deserve what seems like a a weekly rotation. There were a number of evening performances broadcast live of the Florez Damrau cast. They don’t exactly overplay the Bergonzi or Kraus performances, CB has 2, and AK has 1. But better to give the opera a rest, because we’ll have plenty of L’elisir come September. This is Battle’s last Elisir broadcast, and the supporting cast is not especially distinguished. Dara was always a rather colorless Dulcamara for me, and I want a bit more Italian sunshine than Olsen. Battle has 30 (!!!) Met Adinas, the champion. She is not the first Adina I think of. Both Freni and Scotto are more to my taste for very different reasons.
This performance is available in MOoD. The previous fall Pavarotti had Levine at the help and Dara as the Dulcamara for the video which is also available in MOoD and commercial DVD.
MADAMA BUTTERFLY:Puccini
Original Air Date: 03/30/2002
Armiliato; Dessì, Armiliato, Bunnell, Shimell, Fracker
SID.18420641
Dessi has focused her career primarily in Europe so she could regularly sing with her husband, Fabio Armiliato. She has only 20 Met performances covering a span of 15 years, and this is her final Met broadcast to date. Her brother-in-law is in the pit, who has 10 x the number of Met appearances. I relistened to the first act of this yesterday, and what a pleasure to two native Italians in the leads. Fabio’s absence from the Met tenor roster has been much felt in the last decade, and conductor Mario seemed much more detailed and involved than has been the norm from some of his recent Met outings. What IS missing us and MOOd are two broadcasts featuring native Italian speakers in the lead roles– Stella and Fernandi in 1958 and Tucci and Bergonzi from 1962.
I VESPRI SICILIANI:Verdi
Original Air Date: 03/09/1974
Levine; Caballé, Gedda, Milnes, Díaz
MOD Audio SID.18420639
This is a performance where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. If Caballe does not have every note in place, she is still very near the top of her considerable form, and the ensemble reflects the new production intensity and first appearance of a major Verdi opera in the Met repertory. Gedda has the most performances of Arrigo, the challenging tenor role. Tucker was scheduled for a run (including broadcast) the year he died, but none of the hearty tenors of the past had the right timing– no Corelli, Bergonzi, and only 5 for Domingo, and he was gone. This performance is available in Met Opera on Demand (MOoD) and is a strong performance.
ARIADNE AUF NAXOS:Strauss
Original Air Date: 03/20/1976
Levine; Caballé, Remedios, Welting, Troyanos, Dooley, Titus
SID.18420748
The star is Troyanos shortly after her debut. Caballe, though not noted as a Straussian pleased many, but it does not reappear in her repertoire (and only two more after this broadcast premiere) Remedios is in his Met debut at this broadcast, and does not return for future seasons at the Met. This is Levine’s first go at Ariadne at the Met, and he does just short of half (41) of the 91 performances since Bohm premiered it in 1962. He got much better as the seasons stretched on, but Bohm is definitely the more authentic but neither his premiere year 1963 has been broadcast (possibly affected by the English translation nor the 1970, the first time the complete opera and prologue were done in German.
OTELLO:Verdi
Original Air Date: 03/11/1967
Mehta; Caballé, McCracken, Gobbi, Lorenzi
MOD Audio SID.18420642
This is the first Otello broadcast from the new house at Lincoln Center, and I attended an earlier performance in the run. Caballe is very fine in the fourth act, but earlier acts do not find her fully engaged. McCracken and Gobbi are fully engaged from first note, and Mehta is a solid participant. Sirius continues to deprive us of Tebaldi’s 1955 and 1958 Desdemonas which capture her (especially 1955) in remarkable voice. This performance is available in Met Opera on Demand (MOoD) and definitely worth your time.
1/16/12 – I remember this revival well, but in the house and on the airwaves, it was certainly strongly performed by all. This is Caballe’s first broadcast from the Met, and McCracken, Gobbi and Mehta are wonderful partners. Compared to some other Desdemonas, I found her a little short until Act Four, but in the final act she was on all eight cylinders. I love the chemistry of McCracken and Gobbi. This fine performance is available on MetPlayer also.
There never was a tenor quite like James McCracken—a veritable force of nature vocally, he fought his way to an international career that would come to be dominated by his seething portrayal of the title role of Verdi’s Otello. In this March 11, 1967, broadcast conducted by Zubin Mehta, McCracken’s finely sung Otello rages with a raw-nerve fury but also brings heroic tenderness to the love duet and his final moments. Montserrat Caballé’s singing, regal in its beauty throughout, gives way to towering passion in Desdemona’s clash with Otello in Act III. Tito Gobbi is utter, impeccable evil as Iago, heard in the savage glee he finally takes in hurling Cassio’s name, like a knife, at Otello at the end of Act II.
I PURITANI:Bellini
Original Air Date: 03/30/1991
Bonynge; Gruberova, Merritt, Gavanelli, Plishka
MOD Audio SID.18420636
This is primarily for Gruberova fans. She doesn’t sing in USA much so just as well since she only has two Met broadcasts, this Puritani and Zerbinetta in Ariadne auf Naxos. Of greater interest would be her Queen of the Night (Met debut) and the new production of Traviata with Kleiber and Shicoff (neither broadcast; in today’s world of live Sirius, we would likely be hearing both)
MIGNON:Thomas
Original Air Date: 01/27/1945
Pelletier; Stevens, Melton, Benzell, Pinza
MOD Audio SID.18420743
“There are some great tunes in Mignon but I find the opera doesn”t hold up well — I saw it staged in Dallas with Horne (1974), and it was a LONG evening. Pinza is very fine here. Mignon”s last broadcast appearance is 3 years later with Marilyn Cotlow as Philine which is more than 6 decades ago. That Mignon farewell has not been on Sirius.
LE NOZZE DI FIGARO:Mozart
Original Air Date: 02/12/1994
Rudel; Morris, McLaughlin, Fleming, Croft, Bunnell
MOD Audio SID.18420744
This is is Fleming’s first featured broadcast (she has a small part in Ghosts of Versailles) and it’s one of her best roles. The late — he died just a few weeks ago (2016) –Julius Rudel is too often underestimated, but he presided over many a fine Figaro at the NYCO before taking up residence at the Met. Morris and McLaughlin are an interesting servant pair and any performance with Senechal is guaranteed some attention. This performance is featured in MOoD.
7/8/13 – Fleming’s previous broadcast appearance was in the small role of Rosina (Countess) in Ghosts of Versailles, so her Nozze Countess is really her first broadcast feature. Rudel is a fine Mozartean with plenty of fine Figaros over at NYCO before moving over to the Met. Fleming and the whole cast are well matched. Recommended. Also in MOoD.
3/29/11 – Fleming’s Countess is rarer than you might think. She only has nine performances since her Met debut (in this role) in 1991. This broadcast is only her third and is available also on Met Player. She premieres the new production with Terfel and Bartoli, but only does the telecast (which is available on Met PLayer).
As for missing historic broadcasts, the original Texaco broadcast with Albanese and Pinza from 1940 should certainly be rebroadcast, and the Countesses of Eleanor Steber (five from 1943-50) and Victoria de los Angeles (1952) with the superb Count of Giuseppe Valdengo. Jarmila Novotna is a superb Cherubino on many of those Steber Countesses.
NORMA:Bellini
Original Air Date: 02/17/1973
Cillario; Caballé, Cossotto, Cossutta, Tozzi
MOD Audio SID.18420745
This is from Caballe’s first run at Norma with the reliable Cossotto; they are certainly a team. Cossutta missed the premiere, and this is his debut; he would go on to do 12 more Polliones with Caballe, Galvany, and Verrett and that is his Met career. Tozzi would not be my choice for Oroveso.
This performance presents Caballe and Cossotto’s take on the Norma duo for the first time at the Met, and is preserved on Met Player as well. Norma is one of Caballe’s best roles. In terms of Norma, there was no complete broadcast of Norma with Ponselle (the Acts3-4 from 1931 do not survive as far as I’v ever heard). Ponselle is followed by Cigna and 3 broadcasts with Milanov (2 from 1944 in different seasons, and 1954 with Thebom (Barbieri only did the premiere). One of the 1944 performances at the minimum should be played, and my memory is that the Cigna is also available in decent sound. Sirius has not rebroadcast the 1982 Norma with Negri (making her house debut on the broadcast) where she replaced Scotto. Would like to hear this again.
DIE ENTFÜHRUNG AUS DEM SERAIL:Mozart
Original Air Date: 02/01/2003
Levine; Deshorties, Groves, Moll, Welch-Babidge, Banks
SID.18420746
This is Moll’s antepenultimate Met broadcast (Landgrave in Tannhauser and Sarastro in Zauberflote were to follow). Osmin was long a signature role for him, but I think better experienced 13 years earlier and with a better supporting cast in a performance available in MOoD.
ADRIANA LECOUVREUR:Cilea
Original Air Date: 02/11/1978
López-Cobos; Caballé, Carreras, Cossotto, Quilico
MOD Audio SID.18420747
“I’m not a special fan of Adriana, and like it best when the title role is a specialist like Olivero whom I saw in Hartford and Newark; the aircheck from Naples is the one to get with Simionato, Corelli, and Bastianini. There are 3 MOoD versions starting with the Caballe above, very solid, but a bit bland, a Scotto/Shicoff/Cortez performance from 1983 is a good late career effort from her (her commercial under Levine with Domingo and Obratzsova is better) but the most recent MOoD features 2009 Domingo in his only Met matinee broadcast with Guleghina,and Borodina. Much too late for Domingo who debuted at the Met 4 decades earlier. Unlike Adriana, Maurizio is not a mid-range role.” (RWW)
ARIADNE AUF NAXOS:Strauss
Original Air Date: 03/20/1976
Levine; Caballé, Remedios, Welting, Troyanos, Dooley, Titus
SID.18420748
The star is Troyanos shortly after her debut. Caballe, though not noted as a Straussian pleased many, but it does not reappear in her repertoire (and only two more after this broadcast premiere) Remedios is in his Met debut at this broadcast, and does not return for future seasons at the Met. This is Levine’s first go at Ariadne at the Met, and he does just short of half (41) of the 91 performances since Bohm premiered it in 1962. He got much better as the seasons stretched on, but Bohm is definitely the more authentic but neither his premiere year 1963 has been broadcast (possibly affected by the English translation nor the 1970, the first time the complete opera and prologue were done in German.
TANNHÄUSER:Wagner
Original Air Date: 01/24/1987
Levine; Cassilly, Norman, Randová, Hagegård, Rootering
MOD Audio SID.18420749
NOTE: Levine has three broadcasts after these in October 2015 (8,19,27) with Westbroek, DeYoung, Botha, Mattei, Groissbock
RWW: Amazingly, this is Levine’s last broadcast Tannhauser. A run of performances 10 years later with Sharon Sweet, Jon Frederic West, and Bryn Terfel was prior to the broadcast season (I saw one of these terrific performances) are his final Met appearances in the opera to date. Tannhauser remains one of Levine’s highest totalsat 62, but none since 1997, and none broadcast since this 1987, but I also think it’s one of his best efforts and Norman presents a beautiful, if unconventional Elisabeth, and the orchestra and chorus are on top form. This performance is in MOoD and highly recommended on Sirius this week as well.
For my money although Tannhauser does not have as much great music as Lohengrin, the Paris/Vienna revisions make Tannhauser a bit more exciting in the theatre. This performance is available on Met Player and is Levine’s most recent in theatre broadcast. Levine does have a wonderful run in 1997 with Jon Frederic West, Terfel and Sweet , but that run was not on the matinee broadcasts (in the current environment we would get to hear this cast.) Levine’s strong conducting, and Jessye Norman’s Elisabeth (not commercially recorded) are the most distinctive features.
TANNHÄUSER:Wagner
Original Air Date: 01/24/1987
Levine; Cassilly, Norman, Randová, Hagegård, Rootering
MOD Audio SID.18430101
NOTE: Levine has three broadcasts after these in October 2015 (8,19,27) with Westbroek, DeYoung, Botha, Mattei, Groissbock
RWW: Amazingly, this is Levine’s last broadcast Tannhauser. A run of performances 10 years later with Sharon Sweet, Jon Frederic West, and Bryn Terfel was prior to the broadcast season (I saw one of these terrific performances) are his final Met appearances in the opera to date. Tannhauser remains one of Levine’s highest totals at 62, but none since 1997, and none broadcast since this 1987, but I also think it’s one of his best efforts and Norman presents a beautiful, if unconventional Elisabeth, and the orchestra and chorus are on top form. This performance is in MOoD and highly recommended on Sirius this week as well.
For my money although Tannhauser does not have as much great music as Lohengrin, the Paris/Vienna revisions make Tannhauser a bit more exciting in the theatre. This performance is available on Met Player and is Levine’s most recent in theatre broadcast. Levine does have a wonderful run in 1997 with Jon Frederic West , Terfel and Sweet , but that run was not on the matinee broadcasts (in the current environment we would get to hear this cast.) Levine’s strong conducting, and Jessye Norman’s Elisabeth (not commercially recorded) are the most distinctive features.
SALOME:Strauss
Original Air Date: 03/18/1972
Böhm; Rysanek, Stolze, Dalis, Stewart, MacWherter
SID.18430102
Rysanek’s first Salomes at the Met came after the groundbreaking new production for Nilsson eight years earlier. Longtime Metgoers were still talking about Welitsch from the late 1940s.
My first Salome was the Met on tour with Brenda Lewis, who had broadcast it a few months earlier in February 1962. For my money the Met Salomes are Welitsch, Nilsson, Bumbry, Marton, and Mattila (first season). Rysanek, Silja, G. Jones and Behrens (who has a great studio performance with Karajan) just didn’t make it for me in live performance at the Met.
My memory says that Rysanek was significantly better five years later when Leinsdorf took the reins with Norman Bailey, Astrid Varnay and Ragnar Ulfung; the 1977 performance is available on Met Opera on Demand (MOoD). I will be listening next week to see if my memory of Rysanek is faulty.
The royal couple are distinctively portrayed by Stolze and Dalis (who had premiered the Nilsson production with Liebl). Stolze is on the Nilsson studio recording, and his voice is not for everyone. In this role, it works.
MANON:Massenet
Original Air Date: 04/08/2006
López-Cobos; Fleming, Giordano, Chaignaud
MOD Audio SID.18430103
This is Fleming’s last Manon from the Met and her only full length Met broadcast. Fleming was more interesting in her telecast opening night St. Sulpice scene than here. She is even better in a Paris Opera DVD from the early 2000s with Alvarez. I love Manon, but she does not always have an easy time of it at the Met. Alvarez (from Paris, but who opened this run with Fleming) was much better than Giordano (not to be confused with Marcello Giordani who was in Fleming’s first Manons at the Met in 1997 and not broadcast).
PARSIFAL:Wagner
Original Air Date: 04/09/1960
Leinsdorf; Liebl, Harshaw, Uhde, Hines, Pechner
SID.18430104
This broadcast was from a 3 performance run that mark Leinsdorf’s only postwar Parsifals at the Met. Modl made her farewell at the previous performance, and Liebl, a name not especially well known, has several fine Met performances to his credit. The performance is not uncut, per the review attached to the Database listing for the premiere.
PARSIFAL:Wagner
Original Air Date: 04/09/1960
Leinsdorf; Liebl, Harshaw, Uhde, Hines, Pechner
SID.18430105
This broadcast was from a 3 performance run that mark Leinsdorf’s only postwar Parsifals at the Met. Modl made her farewell at the previous performance, and Liebl, a name not especially well known, has several fine Met performances to his credit. The performance is not uncut, per the review attached to the Database listing for the premiere.
LA CLEMENZA DI TITO:Mozart
Original Air Date: 12/06/1997
Levine; Rolfe Johnson, von Otter, Vaness, Kirchschlager, Grant Murphy
SID.18430106
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.
DIE FRAU OHNE SCHATTEN:Strauss
Original Air Date: 04/01/1978
Böhm; Rysanek, King, Schröder-Feinen, Berry, Dunn
MOD Audio SID.18430107
This is the last of the 4 Bohm broadcasts starting in 1966 all with Rysanek and Berry; 3 of the 4 are with King, but the first three feature Ludwig and Dalis in their parts; Schroder-Feinen and Dunn are first rate presences as well. It is a shame that the 1966 premiere season and 1971 performances which have been on Sirius with some regularity have not made their way to MOoD. The 1969 broadcast is reported in the MetDatabase as having been on Sirius, but according to my records it has not been broadcast in the last four years. as has the 1971 Unfortunately Bohm never came close to the near completeness of his 1955 Decca recording at the Met, and a steady increase of cuts came with each revival. NEVERTHELESS, one could do much worse than hear one of the great Straussian ensembles he held together for over 2 decades in New York. Frau’s best moments are right up there with Ariadne, Elektra, and Rosenkavalier, and the weaker stuff is better than the weaker Rosenkavalier pages.
LA FORZA DEL DESTINO:Verdi
Original Air Date: 03/11/2006
Noseda; Voigt, Licitra, Delavan, Ramey, Komlósi, Pons
MOD Audio SID.18430208
I love Forza del Destino, but it’s a rather disjointed work, and not an easy sing for ANYONE. I saw Voigt who did the part early in her Met career with the lamented Sergej Larin. For this broadcast, it’s Licitra, also destined to leave us too soon. For me it’s too late for Ramey, Delavan does not impress me and this 2006 broadcast does not catch Voigt in anything like the voice she had a decade earlier. What is MOoD doing featuring this performance when another Sirius Forza broadcast with Tebaldi and Tucker from 1960 only gets an occasional rotation and no presence for Tebaldi in this role in MOoD. Noseda is a quality conductor, but why such special pleading for Voigt and Licitra?
7/22/13 – Also on MOoD (thought I can hardly imagine WHY) Voigt had done a promising Leonora 10 years earlier with Larin, but this later revival with another tenor who died way before his time doesn’t show anyone particularly up to the task. I love Forza, but Milanov, Tebaldi, and Price are in a different world, not to mention Tucker, Bergonzi, or Corelli. The cast at hand are not worthy.
9/12/11 – I’m assuming this is some sort of tribute to the lamented Licitra who never quite fulfilled his promise (the Times paid obituary was one of the longest I can remember). Voigt, who had done a promising Leonora with Larin (who also left us much too soon) 10 years earlier (no broadcast) with Chernov, and a wobble free Plishka, did not bring an artistry to compensate for a significant loss of vocal freshness. I don’t feel a need to revisit this performance.
PETER GRIMES:Britten
Original Air Date: 01/10/1998
Atherton; Langridge, Racette, Opie, Christin, Blythe
MOD Audio SID.18430209
I remember listening to this and thought this a good part for Racette. Langridge is fine in the title role, but for those of us who saw Jon Vickers, he simply WAS Peter Grimes and his 38 Met performances exceed the 33 done by the other 8 interpreters starting back with Frederick Jagel in 1948 and ending with Anthony Dean Griffey in 2008 (with Racette again). 2/22/16
***
This is a good part for Racette, and Langridge’s death just a few years ago was a shock. Atherton is a strong Britten conductor. 8/12/12
***Racette’s first try at the Met as Ellen Orford and with Langridge as a distinguished Grimes. 11/14/11
DAS RHEINGOLD:Wagner
Original Air Date: 02/22/1969
Karajan; Adam, Reynolds, Stolze, Kelemen, Talvela, Ridderbusch
MOD Audio SID.18430210
One of Karajan’s only 2 broadcasts. This performance is available in MOoD, and if Adam is far from my favorite Wotan, Reynolds, Kelemen and Stolze are wonderful as Fricka, Alberich, and Loge respectively. Reynolds replaced Veasey who was will, and also sing Flosshilde (her originally scheduled role) with Shirley Love picking up the Rhinemaiden in the final scene. Milnes is an excellent Donner. I was in the theatre for this very special performance and still have wonderful memories of it. Karajan’s Met farewell is the following Saturday with the Walkure broadcast.
FALSTAFF:Verdi
Original Air Date: 02/03/1996
Levine; Plishka, Daniels, Quilico, Horne, Bonney, Groves
MOD Audio SID.18430211
“Levine, Plishka, Bonney, and Horne are all in the 1992 revival which is on MOoD, but with Freni for Daniels, and Bruno Pola for Quilico. My experience with almost all of the Falstaff casting in the Levine era is OK, but not really an ensemble. We still keep having the Bernstein performance overlooked (LB’s only other Met broadcast beside Cavalleria) from 1964. The bad luck continues with Rosenstock’s conducting from 1965 and Amaducci’s conducting fom 1967. The Dohnanyi performance from 1972 features Gobbi in one of HIS two Met broadcasts (the other is Otello, no Scarpia on the Met airwaves alas) with Tebaldi, Resnik, Paskalis in sterling support. This performance has been on Sirius but by my records not in the last three years, but again should be in MOoD.”
L’ITALIANA IN ALGERI:Rossini
Original Air Date: 01/04/1986
Levine; Horne, Ahlstedt, Montarsolo, Monk
MOD Video SID.18430212
This performance precedes the telecast by one week and that telecast is available in MOoD. For me, the distinction of the performance is mostly Montarsolo. Isabella is Horne’s second most performed role at 37 (Carmen unsurprisingly is first at 49) Her 3d is Adalgisa in Norma (all with Sutherland). MOD is 1/11/86 performance with same cast.
UN BALLO IN MASCHERA:Verdi
Original Air Date: 01/12/1963
Santi; Tucker, Nilsson, Merrill, Dobbs, Madeira
MOD Audio SID.18430315
This performance finds the principals in very strong form (Nilsson’s only broadcast from the Met of Amelia) and Tucker is an excellent match for her. Merrill is in his run of 8 of the 9 Ballo broadcasts between 1955 and 1985!!!! Definitely worth a listen.
SUSANNAH:Floyd
Original Air Date: 04/03/1999
Conlon; Fleming, Hadley, Ramey
MOD Audio SID.18430316
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.