Various:Various
Original Air Date: 01/01/9999
Various Artists
SID.19260534
Various selections between scheduled operas. Siriusxm Radio and web player will show the Composer and Title.
THE QUEEN OF SPADES:Tchaikovsky
Original Air Date: 04/10/1999
Gergiev; Domingo, Gorchakova, Söderström, Hvorostovsky, Borodina, Putilin
MOD AudioMOD Video SID.19260636
This performance is too late for Soderstrom, too late for Domingo, and too late for Gorchakova. You can see the video of from five days later on MOoD as well. Better to hear the first season of the production with Gregorian who succeeded Heppner, Guleghina who succeeded Mattila with Rysanek. That has been on Sirius, but is not on MOoD. If Sirius had been at work when the production premiered we would have a broadcast of Heppner and Mattila at their very best. MOD is from 4-15-99 performance.
ESCLARMONDE:Massenet
Original Air Date: 12/11/1976
Bonynge; Sutherland, Aragall, Tourangeau, Grant
MOD Audio SID.19260637
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.
DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE:Mozart
Original Air Date: 02/21/1998
de Waart; Bonney, Lopardo, Finley, Dunleavy, Moll
MOD Audio SID.19260638
I want to take a listen to this broadcast, esp. for Bonney and Finley. I wrote a few months ago on some missing gaps in Zauberflote: If relatively recent sound is the criterion, more rotation of the Lorengar, Deutekom from 1968 is called for and I would love to hear again the 1970 and 1972 broadcasts which have not yet made it to Sirius. The 1970 features the matchless Papageno of Hermann Prey (and live performance is quite a different thing than the recording studio) Popp is out there for one of her last times as the QotN; the 1972 features the strong Queen of Edda Moser and an unusual Pamina, Adriana Maliponte. If sound is not the sole criterion, it would be nice to hear Bruno Walter conducting in the early 40s, with Steber leading the three ladies in three broadcasts succeeded in 1945 by Regina Resnik. Kipnis and Pinza are 2 of the Sarastros. For really splendid Mozart in English, the 1950 with Steber moving up to Pamina, and Tucker as Tamino; Erna Berger sings the Queen in English under Stiedry.
IL TROVATORE:Verdi
Original Air Date: 01/21/1989
Levine; Pavarotti, Millo, Cossotto, Milnes, Plishka
MOD Audio SID.19260639
Milnes’ farewell comes in Aida in March 1997, but his appearances in plum video and broadcast assignments drop off in his final decade. This IS Cossotto’s Met farewell, and she is authoritative in her standard way. Pavarotti and Millo are both very solid.
ELEKTRA:Strauss
Original Air Date: 02/23/1952
Reiner; Varnay, Wegner, Höngen, Schöffler, Svanholm
MOD Audio SID.19260640
The Met premiere of Elektra was broadcast in 1932 with Gertude Kappel making a memorable appearance in the title role. I have only heard parts of this, but the whole broadcast does survive. The remaining four performances that season had Rossini’s Il Signor Bruschino as a “”curtain raiser””. The 1938 revival with Rose Pauly was not broadcast and was paired with Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi (from Trittico) for the first four, and the fifth was with Menotti’s Amelia goes to the ball. The 1952 broadcast featured this week is the first broadcast in 20 years and features Varnay at the ripe age of 34 in the title role. She went on to sing the role all over the world for two decades before moving on to Klytemnestra. Reiner had conducted a groundbreaking Salome in 1949 with Welitsch, and conducted Varnay in the last two Salomes of the 1952 season after this run of 5 Elektras. I can’t think of a singer (all of 34) who did both title roles in the same season. This is available in Met Opera on Demand (MOoD) as well. 2/6/2012 – This is not a premiere on Sirius, but it is not played often enough. Reiner and Varnay are in tremendous form–one of her very best roles, and this revival was the first at the Met in more than a decade. Reiner was a supreme Straussian. He broadcast Salome with Welitsch, this Elektra, and 3 Rosenkavaliers, 2 with Steber (1 with Stevens, 1 with Novotna) and one with Varnay as Marie Therese. The only thing more interesting about that broadcast would have been to SEE her as Marie Therese. Let’s hear it for the unearthing of Varnay’s Rosenkavalier. Until then, enjoy the House of Mycenae from this February 1952 matinee. 3/11/2011 – Reiner is a great Straussian, and Varnay a great Elektra. That’s quite enough for me. The only broadcast Elektra to precede this is 1932 with Gertrude Kappel. Alas, I do not believe this 1952 performance survives. Certainly I’ve never heard it. The reviews are ecstatic. The 1966 performance which features Resnik’s only Met broadcast Klytemnestra I would like to hear again (it hasn’t been on Sirius). Nilsson and Rysanek are well caught 5 years later with Bohm; Madeira is at the very end of her career and not well served. Ute Vinzing (with Christa Ludwig as Klytemnestra) and Penelope Daner (with Rysanek as Klytemnestra), both under Levine have not been on Sirius, and i would especially like to hear the Vinzing performance again. Daner had replaced Behrens for all performances after the premiere of the new production. Two years after the disastrous Behrens premiere (the Times gave a glowing review to her for a performance that I thought would be interrupted at any moment) , Behrens returned in much-restored voice, and that broadcast was captured in a video with Fassbander that is in the Levine 40th DVD box set as well as Sirius broadcasting.
UN BALLO IN MASCHERA:Verdi
Original Air Date: 12/10/1955
Mitropoulos; Peerce, Milanov, Merrill, Peters, Anderson
SID.19260641
Historically, the major importance is Anderson in her only broadcast. She’s showing every one of her years. She had made her debut the previous season in a short run of 3 Ulricas. I’m not a Peerce fan, but he is OK. Merrill begins his string of eight of nine Ballo broadcasts over a 20 year period (only Milnes breaks the chain in 1973 for 1). Milanov is better heard with Bjorling from the Met in 1940 which was issued in the Verdi Bicentennial Met CD box. It should also be in MOoD. conducted by Mitropoulos– always of interest to me. This performance is in MOoD (as is Anderson’s premiere season with Tucker and Metternich) She’s in pretty rough voice on both outings. 10 years earlier and it would have been a different story. A great singer, and I didn’t know until checking the Met Database this afternoon that her Met farewell was actually in Cleveland in Ballo with Bjorling a few months later.
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM:Britten
Original Air Date: 12/21/1996
Atherton; McNair, Kowalski, Rose, Streit, Bunnell, Gilfry, Gustafson
MOD Audio SID.19260642
The work was revived under Conlon in 2013 for 3 Sirius streamed live broadcasts, one of which was rebroadcast on Sirius as part of their June Friday night encores, but no national free network. I saw a lovely production at the original Sadler’s Wells Theatre almost 20 years ago under the late Richard Hickox. It’s one of those works I seem to like less as the years go on, but that may be just me.
ERNANI:Verdi
Original Air Date: 03/09/1985
Fulton; Mauro, Mitchell, Elvira, Plishka
MOD Audio SID.19260743
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.
TANNHÄUSER:Wagner
Original Air Date: 12/17/1960
Solti; Hopf, Rysanek, Dalis, Prey, Hines
SID.19260744
This is the first Tannhauser of the season and marks the house debuts of both Prey and Solti. Hopf is not for everyone, but this is a thrilling broadcast with fine work from all, and first appearance of the Paris version of Tannhauser, which Levine continued when the new production debuted in 1977. 1965-66 is the only season with the Dresden version after 1954-55. 10/15/12 – This was the double debut of Solti and Hermann Prey, and the first performance of the season. This was the beginning of a dustup between Rysanek and Solti and when the cast started revolving with three Elisabeths (Rysanek, De Los Angeles, Nilsson), three Wolframs (Prey, Cassel, Wachter), three Venuses (Dalis, Dunn, Harshaw), with only Hopf and Hines staying intact, Solti left after the De Los Angeles performance. His conducting is of a high order and despite the contretemps, Rysanek gives her all. This performance is on MOoD, and is highly recommended. 3/26/12 – This is the first Tannhauser of the season, the Met debuts of Solti and Prey, and the first appearance of the Paris version in post WW2 Met revivals. The Met reverts back to Dresden 5 seasons later when Nilsson doubles both roles, and Windgassen is a late cancellation not well replaced. One Levine comes in with the new production in 1977, it is Paris all the way. All the singers are major German repertory singers. Hopf was pleading a cold that day as well. This is available on MOoD (Met Opera on Demand formerly MetPlayer) as well.
DON PASQUALE:Donizetti
Original Air Date: 03/22/1980
Rescigno; Trimarchi, Peters, Rendall, Duesing
SID.19260745
This is getting quite late for Peters, and Trimarchi only has one Met season. Rescigno is an experienced bel canto conductor, but this is a pretty wan cast.
THE MERRY WIDOW:Lehár
Original Air Date: 12/23/2000
Fisch; von Stade, Hagegård, Welch-Babidge, Groves
SID.19260746
This is the second year of the production originally mounted for Von Stade with Domingo. I hadn’t noticed until preparing this list that the production is by Tim Albery who is also responsible for this coming season’s Midsummer Night’s Dream for the Britten centenary. It’s not often that anything in English translation is on Sirius, but this is. Now if only they could have some of much worthier English translation evenings like Arabella and Cosi fan tutte with Steber and some of the great Boris Godunovs of the 1950s and 60s.
L’ASSEDIO DI CORINTO:Rossini
Original Air Date: 01/17/1976
Schippers; Sills, Verrett, Di Giuseppe, Díaz
SID.19260747
“The following season also with Sills and Verrett under Woitach) are the Met broadcast history of this problematic Rossini work, and both are on MOoD. Verrett is in top form, but I find Sills too late for these assumptions. I find the work as edited for these performances a jumble and they don’t make this reluctant Rossinian any less so. Barbiere remains a miracle and though done to death, still sparkles.”
THE QUEEN OF SPADES:Tchaikovsky
Original Air Date: 04/10/1999
Gergiev; Domingo, Gorchakova, Söderström, Hvorostovsky, Borodina, Putilin
MOD AudioMOD Video SID.19260748
This performance is too late for Soderstrom, too late for Domingo, and too late for Gorchakova. You can see the video of from five days later on MOoD as well. Better to hear the first season of the production with Gregorian who succeeded Heppner, Guleghina who succeeded Mattila with Rysanek. That has been on Sirius, but is not on MOoD. If Sirius had been at work when the production premiered we would have a broadcast of Heppner and Mattila at their very best. MOD is from 4-15-99 performance.
IL TROVATORE:Verdi
Original Air Date: 01/21/1989
Levine; Pavarotti, Millo, Cossotto, Milnes, Plishka
MOD Audio SID.19260749
Milnes’ farewell comes in Aida in March 1997, but his appearances in plum video and broadcast assignments drop off in his final decade. This IS Cossotto’s Met farewell, and she is authoritative in her standard way. Pavarotti and Millo are both very solid.
FALSTAFF:Verdi
Original Air Date: 01/23/1965
Rosenstock; Evans, Tucci, Sereni, Resnik, Raskin, Shirley
SID.19270317
A fine cast is mostly undone by Rosenstock’s foursquare conducting. Where is the 1964 original production broadcast with Bernstein? Bernstein has only 2 Met broadcasts (the other is Cavalleria) and neither has made it to Sirius.
DIE WALKÜRE:Wagner
Original Air Date: 03/01/1969
von Karajan; Nilsson, Adam, Crespin, Vickers, Veasey, Talvela
MOD Audio SID.19270318
Last appearance at MET by Von Karajan. To my knowledge this is the only broadcast opera performance (not counting galas) in which both Nilsson and Crespin appear together. This is Crespin’s only broadcast Sieglinde from the Met. It is also Karajan’s final Met performance (he had done the Rheingold broadcast a week earlier (also on MOoD); it is also Josephine Veasey’s Met farewell. I’m rather sorry that Stewart did not get this broadcast, but he had the first year’s with Nilsson, Rysanek, Vickers,and Ludwig. Adam is experienced (he is in Bohm’s Bayreuth Ring of the same period, but his tone is not so agreeable to me.) This 1969 broadcast is Talvela’s only broadcast Hunding. The quality of the performance is one of the best postwar Walkures. 2/10/12 -This is one of von Karajan’s two Met broadcasts (the other is Rheingold), and Crespin’s only Sieglinde broadcast. The performance is also on MetPlayer. I’m not a big fan of Adam, but this is still powerhouse casting. Karajan’s conducting is in many ways closer to his early Bayreuth conducting than his 60s studio efforts.
DIE WALKÜRE:Wagner
Original Air Date: 03/01/1969
von Karajan; Nilsson, Adam, Crespin, Vickers, Veasey, Talvela
MOD Audio SID.19270319
Last appearance at MET by Von Karajan. To my knowledge this is the only broadcast opera performance (not counting galas) in which both Nilsson and Crespin appear together. This is Crespin’s only broadcast Sieglinde from the Met. It is also Karajan’s final Met performance (he had done the Rheingold broadcast a week earlier (also on MOoD); it is also Josephine Veasey’s Met farewell. I’m rather sorry that Stewart did not get this broadcast, but he had the first year’s with Nilsson, Rysanek, Vickers,and Ludwig. Adam is experienced (he is in Bohm’s Bayreuth Ring of the same period, but his tone is not so agreeable to me.) This 1969 broadcast is Talvela’s only broadcast Hunding. The quality of the performance is one of the best postwar Walkures. 2/10/12 -This is one of von Karajan’s two Met broadcasts (the other is Rheingold), and Crespin’s only Sieglinde broadcast. The performance is also on MetPlayer. I’m not a big fan of Adam, but this is still powerhouse casting. Karajan’s conducting is in many ways closer to his early Bayreuth conducting than his 60s studio efforts.
DON GIOVANNI:Mozart
Original Air Date: 04/14/1990
Levine; Furlanetto, Vaness, Ramey, Putnam, Winbergh, Upshaw
MOD Video SID.19270320
This performance comes 2 weeks after the telecast of the new Zeffirelli production with a number of cast changes Furlanetto and Ramey switch roles with Furlanetto now in the title role, Winbergh replaces Hadley, Putnam replaces Mattila. Although this has been on the radio before, it is not familiar to me, and I will make a special effort to take a listen.
IL PIRATA:Bellini
Original Air Date: 02/08/2003
Campanella; Fleming, Giordani, Croft
MOD Audio SID.19270321
This is the Met premiere of Pirata and to date its only broadcast season, but I don’t find either the soprano or tenor quite right for their parts. This was the performance that started me on my Giordani no listen zone. I was lucky enough to see Caballe do a stage Pirata (2x) in Philadelphia, and she was almost ideally cast. Fleming is a versatile, highly skilled singer, but this part was not for her.
LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR:Donizetti
Original Air Date: 12/31/1966
Bonynge; Sutherland, Tucker, Colzani, Ghiuselev
SID.19270422
Sutherland and Tucker are in very hot form. Colzani, who is the perfect Rance we can’t find anymore, is not so well suited to Enrico. Bonynge’s debut broadcast. The contributions of Sutherland and Tucker are quite strong, Colzani less so. It seems to have been broadcast maybe 5 times in the last 3 months. Better that we should have another chance to hear Sutherland’s debut season Lucia , also with Tucker and repeat a few other Lucias. Sirius covers the Met broadcast history well going back to 1937 for LIly Pons. The omissions as far as I can see are Munsel and Peters, not great losses. But one performance from 2/1/69 has not been on Sirius, and it is an UNFORGETTABLE afternoon, the first performance of the season with Moffo, Gedda, Bruson (Met debut), Giaiotti, under Franci (Met debut). The male side of the performance is extremely strong, and you will never hear another Lucia like Moffo’s. I wish a lurker for the Met would wake up to the ridiculous rotation applied to this mostly very good broadcast. STOP playing this for 6 months. Play the 2/1/1969 with Moffo, Gedda, Bruson (debut), Giaiotti , Franci conductor (the men are superb). This 1966 Lucia broadcast does the distinguished career of Anselmo Colzani any favors at all. Do I need to write Mel Karmazin at Sirius?
SALOME:Strauss
Original Air Date: 01/05/1974
Levine; Bumbry, Ulfung, Resnik, Shadur, Lewis
SID.19270423
This is Levine’s only Met run of Salome. Bumbry is in luscious voice, but Shadur is below major house standard for Jokanaan.
RIGOLETTO:Verdi
Original Air Date: 12/17/2005
Fisch; Guelfi, Netrebko, Villazón, Halfvarson, Fabiola Herrera
SID.19270424
I was at the first performance of the run, and while Netrebko had her moments, this part was just a bit too high for her. I still enjoyed her, but Villazon had his ups and downs. The real weakness was Guelfi who continued to UNdistinguish Met performances for the next decade plus. Even though he debuted in a series of park Rigolettos in 2000, this 2005 performance marks his Met broadcast debut.
DIE ÄGYPTISCHE HELENA:Strauss
Original Air Date: 03/31/2007
Luisi; Voigt, Kerl, Damrau, Grove, Brendel
MOD Audio SID.19270425
This is the Met’s only broadcast of the Strauss work and Kerl and Damrau are very impressive. I don’t love the work, but like most Strauss, it has its moments. It’s repeated too often in rotation which in no way approximates its importance in the Strauss canon. This was the first Met production in more than eight decades. I love the awakening scene, but for me it’s one of the weaker Strauss works. I shouldn’t complain. No Strauss at all this season or next. To date this is the only Met matinee broadcast of this uncommon Strauss work. The strongest profile is from Damrau who is an excellent Aithra. The opera has some great moments, and was one of Met audience’s first chances to encounter Luisi, now the Principal Conductor.
MANON:Massenet
Original Air Date: 12/21/1963
Schippers; Moffo, Gedda, Guarrera
SID.19270427
I saw Moffo and Gedda in this new production on the Met tour in Dallas (spring 1964.) She was very beautiful, but made no impact. Once you’ve heard the De Los Angeles/Monteux recording, THERE is Manon. There is a 1959 broadcast with Gedda and De Los Angeles which has never appeared on Sirius ( she does have a 1954 with Valletti which is very fine and has been on), but let us have more Jean Morel in the pit.
Britten
Original Air Date: 12/14/1974
Bedford; Pears, Shirley Quirk, Velis
MOD Audio SID.19270428
The Met saw the USA premiere of Britten’s Death in Venice and for the Met debut of Peter Pears. His only other role at the Met was Captain Vere in Billy Budd four years later; fortunately both of Pears’ roles are on MOoD. I always enjoy returning to Billy Budd, but I find Death in Venice a hard sit despite all the talent involved.
Verdi
Original Air Date: 03/24/2001
Levine; Pons, Guleghina, Ramey, Casanova
SID.19270529
The telecast (on MOoD) and DVD replace Casanova with Gwyn Hughes Jones. Chorus is solid (but better since Palumbo) and Pons, Guleghina, and Ramey are all ok, with Ramey beginning his wobble phase. He has Zaccarias in other houses that are better, but this is pretty much ok, just defintely not his peak (which is very good indeed). I prefer the broadcast with Susan Neves and Ataneli from 2003 also with Ramey. What is on MOoD is the Met premiere season of Nabucco with MacNeil and Siepi in excellent form and Rysanek doing full engagement with Abigaille, not always successfully.
DON GIOVANNI:Mozart
Original Air Date: 04/14/1990
Levine; Furlanetto, Vaness, Ramey, Putnam, Winbergh, Upshaw
MOD Video SID.19270530
This performance comes 2 weeks after the telecast of the new Zeffirelli production with a number of cast changes Furlanetto and Ramey switch roles with Furlanetto now in the title role, Winbergh replaces Hadley, Putnam replaces Mattila. Although this has been on the radio before, it is not familiar to me, and I will make a special effort to take a listen.
SAMSON ET DALILA:Saint-Saëns
Original Air Date: 04/16/1977
Ehrling; Chauvet, Cossotto, Walker
SID.19270531
Although I think Samson is being over-programmed –it’s not Carmen but I feel like we seem to get about equal parts of each– this performance is Cossotto’s only in-Met Dalila but did a full tour with the Met after this broadcast. Chauvet may not be ideal, but stylistically he is more authentic than anyone since Maison. Cossotto also has only one broadcast of Quickly, and again she only did it one season, and I am not sure how often elsewhere. While she is famous for the big Verdi mezzo parts, she can be a very fine musician, and certainly has the technical chops. Late I believe she did Herodias in Spain; wish she had brought that to the Met as well.