“ADRIANA LECOUVREUR : Cilea
Original Air Date: 02/11/1978
Cast: López-Cobos; Caballé, Carreras, Cossotto, Quilico
Media: MOD Audio SID.17460318 Tags: Archive; 2017
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)
The great Renata Scotto gives a spellbinding performance as the legendary actress of the title. With all of France at her feet, she has doubts about the faithfulness of her lover, the handsome military hero Maurizio (Neil Shicoff). To aid his claim for the Saxon throne, Maurizio has been paying court to the Princess di Bouillon (Viorica Cortez). Emotions erupt at a party given by the Princess when Adriana publicly accuses her of adultery. But the Princess gets even by sending Adriana a bouquet of poisoned flowers… The great baritone Mario Sereni is Michonnet, the faithful friend and theater director who is hopelessly in love with Adriana. (metopera.org)”
“L’ELISIR D’AMORE : Donizetti
Original Air Date: 04/29/1989
Cast: Panni; Pavarotti, Battle, Plishka, Quilico
Media: MOD Audio SID.17460320 Tags: Archive; 2017, Pavarotti
L’Elisir is arguably the most over broadcast repertory opera on Sirius. The opera is a charming confection with lovely vocal turns for both the soprano and tenor, and meaty traditional roles for the buffo bass and the lyric baritone. For superstars like Pavarotti, Florez, and Netrebko, these parts allow them to slide a little, but just because superstars find L’Elisir handy Met repertory selection in the house and on the radio have become very distorted.
If you look at the MOoD, you see that Aida has 4 videos (including Leontyne Price’s farewell) and 8 audios while L’Elisir has 3 videos (2 with Pavarotti, 1 with Netrebko) and 11 audios (4 with Pavarotti) This 1989 is the fourth of his six Met radio broadcasts.
To be honest the best way to experience Pavarotti’s Nemorino is to hear the Decca studio version with Sutherland from 1970– JoS never did the part onstage, but the vocal gold of this studio recording is anything but hothouse.
Second best way to experience Pavarotti’s Nemorino is his 1978 broadcast with Blegen, Corena, and Sereni. The presence of the two best bass clef singers for this opera and a Pavarotti 11 years younger make for a considerable improvement. It’s on MOoD.
Also on MOoD and where you should listen to life beyond Pavarotti are the 1972 with Scotto, Bergonzi pairing with Corena and Sereni: 4 native Italians savoring the style to a fare-thee well. Bergonzi has an earlier broadcast with Peters and Guarrera in for Sereni, and Peters has a broadcast with Kraus with Corena and Sereni.
All of these are on MOoD and while they’ve all been on Sirius, they are eschewed mostly in favor of more recent performances with less stylish casts.”
“AN AMERICAN TRAGEDY : Picker
Original Air Date: 12/24/2005
Cast: Conlon; Gunn, Racette, Graham, Zajick, Larmore
Media: MOD Audio SID.17460422 Tags: Archive; 2017
An American Tragedy was premiered at the Met and should have been HDd during a scheduled revival in 2008 which was taken by Last Emperor (in hopes of a China tour which did not materialize).
Zambello directed, and she remains faithful to the work which was revived at Glimmerglass in 2014 in a revised edition. On the radio the real standout is Zajick who makes conventional lines sound momentous, but the overall cast was well chosen.”
“DIE MEISTERSINGER VON NÜRNBERG : Wagner
Original Air Date: 12/08/2001
Cast: Levine; Morris, Mattila, Heppner, Allen, Pape, Polenzani
Media: MOD Video SID.17460423 Tags: Archive; 2017, Levine, Wagner
A little late for Heppner, but still a fine Walther. An excellent
overall performance.”
“DIE MEISTERSINGER VON NÜRNBERG : Wagner
Original Air Date: 12/08/2001
Cast: Levine; Morris, Mattila, Heppner, Allen, Pape, Polenzani
Media: MOD Video SID.17460424 Tags: Archive; 2017, Levine, Wagner
A little late for Heppner, but still a fine Walther. An excellent
overall performance.”
“LA FORZA DEL DESTINO : Verdi
Original Air Date: 03/17/1956
Cast: Stiedry; Milanov, Tucker, Warren, Siepi, Elias, Corena
Media: MOD Audio SID.17460425 Tags: Archive; 2017, Verdi
For me, the A list male casting for this opera in the 1950s at the Met was Tucker, Warren, and Siepi. This is the only broadcast where all three gentlemen (who premiered the new production on opening night of the 1952 season. Milanov certainly had the voice for the Forza Leonora, but as others have noted she is not a young woman in the 1950s, and she could be uneven in a single afternoon. Her current competition is non-existent. I checked the Paul Jackson broadcast reviews on this performance, but he is silent (he is particularly strong on singers he heard often). Though this has been on before, this is a must listen.”
“OTELLO : Verdi
Original Air Date: 10/13/1995
Cast: Levine; Domingo, Fleming, Morris, Croft
Media: MOD Video SID.17460426 Tags: Archive; 2017, Levine, Domingo, Verdi
This performance is also available as a DVD from Deutsche Grammophon. This was Fleming’s first big success at the Met, and she is a splendid Desdemona.This performance is also available as a DVD from Deutsche Grammophon. This was Fleming’s first big success at the Met, and she is a splendid Desdemona.”
“L’ELISIR D’AMORE : Donizetti
Original Air Date: 04/29/1989
Cast: Panni; Pavarotti, Battle, Plishka, Quilico
Media: MOD Audio SID.17460531 Tags: Archive; 2017, Pavarotti
L’Elisir is arguably the most over broadcast repertory opera on Sirius. The opera is a charming confection with lovely vocal turns for both the soprano and tenor, and meaty traditional roles for the buffo bass and the lyric baritone. For superstars like Pavarotti, Florez, and Netrebko, these parts allow them to slide a little, but just because superstars find L’Elisir handy Met repertory selection in the house and on the radio have become very distorted.
If you look at the MOoD, you see that Aida has 4 videos (including Leontyne Price’s farewell) and 8 audios while L’Elisir has 3 videos (2 with Pavarotti, 1 with Netrebko) and 11 audios (4 with Pavarotti) This 1989 is the fourth of his six Met radio broadcasts.
To be honest the best way to experience Pavarotti’s Nemorino is to hear the Decca studio version with Sutherland from 1970– JoS never did the part onstage, but the vocal gold of this studio recording is anything but hothouse.
Second best way to experience Pavarotti’s Nemorino is his 1978 broadcast with Blegen, Corena, and Sereni. The presence of the two best bass clef singers for this opera and a Pavarotti 11 years younger make for a considerable improvement. It’s on MOoD.
Also on MOoD and where you should listen to life beyond Pavarotti are the 1972 with Scotto, Bergonzi pairing with Corena and Sereni: 4 native Italians savoring the style to a fare-thee well. Bergonzi has an earlier broadcast with Peters and Guarrera in for Sereni, and Peters has a broadcast with Kraus with Corena and Sereni.
All of these are on MOoD and while they’ve all been on Sirius, they are eschewed mostly in favor of more recent performances with less stylish casts.”
“FAUST : Gounod
Original Air Date: 02/26/1972
Cast: Rich; Domingo, Zylis-Gara, Tozzi, Sereni, von Stade
Media: MOD Audio SID.17460532 Tags: Archive; 2017, Domingo
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.”
“AN AMERICAN TRAGEDY : Picker
Original Air Date: 12/24/2005
Cast: Conlon; Gunn, Racette, Graham, Zajick, Larmore
Media: MOD Audio SID.17460533 Tags: Archive; 2017
An American Tragedy was premiered at the Met and should have been HDd during a scheduled revival in 2008 which was taken by Last Emperor (in hopes of a China tour which did not materialize).
Zambello directed, and she remains faithful to the work which was revived at Glimmerglass in 2014 in a revised edition. On the radio the real standout is Zajick who makes conventional lines sound momentous, but the overall cast was well chosen.”
“ADRIANA LECOUVREUR : Cilea
Original Air Date: 02/11/1978
Cast: López-Cobos; Caballé, Carreras, Cossotto, Quilico
Media: MOD Audio SID.17460535 Tags: Archive; 2017
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)
The great Renata Scotto gives a spellbinding performance as the legendary actress of the title. With all of France at her feet, she has doubts about the faithfulness of her lover, the handsome military hero Maurizio (Neil Shicoff). To aid his claim for the Saxon throne, Maurizio has been paying court to the Princess di Bouillon (Viorica Cortez). Emotions erupt at a party given by the Princess when Adriana publicly accuses her of adultery. But the Princess gets even by sending Adriana a bouquet of poisoned flowers… The great baritone Mario Sereni is Michonnet, the faithful friend and theater director who is hopelessly in love with Adriana. (metopera.org)”
“LA FORZA DEL DESTINO : Verdi
Original Air Date: 03/17/1956
Cast: Stiedry; Milanov, Tucker, Warren, Siepi, Elias, Corena
Media: MOD Audio SID.17460637 Tags: Archive; 2017, Verdi
For me, the A list male casting for this opera in the 1950s at the Met was Tucker, Warren, and Siepi. This is the only broadcast where all three gentlemen (who premiered the new production on opening night of the 1952 season. Milanov certainly had the voice for the Forza Leonora, but as others have noted she is not a young woman in the 1950s, and she could be uneven in a single afternoon. Her current competition is non-existent. I checked the Paul Jackson broadcast reviews on this performance, but he is silent (he is particularly strong on singers he heard often). Though this has been on before, this is a must listen.”
“DIE MEISTERSINGER VON NÜRNBERG : Wagner
Original Air Date: 12/08/2001
Cast: Levine; Morris, Mattila, Heppner, Allen, Pape, Polenzani
Media: MOD Video SID.17460641 Tags: Archive; 2017, Levine, Wagner
A little late for Heppner, but still a fine Walther. An excellent
overall performance.”
“DIE MEISTERSINGER VON NÜRNBERG : Wagner
Original Air Date: 12/08/2001
Cast: Levine; Morris, Mattila, Heppner, Allen, Pape, Polenzani
Media: MOD Video SID.17460642 Tags: Archive; 2017, Levine, Wagner
A little late for Heppner, but still a fine Walther. An excellent
overall performance.”
“OTELLO : Verdi
Original Air Date: 10/13/1995
Cast: Levine; Domingo, Fleming, Morris, Croft
Media: MOD Video SID.17460743 Tags: Archive; 2017, Levine, Domingo, Verdi
This performance is also available as a DVD from Deutsche Grammophon. This was Fleming’s first big success at the Met, and she is a splendid Desdemona.This performance is also available as a DVD from Deutsche Grammophon. This was Fleming’s first big success at the Met, and she is a splendid Desdemona.”
“AN AMERICAN TRAGEDY : Picker
Original Air Date: 12/24/2005
Cast: Conlon; Gunn, Racette, Graham, Zajick, Larmore
Media: MOD Audio SID.17460744 Tags: Archive; 2017
An American Tragedy was premiered at the Met and should have been HDd during a scheduled revival in 2008 which was taken by Last Emperor (in hopes of a China tour which did not materialize).
Zambello directed, and she remains faithful to the work which was revived at Glimmerglass in 2014 in a revised edition. On the radio the real standout is Zajick who makes conventional lines sound momentous, but the overall cast was well chosen.”
“L’ELISIR D’AMORE : Donizetti
Original Air Date: 04/29/1989
Cast: Panni; Pavarotti, Battle, Plishka, Quilico
Media: MOD Audio SID.17460746 Tags: Archive; 2017, Pavarotti
L’Elisir is arguably the most over broadcast repertory opera on Sirius. The opera is a charming confection with lovely vocal turns for both the soprano and tenor, and meaty traditional roles for the buffo bass and the lyric baritone. For superstars like Pavarotti, Florez, and Netrebko, these parts allow them to slide a little, but just because superstars find L’Elisir handy Met repertory selection in the house and on the radio have become very distorted.
If you look at the MOoD, you see that Aida has 4 videos (including Leontyne Price’s farewell) and 8 audios while L’Elisir has 3 videos (2 with Pavarotti, 1 with Netrebko) and 11 audios (4 with Pavarotti) This 1989 is the fourth of his six Met radio broadcasts.
To be honest the best way to experience Pavarotti’s Nemorino is to hear the Decca studio version with Sutherland from 1970– JoS never did the part onstage, but the vocal gold of this studio recording is anything but hothouse.
Second best way to experience Pavarotti’s Nemorino is his 1978 broadcast with Blegen, Corena, and Sereni. The presence of the two best bass clef singers for this opera and a Pavarotti 11 years younger make for a considerable improvement. It’s on MOoD.
Also on MOoD and where you should listen to life beyond Pavarotti are the 1972 with Scotto, Bergonzi pairing with Corena and Sereni: 4 native Italians savoring the style to a fare-thee well. Bergonzi has an earlier broadcast with Peters and Guarrera in for Sereni, and Peters has a broadcast with Kraus with Corena and Sereni.
All of these are on MOoD and while they’ve all been on Sirius, they are eschewed mostly in favor of more recent performances with less stylish casts.”
“FAUST : Gounod
Original Air Date: 02/26/1972
Cast: Rich; Domingo, Zylis-Gara, Tozzi, Sereni, von Stade
Media: MOD Audio SID.17460748 Tags: Archive; 2017, Domingo
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.”
“ADRIANA LECOUVREUR : Cilea
Original Air Date: 02/11/1978
Cast: López-Cobos; Caballé, Carreras, Cossotto, Quilico
Media: MOD Audio SID.17470101 Tags: Archive; 2017
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)
The great Renata Scotto gives a spellbinding performance as the legendary actress of the title. With all of France at her feet, she has doubts about the faithfulness of her lover, the handsome military hero Maurizio (Neil Shicoff). To aid his claim for the Saxon throne, Maurizio has been paying court to the Princess di Bouillon (Viorica Cortez). Emotions erupt at a party given by the Princess when Adriana publicly accuses her of adultery. But the Princess gets even by sending Adriana a bouquet of poisoned flowers… The great baritone Mario Sereni is Michonnet, the faithful friend and theater director who is hopelessly in love with Adriana. (metopera.org)”
“FALSTAFF : Verdi
Original Air Date: 03/08/1986
Cast: Levine; Taddei, Neblett, Monk, Cossotto, Blegen, Ahlstedt
Media: MOD Audio SID.17470209 Tags: Archive; 2017, Levine, Verdi
I am particularly glad to have this performance back on the radio. Taddei and Cossotto make a most interesting pair, and I’m sorry she did not do more of the part. I don’t have strong memories of Neblett and Monk.
Taddei who came very late to the Met did this run of Falstaff followed by a run in L’elisir which was broadcast and has been on Sirius. If they run that performance again I will check it out. Taddei’s actual Met farewell is as Dulcamara in Met in the Pennsauken Cooper River Park in New Jersey with Hong as his Adina. Taddei appeared as both Scarpia and Rigoletto in Philadelphia (both with Tucker) and I also saw his
Leporello in Dallas (with Sutherland and the EMI gang), Germont (with Callas) and much later Leporello again in San Francisco with Siepi.
The Met was not starving for good baritones in those days, so we got too little of him and very late. He has a nice non-Met legacy of studio and live performances. He died at 93 two years ago today (June 2, 2010).”
“COSÌ FAN TUTTE : Mozart
Original Air Date: 01/22/1972
Cast: Pritchard; Zylis- Gara, Bottazzo, Elias, Uppman, Stratas, Berry
Media: MOD Audio SID.17470214 Tags: Archive; 2017, Mozart
This is the first season Cosi returns to the original Italian at the Met, but still retains the Lunt/Gerard production. Pritchard is an experienced Mozartean, if rarely to my taste. Stratas is sharp casting for Despina, and nice to see Berry in a congenial part.This is Vickers’ first of four Otello broadcasts and in the Zeffirelli production new the previous year. This is Levine’s first season out in Otello, and Quilico is a familiar figure with a voice well suited to Verdi baritone roles– in an era of Merrill, MacNeil, and Milnes, Quilico doesn’t seem so top tier. Among today’s baritones he sings the pants off of any of them”
“EUGENE ONEGIN : Tchaikovsky
Original Air Date: 03/25/1989
Cast: Levine; Hynninen, Freni, Hadley, Walker, Sotin
Media: MOD Audio SID.17470316 Tags: Archive; 2017, Levine
This is a solid cast, but not a native Russian anywhere around. Sotin is especially odd casting, since I like a full out bass as Gremin.”
“FALSTAFF : Verdi
Original Air Date: 03/08/1986
Cast: Levine; Taddei, Neblett, Monk, Cossotto, Blegen, Ahlstedt
Media: MOD Audio SID.17470529 Tags: Archive; 2017, Levine, Verdi
I am particularly glad to have this performance back on the radio. Taddei and Cossotto make a most interesting pair, and I’m sorry she did not do more of the part. I don’t have strong memories of Neblett and Monk.
Taddei who came very late to the Met did this run of Falstaff followed by a run in L’elisir which was broadcast and has been on Sirius. If they run that performance again I will check it out. Taddei’s actual Met farewell is as Dulcamara in Met in the Pennsauken Cooper River Park in New Jersey with Hong as his Adina. Taddei appeared as both Scarpia and Rigoletto in Philadelphia (both with Tucker) and I also saw his
Leporello in Dallas (with Sutherland and the EMI gang), Germont (with Callas) and much later Leporello again in San Francisco with Siepi.
The Met was not starving for good baritones in those days, so we got too little of him and very late. He has a nice non-Met legacy of studio and live performances. He died at 93 two years ago today (June 2, 2010).”
“COSÌ FAN TUTTE : Mozart
Original Air Date: 01/22/1972
Cast: Pritchard; Zylis- Gara, Bottazzo, Elias, Uppman, Stratas, Berry
Media: MOD Audio SID.17470533 Tags: Archive; 2017, Mozart
This is the first season Cosi returns to the original Italian at the Met, but still retains the Lunt/Gerard production. Pritchard is an experienced Mozartean, if rarely to my taste. Stratas is sharp casting for Despina, and nice to see Berry in a congenial part.This is Vickers’ first of four Otello broadcasts and in the Zeffirelli production new the previous year. This is Levine’s first season out in Otello, and Quilico is a familiar figure with a voice well suited to Verdi baritone roles– in an era of Merrill, MacNeil, and Milnes, Quilico doesn’t seem so top tier. Among today’s baritones he sings the pants off of any of them”
“EUGENE ONEGIN : Tchaikovsky
Original Air Date: 03/25/1989
Cast: Levine; Hynninen, Freni, Hadley, Walker, Sotin
Media: MOD Audio SID.17470636 Tags: Archive; 2017, Levine
This is a solid cast, but not a native Russian anywhere around. Sotin is especially odd casting, since I like a full out bass as Gremin.”
“EUGENE ONEGIN : Tchaikovsky
Original Air Date: 03/25/1989
Cast: Levine; Hynninen, Freni, Hadley, Walker, Sotin
Media: MOD Audio SID.17470639 Tags: Archive; 2017, Levine
This is a solid cast, but not a native Russian anywhere around. Sotin is especially odd casting, since I like a full out bass as Gremin.”
“COSÌ FAN TUTTE : Mozart
Original Air Date: 01/22/1972
Cast: Pritchard; Zylis- Gara, Bottazzo, Elias, Uppman, Stratas, Berry
Media: MOD Audio SID.17470744 Tags: Archive; 2017, Mozart
This is the first season Cosi returns to the original Italian at the Met, but still retains the Lunt/Gerard production. Pritchard is an experienced Mozartean, if rarely to my taste. Stratas is sharp casting for Despina, and nice to see Berry in a congenial part.This is Vickers’ first of four Otello broadcasts and in the Zeffirelli production new the previous year. This is Levine’s first season out in Otello, and Quilico is a familiar figure with a voice well suited to Verdi baritone roles– in an era of Merrill, MacNeil, and Milnes, Quilico doesn’t seem so top tier. Among today’s baritones he sings the pants off of any of them”
“FALSTAFF : Verdi
Original Air Date: 03/08/1986
Cast: Levine; Taddei, Neblett, Monk, Cossotto, Blegen, Ahlstedt
Media: MOD Audio SID.17470748 Tags: Archive; 2017, Levine, Verdi
I am particularly glad to have this performance back on the radio. Taddei and Cossotto make a most interesting pair, and I’m sorry she did not do more of the part. I don’t have strong memories of Neblett and Monk.
Taddei who came very late to the Met did this run of Falstaff followed by a run in L’elisir which was broadcast and has been on Sirius. If they run that performance again I will check it out. Taddei’s actual Met farewell is as Dulcamara in Met in the Pennsauken Cooper River Park in New Jersey with Hong as his Adina. Taddei appeared as both Scarpia and Rigoletto in Philadelphia (both with Tucker) and I also saw his
Leporello in Dallas (with Sutherland and the EMI gang), Germont (with Callas) and much later Leporello again in San Francisco with Siepi.
The Met was not starving for good baritones in those days, so we got too little of him and very late. He has a nice non-Met legacy of studio and live performances. He died at 93 two years ago today (June 2, 2010).”
“ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA : Barber
Original Air Date: 09/16/1966
Cast: Schippers; Díaz, Price, Thomas, Flagello, Elias
Media: MOD Audio SID.17480102 Tags: Archive; 2017
From MOD: Expectations were high when the Metropolitan Opera announced that the world premiere of Samuel Barber’s Antony and Cleopatra would christen its new house at Lincoln Center in the fall of 1966—a suitably grand work based on Shakespeare’s tragedy and written specifically for Leontyne Price as Cleopatra. A singer himself, the composer knew Price’s voice and what it could do, shaping his conception of the opera’s heroine around this iconic American diva.
The 26-year-old Puerto Rican–born bass Justino Díaz starred alongside Price as Antony while Ezio Flagello portrayed Antony’s friend Enobarbus. Tenor Jess Thomas brought his heroic presence to the role of Octavius Caesar, and the beloved mezzo-soprano Rosalind Elias, already a Met veteran in her 30s, sang the role of Cleopatra’s attendant Charmian.
Thanks to a Texaco–Metropolitan Opera Radio Network broadcast from the opera’s world premiere, this indelible piece of Met history has been preserved for generations.
***
This is the opening of the new Met at Lincoln Center and the world premiere of the opera. Leontyne never sang better than this night, and luckily it is well preserved for all to hear. Lady Bird Johnson and Imelda Marcos were among the dignitaries that night”
“IL TROVATORE : Verdi
Original Air Date: 03/13/1971
Cast: Mehta; Tucker, Arroyo, Verrett, Sereni, Michalski
Media: MOD Audio SID.17480103 Tags: Archive; 2017, Verdi
This is Verrett’s first Met Trovatore, and she is on fire. It remains one of her best parts and serves as her Met farewell in 1990.
Tucker and Arroyo have plenty to offer and Sereni’s limitations as Luna are only in comparison to Warren or Bastianini, not today’s rather pitiful crop of Verdi baritones.
This is Mehta’s final run at the Met and the non-broadcast marks his farewell after 6 seasons. I always rather enjoyed his work at the Met, but his NY Philharmonic and the Chicago Ring did not wow me. He continues to hold multiple prestigious posts. Though Maazel did better at the Philharmonic, Mehta is a better man of the theatre.”