DON CARLO:Verdi
Nezet-Seguin; Poplavskaya, Smirnova, Alagna, Keenlyside, Furlanetto, Halfvarson
Original Air Date: 12/11/2010
Live in HD
SID.20140430
The Met’s new production is played in five acts with two intermissions, the first between Acts 2 and 3, and the second after Act 3. The version used is Verdi’s final revision from 1886, sung in Italian, including the act that takes place at Fontainebleau (Act 1). It is almost identical to the version used in the Met’s previous production by John Dexter, with the exception of the opening section of the Fontainebleau scene. Instead of the longer scene between Elisabeth and the woodcutters which opened the opera in the Dexter production, the new production uses the abbreviated version with which Verdi replaced the original just before the Paris premiere in 1867.
The music of the Herald is sung by the Count of Lerma.
Don Carlo……………Roberto Alagna
Elizabeth of Valois…..Marina Poplavskaya
Rodrigo……………..Simon Keenlyside
Princess Eboli……….Anna Smirnova
Philip II……………Ferruccio Furlanetto
Grand Inquisitor……..Eric Halfvarson
Priest Inquisitor…….Tommaso Matelli
Celestial Voice………Jennifer Check
Friar……………….Alexei Tanovitski8 *
Tebaldo……………. Layla Claire
Count of Lerma……….Eduardo Valdes
Countess of Aremberg….Anne Dyas
Flemish Deputy……….Donovan Singletary
Flemish Deputy……….Keith Harris
Flemish Deputy……….Christopher Schaldenbrand
Flemish Deputy……….Joshua Benaim
Flemish Deputy……….Tyler Simpson
Flemish Deputy……….Eric Jordan
Conductor……………Yannick Nézet-Séguin
Production…………..Nicholas Hytner
Designer…………….Bob Crowley
Lighting designer…….Mark Henderson
TV Director………….Gary Halvorson
LES PÊCHEURS DE PERLES:Bizet
Noseda; Damrau, Polenzani, Kwiecien, Teste*
Original Air Date: 01/16/2016
Live in HD
SID.20140538
Léila……………….Diana Damrau
Nadir……………….Matthew Polenzani
Zurga……………….Mariusz Kwiecien
Nourabad…………….Nicolas Testé
Conductor……………Gianandrea Noseda
Production…………..Penny Woolcock
Set Designer…………Dick Bird
Costume Designer……..Kevin Pollard
Lighting Designer…….Jen Schriever
Projection Design…….59 Productions
Movement Director…….Andrew Dawson
TV Director………….Matthew Diamond
LES TROYENS:Berlioz
Levine; Norman, Sooter, Monk, Taillon, Plishka, Ahlstedt
Original Air Date: 02/18/1984
MOD Audio
SID.20140645
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
Levine; Norman, Sooter, Monk, Taillon, Plishka, Ahlstedt
Original Air Date: 02/18/1984
MOD Audio
SID.20140647
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.
NORMA:Bellini
Rizzi; Radvanovsky, DiDonato, Calleja, Rose
Original Air Date: 10/07/2017
Live in HD
SID.20140754
Norma……………….Sondra Radvanovsky
Pollione…………….Joseph Calleja
Adalgisa…………….Joyce DiDonato
Oroveso……………..Matthew Rose
Clotilde…………….Michelle Bradley
Flavio………………Adam Diegel
Child……………….Christopher Reynolds
Child……………….John Reynolds
Conductor……………Carlo Rizzi
Production…………..David McVicar
Set Designer…………Robert Jones
Costume Designer……..Moritz Junge
Lighting Designerr……Paule Constable
Movement Directo……..Leah Hausman
TV Director………….Gary Halvorson
MOSES UND ARON:Schoenberg
Levine; Tomlinson, Langridge
Original Air Date: 12/20/2003
SID.20150102
This performance was issued in Levine’s 40th anniversary CD box, and is also available in MOoD. This performance is well regarded.Both the MOoD and the CD issued in the Levine 40th anniversary CD box are from the first Met season of MuA in 1999. Both performances have been on Sirius, and here is the 2003 again.
PARSIFAL:Wagner
Nezet-Seguin; Herlitzius, Vogt, Mattei, Nikitin, Pape
Original Air Date: 02/05/2018
SID.20150103
Met Music Director Designate Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts Wagner’s transcendental score, in François Girard’s remarkable production, a mystical theatrical journey. Tenor Klaus Florian Vogt, renowned across Europe, returns to the Met following his appearances in the 2016–17 season as Florestan in Fidelio. Evelyn Herlitzius is Kundry, and Peter Mattei and René Pape bring back their highly praised interpretations of Amfortas and Gurnemanz, respectively. Production a gift of the Gramma Fisher Foundation, Marshalltown, Iowa; Major funding from Rolex; Additional funding from Marina Kellen French, and the Edgar Foster Daniels Foundation; Revival a gift of Marina Kellen French
DIE FLEDERMAUS:Strauss Jr.
Ormandy & Blatt; Resnik, Kullman, Munsel, Sullivan, Thebom, Brownlee
Original Air Date: 12/22/1951
SID.20150105
This is the second season of the hit Fledermaus production, and while I never cared much for Resnik’s soprano outings, she’s an improvement on Piazza. Ormandy comes back for this, but leaves the third act to a repetiteur as he had a Saturday night in Philadelphia with his Orchestra and his real bread and butter. Munsel is still the real star. Brownlee was in practically every Fledermaus until he left the Met.
UN BALLO IN MASCHERA:Verdi
Lewis; Morell, Ross, Merrill, Peters, Forrester
Original Air Date: 12/06/1975
SID.20150106
Merrill who had a virtual lock on Renato for two decades (one broadcast to Milnes) is still in decent form for his final season. The rest of the cast is not ideal. I saw Elinor Ross several times in Philadelphia, and while it was not an especially beautiful voice she could be a notable Gioconda and Turandot, and her video Norma from Germany with Del Monaco is well up to the task. Amelia is another matter, but paired with Morrell, this is not the afternoon for glorious Verdi. Forrester has a very distinguished concert career, but she’s wrong for Ulrica at the Met. It’s too late for Peters as Oscar — she’s very good in 1955. This is Merrill’s final broadcast (he has three farewell Germonts with Moffo which constitute the final operatic appearance for both at the Met. My memory of this performance is not especially positive. Elinor Ross was a fine singer. I saw her a decade earlier in Philadelphia with an excellent Gioconda, Aida, and Turandot. She also has on Youtube a mostly complete Norma with Del Monaco from Germany. She is well up to the competition there. This is I think a bit late. For Merrlll’s Renato I strongly recommend 2 of his earlier Renatos from 1963 (with Nilsson and Tucker) and 1966 (with Price and Bergonzi). Lewis is not an inspiring conductor for me.
FIDELIO:Beethoven
Haitink; Meier, Sooter, Roar, Macurdy, Blegen, Atherton
Original Air Date: 04/10/1982
SID.20150208
This is Haitink’s only Met season, and Meier is pinch-hitting for Verrett who was sick for two other performances (also sung by Johanna Meier) in the run as well. Hard to believe the original casting for Florestan was Sooter, but in any event he gets a fine review from Harriet Johnson of the NY Post. To my knowledge, Verrett’s 3 performances are her only times in the part.
LES CONTES D’HOFFMANN:Offenbach
Varviso; Alexander, Dooley, Scovotti, Cvejic, Amara, Martin
Original Air Date: 02/27/1965
SID.20150209
This performance goes back to the old house, and has the distinction of being John Alexander’s only broadcast Hoffmann. His career is distinguished by regularly being asked for by the biggest named sopranos in the world–Beverly Sills, Montserrat Caballe, Renata Tebaldi, Leontyne Price, and a repertory that was as comfortable in Mozart and the French, as he was in German (Walther and Bacchus among his roles) and Italian. He was a bit like Alberto Remedios, but with more coloratura flexibility; both with sweet voices that could cope with roles that often defeated less technically secure colleagues. Antonia is one of Amara’s best parts.
SUSANNAH:Floyd
Conlon; Fleming, Hadley, Ramey
Original Air Date: 04/03/1999
MOD Audio
SID.20150210
This is the Met’s only broadcast of Susannah, and finds all three principals on especially fine form. 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. 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.
MANON LESCAUT:Puccini
Adler; Kirsten, Alexander, Walker, Michalski
Original Air Date: 03/08/1975
SID.20150211
Kirsten replaced Leontyne Price on this broadcast. She is thoroughly professional even if she is 65 years old!!!!! Her first broadcast is 26 years earlier when she was pushing 40. Better to hear that with Bjorling. Highly recommended but still omitted from the Sirius Manon Lescaut sweepstakes are the Tebaldi-Tucker from 1959 and the Kirsten Bergonzi from 1960 (Kirsten replacing Stella) This is a rare broadcast, but it IS possible to find
, 
I PURITANI:Bellini
Bonynge; Gruberova, Merritt, Gavanelli, Plishka
Original Air Date: 03/30/1991
MOD Audio
SID.20150212
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)
ELEKTRA:Strauss
Böhm; Nilsson, Rysanek, Madeira, Stewart, Nagy
Original Air Date: 02/27/1971
MOD Audio
SID.20150213
This performance marks Madeira’s Met farewell, and reveals some of the vocal weakness that is surely partly resultant from her illness and death a little more than a year later. The rest of the cast, and especially Bohm are white hot. For Madeira at her best, go to the Bohm studio with Inge Borkh as Elektra. A very satisfying recording on all counts.
RIGOLETTO:Verdi
Cleva; Merrill, Peters, Tucker, Giaiotti, Dunn
Original Air Date: 02/22/1964
MOD Audio
SID.20150214
Amazingly Merrill (debut 1946) and Tucker (debut 1945) are also around eight years later in 1972 for them sharing their final Rigoletto broadcast. Peters who sang Gilda at the Met as late as 1985 did not broadcast it after 1967. Dunn,Giaiotti, and Macurdy are outstandingly strong support. 1/16/12 – This has recently been released in the Sony Historic Broadcasts. All of the singers are fine, and the technical command of these full voiced singers could teach some more lyric singers the art of bel canto. Giaiotti was a stalwart of the Met bass contingent in the 60s, 70s, 80s. Giaiotti also has one broadcast Monterone which also includes Dunn, and MacNeil in his first Rigoletto broadcast. This has not been on Sirius and I would love to hear it. The performance is also on MetPlayer.
ALCESTE:Gluck
Panizza; Bamptom, Maison, Warren
Original Air Date: 03/08/1941
SID.20150216
This is one of the few 1940s broadcasts that gets to Sirius, but neither the 1952 with Flagstad, nor the 1961 with Farrell (both in English) have made it to Sirius. Again, it seems the translation is inhibiting their inclusion. Review of Pitts Sanborn in the World-Telegraph, Mme. Bampton Sings Role of Alceste – Following the present method of frequently changing the allotment of prominent roles, the Metropolitan management offered its third Alceste last evening with a new representative of the name part. After the fiery magnificence of Marjorie Lawrence as Alcestis came the lyric charm of Rose Bampton. Comely, tall and statuesque, Mme. Bampton showed in her carefully studied poses and gestures what pains she had taken to portray the self-sacrificing heroine persuasively to the eye. And in her singing tenderness and pathos found touching expression. Since this was only Mme. Bampton’s first assumption of an inexorably exacting role, we may look for further development later on of its more cogently dramatic aspects. Her voice seems now, under sympathetic guidance, to have found a congenial lyric field. Her tones were often of delightful quality last evening, her phrasing was marked by grace and fine taste and there was always the thought of the accomplished musician. Altogether, Mme. Bampton may be congratulated cordially on her present achievement, which holds the promise of even better things to come. Once more Rene Maison supplied an admirable Admetus. Francesco Valentino replaced the indisposed Leonard Warren as the High Priest of Apollo, singing well apart from an excessive vibrato. The beauty of the tableau at the end of Act II made up in part for the pinchbeck naiveties that met the eye.
LE SACRE DU PRINTEMPS / LE ROSSIGNOL / OEDIPUS REX:Stravinsky
Gergiev; Trifonova, Banks, Zifchak / Forbis, Blythe, Nikitin
Original Air Date: 02/21/2004
SID.20150318
The Stravinsky evening as originally done by Levine with Hockney designs and Dexter direction was not as big a hit as the French evening, Parade, from Dexter and Hockney, but I prefer this to Rake’s Progress. Gergiev has a distinctive take on Stravinsky and always worth a listen in the Russian repertoire.
RODELINDA:Handel
Summers; Fleming, Scholl, van Rensburg, Blythe, Dumaux, Relyea
Original Air Date: 05/06/2006
MOD Video
SID.20160102
This performance in the second season of the production and Scholl’s first appearance at the Met. There was a third broadcast which includes an HD moviecast of Rodelinda with Fleming and Scholl under Bicket (whom I prefer to Summers) but the intervening 4 years do not benefit either Fleming or Scholl. This video is available also in MOoD so you can compare for yourself. I like Scholl much more than David Daniels so this is my preferred Rodelinda.
DON PASQUALE:Donizetti
Benini; Maestri, Buratto, Camarena, Molnár
Original Air Date: 03/12/2016
SID.20160103
AIDA:Verdi
Badea; Rautio, Sylvester, Zajick, Pons, Plishka
Original Air Date: 03/02/1996
SID.20160104
While this is prime Zajick, the rest of this cast does not attract me. There are far worthier broadcasts including Solti and Steinberg from the 1960s, Curtis-Verna’s only broadcast Aida (replacing Tebaldi) with a sterling supporting cast from the 50s, etc. etc. Sylvester has 2 other broadcasts his first with Sweet and Zajick in 1994, and his last in 1997 with Sweet and Toczyska and I think Sweet is to be preferred if Sylvester (who is a solid Radames) is your primary interest.
BLUEBEARD’S CASTLE:Bartók
Levine; Ramey, Norman
Original Air Date: 01/28/1989
SID.20160105
What is defective about this is that in March of 2013 [and March 2015] the rebroadcast included the second work of the afternoon Schoenberg’s Erwartung with Norman. Rebroadcasting half the afternoon? I’ll try to be up and check and see if both works are actually on. Bluebeard with a much weaker cast is scheduled in a new production in 2014-2015 (the starrier fare of this season is Tchaikovsky’s Iolanta with Netrebko and Beczala. I find it a bit tone deaf to be honoring Norman’s 70th birthday with a broadcast that is incomplete and not yet honored in Met Opera on Demand or DVD for both the Bluebeard and the Erwartung. Although the Bartok is done in an English translation it was telecast as well. Norman is at her considerable best, and it would be nice if this performance could be issued somehow. Ramey is a very strong Bluebeard. It’s one of the few post 1977 videos not available in any form, either MOoD or DVD.
LE NOZZE DI FIGARO:Mozart
Rudolf, Siepi, Conner, de los Angeles, Guarrera, Miller
Original Air Date: 04/07/1956
MOD Audio
SID.20160106
I don’t remember this performance specifcally, but Siepi and de los Angeles are among my favorite Figaro and Countess. What is so critical in a FIgaro is the conductor and Max Rudolf was starting to fill in some of the assignments Stiedry had regularly commanded. I’ll be checking this performance out to see if it merits the many positive comments from Jackson. I’m not as taken with Conner and Guarrera as Jackson is, but the overall performance is worthwhile.
DER ROSENKAVALIER:Strauss
Thielemann; Liang, Tomowa-Sintow, Rootering, Grant Murphy, Schulte
Original Air Date: 02/20/1993
SID.20160208
Thielemann conducts a lovely performance with Tomowa-Sintow in her Met broadcast farewell. Liang was a two performance replacement for Mentzer and whose only other Met appearance is part of the First Emperor run. Most notable for Thielemann’s conducting and Tomowa-Sintow’s Marschallin — her Met farewell is a week later.
CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA / PAGLIACCI:Mascagni / Leoncavallo
Badea; Guleghina, Jóhannsson, Pola / Dessì, Martinucci, Nucci
Original Air Date: 02/04/1995
SID.20160209
Another Cavalleria of minimal interest– there must be something better in the archives. The Pagliacci does feature a qualified if not often encountered cast. Martinucci only has 25 performances in 7 seasons at the Met and this Canio is only 3 before his farewell. He has a very decent Fanciulla with Dimitrova, and is the Chenier on Milnes 25th anniversary broadcast. I saw him in Chicago in Gioconda, and he worked regularly in the top European houses I think for maybe another decade.
DON CARLO:Verdi
Levine; Sylvester, Millo, Chernov, Zajick, Ramey, Koptchak
Original Air Date: 03/14/1992
SID.20160211
Sylvester, Millo, Chernov, and Zajick all repeat their roles from the Levine Sony Classical studio recording and this broadcast has been added to MOoD relatively recently ; Ramey who is the recording’s Inquisitor moves up to Filippo for this Met series including this broadcast, with Koptchak taking over the GI. This is the first of Zajick’s three broadcast outings as Eboli, and she is one of the best. Chernov who never quite turned into the new Robert Merrill still had a beautifully burnished tone, and his voice is a more natural fit than say Keenlyside (at least at the Met). This is Millo’s final Elisabetta with the Met (her earlier broadcast is in 1986). This is Ramey’s first of two Filippo broadcasts — 2002 (also with Zajick) is under Gergiev. Sylvester is a first rate Don Carlo, and while I loved this past season’s conducting by Nezet-Seguin, this 1992 cast is a world above the most recent casting and one of the best balanced Don Carlo casts ever.
DIE WALKÜRE:Wagner
Mitropoulos; Harshaw, Edelmann, Schech, Vinay, Thebom, Böhme
Original Air Date: 02/02/1957
MOD Audio
SID.20160212
Mitropoulos is not often heard in Wagner, but he is alert to the drama at all times. Unfortunately, there are a number of cuts even in parts of the Todesverkundigung (about 4.5 minutes there by my check). Still, this is a performance worth hearing. Harshaw is a stalwart Brunnhilde, and Edelmann was not yet in terminal Ochs voice. I also like Vinay very much, but he is not to everyone’s taste. One of MY highlights for the week.
LA TRAVIATA:Verdi
Strasfogel; Moffo, Morell, Sereni
Original Air Date: 04/21/1962
SID.20160213
I’m sure I heard this performance while I was still living in Texas, but despite the visual glamor of Moffo, I find her appeal in this part limited. Along with Albanese (not one of my favorites) with 87, Moffo with her 80 Violettas totally dominate the chronology. Sembrich and Bori are the next two down and by more than two and half dozen. Most Violetta totals at the Met hover between 15 and 25. This is Moffo’s first Violetta broadcast, so probably her best. Her other two (in different seasons) come in 1967, and I know those performances well. Although Moffo had a high selling Traviata for RCA, this is the first of her three broadcasts, and the only one that has been on Sirius. I like her commercial, but as early as 1967, vocally I found her compromised (but always with huge E flat). Morell and Sereni are OK, no more. This is the first of Moffo’s three Violetta broadcasts; the other two are in 1967 (in different seasons). Moffo was a gorgeous Violetta, and very successful. I’m not sure how well it bears up in live performance in an audio only mode, but I’ll give this a try. As for the other Met broadcast Traviatas, I wish the Met would reach back to the 1935 Ponselle/Tibbett Traviata under Panizza. This has been on private labels for years and exists in good enough sound. Ponselle will not be to everyone’s taste, but I find the duet with Tibbett with Panizza’s masterly support to be of the highest quality. Albanese is the dominant Violetta (with several broadcasts from Sayao none on Sirius), but her only appearance on Sirius is her last Violetta broadcast in 1959. It’s a little late, but since I don’t much care for her Violetta (see Paul Jackson’s analysis of Met broadcasts– he worships Albanese), she is partnered by Valletti, and they make a winning pair. Two performances which have been on Sirius and are both on Met Player are the Steber with DiStefano and Merrill from 1949 (she’s replacing Sayao and practically doing a lesson in vocal technique and exquisite vocalism) and Tebaldi from 1957, where first act transpositions are mostly irrelevant to one of the most celebrated performances ever. Tebaldi did 21 performances in a single season, and Bing sent her everywhere. If not quite the perfection of the Tosca, this Violetta is quite memorable. Almost worth a Met Player subscription on its own. Surprisingly, the 1964 Sutherland Violetta has not been on Sirius. This omission should be corrected as part of the Guild’s upcoming memorial to her. I saw her Violetta at least 3 times, and it was one of her most memorable roles. Sutherland is not the only omission that should make its way to Sirius. I remember Cruz-Romo’s fine 1973 broadcast (very much in the Tebaldi tradition), Rita Shane replacing Sills in 1976 (Wixell’s only Germont broadcast), Maria Chiara in 1977, Malfitano in 1982 (I think the first to do two verses of Addio del passato), Maliponte in 1984 (I don’t remember this performance but she’s a favorite of many on this list including me) 1987 with Tomowa Sintow (again I have no memory, but she’s a singer I remember fondly) and the 2000 broadcast with Gallardo-Domas. While I thought Butterfly too heavy for her, her Violetta is one of the very best, and this has not made it to Sirius. Sirius has some heavy lifting to do for Traviata!
SALOME:Strauss
Böhm; Nilsson, Liebl, Dalis, Cassel, Shirley
Original Air Date: 03/13/1965
MOD Audio
SID.20160214
This is an absolute MUST. Mercifully it’s on Met Player (at least for North America). Bohm and Nilsson are ablaze. I saw two performance this first season of the Rennert/Heinrich production and as much as I loved the Solti recording, and later Nilsson with Solti and CSO at Carnegie Hall, Bohm and Nilsson burned ever so brightly, and the conductor threw in a concert Don Juan before the Salome to warm the orchestra up. I added Ernst Wiemann who as First Nazarene makes his presence known, and he was part of excellent Met singers in secondary parts. The supporting cast is very strongly cast (the five Jews and the Nazarenes Ernst Wiemann and the recently deceased Calvin Marsh are very distinctive. One of the great performances captured, with Nilsson in her only broadcast Met Salome, and it’s a humdinger. Liebl and Dalis both in the new Rennert production and their vivid singing contribute strongly, but in the end it’s a Birgit and Karl show.
ADRIANA LECOUVREUR:Cilea
Fulton; Scotto; Shicoff, Cortez, Sereni
Original Air Date: 02/26/1983
SID.20160216
Scotto is a vivid Adriana, if caught a bit late. A good part for Shicoff. This is not my favorite work, and while Scotto is very attentive to the veristic details, we’re starting to get into the “scratchy” years. While I like the Sony recording (with Obraztsova, Domingo) with her a bit better, she is a vivid Adriana, and Shicoff is an excellent Maurizio. Available in MOoD.