“THE FIRST EMPEROR : Dun
Original Air Date: 01/13/2007
Cast: Dun; Domingo, Futral, Groves, Tian, DeYoung
Media: Live in HDMOD Video SID.18350636 Tags: Archive; 2018, Domingo
This is Domingo’s vehicle and the broadcast and HD performance from its premiere season. Sony issued a commercial DVD. Better to watch than listen to.
***
I enjoyed seeing the production, and while it’s not on my weekly rotation, it held my interest more than Glass’ The Voyage. The simultaneous broadcast/HD moviecast is available on commercial DVD and MOoD (Metropolitan Opera on Demand).”
“THE FIRST EMPEROR : Dun
Original Air Date: 01/13/2007
Cast: Dun; Domingo, Futral, Groves, Tian, DeYoung
Media: Live in HDMOD Video SID.18350748 Tags: Archive; 2018, Domingo
This is Domingo’s vehicle and the broadcast and HD performance from its premiere season. Sony issued a commercial DVD. Better to watch than listen to.
***
I enjoyed seeing the production, and while it’s not on my weekly rotation, it held my interest more than Glass’ The Voyage. The simultaneous broadcast/HD moviecast is available on commercial DVD and MOoD (Metropolitan Opera on Demand).”
“DON CARLO : Verdi
Original Air Date: 11/11/1950
Cast: Stiedry; Bjorling, Rigal, Merrill, Barbieri, Siepi, Hines
Media: MOD Audio SID.18370102 Tags: Archive; 2018, Verdi
This is the production that opened the Bing regime in 1950, and re-introduces Don Carlo to New York audiences. The men are the equal or superior of just about anyone who has ever sung these roles.
Barbieri was new, and if Eboli was not quite her meat as much as her Amneris, Azucena, and Quickly, she was still the Eboli of choice when the sainted Covent Garden production of 1958 made the case in London for the opera 8 years later. New York was to see more sensational Ebolis in the 1960s with Bumbry, Cossotto, and Verrett delivering masterful portrayals of the Princess. Rigal would not have seemed quite so short of desirable had she had less outstanding colleagues.
Elisabetta remains a challenging role, and though never essayed by Milanov (then the queen of Verdi in New York) or Tebaldi (never did the part onstage), the part didn’t turn out to be a major success for either Steber or Rysanek, though both have their moments in the role. Caballe, Freni, Kabaiwanska and Millo all were notable exponents, but runs were very limited. Scotto is mostly very good (not too late, not too heavy, but still not quite the right voice, if still wonderful stylistically. A propos the discussion on Verdi sopranos, Leontyne Price never did the part, which is unsurprising as it does not play to her considerable Verdian strengths—but that’s another discussion.
Siepi’s contribution is particularly important in that he opens and closes the Bing regime as Filippo, and it is a shame that the April 1972 performance has not been rebroadcast. Three veterans of the 1950 broadcast, Merrill, Siepi, and Amara (Celestial Voice) as well as two new Verdian stars in Caballe and Milnes.
1/23/2012 – How can a week get off to a bad start with Bing’s first presentation as General Manager to the Met in 1950 and the debuts of Siepi and Barbieri? The addition of Bjorling, Merrill, and Hines didn’t hurt. Rigal was a less notable debuting commodity, but this was the Don Carlo production that started the revival of interest which moved to another level with the Giulini/Visconti production at Covent Garden. Bing entrusted Stiedry with a number of his marquee productions in Verdi, Wagner, and Mozart. The sound is a little cramped, but there is no Bjorling studio or other live performance that captures him in this role. Not quite at the level of his Romeo which is one of the great Met performances ever, but my only sadness is that nothing of the video survives of the TELECAST of opening night.
1/30/2011 – A legendary performance and with good reason. Rigal not at the level of the others, but so grateful that it survives in as good a sound as it does. Also available on Met Player.
5/1/2008 – This performance has not been invisible, but for younger Sirius listeners this is a must have. Again, Bjorling did not record it commercially, and though never acclaimed as an actor, his live performances have a juice that his fine studio recordings never had. Exhibit A is the recent broadcast of the 1956 Manon Lescaut. “
“DON CARLO : Verdi
Original Air Date: 11/11/1950
Cast: Stiedry; Bjorling, Rigal, Merrill, Barbieri, Siepi, Hines
Media: MOD Audio SID.18370319 Tags: Archive; 2018, Verdi
This is the production that opened the Bing regime in 1950, and re-introduces Don Carlo to New York audiences. The men are the equal or superior of just about anyone who has ever sung these roles.
Barbieri was new, and if Eboli was not quite her meat as much as her Amneris, Azucena, and Quickly, she was still the Eboli of choice when the sainted Covent Garden production of 1958 made the case in London for the opera 8 years later. New York was to see more sensational Ebolis in the 1960s with Bumbry, Cossotto, and Verrett delivering masterful portrayals of the Princess. Rigal would not have seemed quite so short of desirable had she had less outstanding colleagues.
Elisabetta remains a challenging role, and though never essayed by Milanov (then the queen of Verdi in New York) or Tebaldi (never did the part onstage), the part didn’t turn out to be a major success for either Steber or Rysanek, though both have their moments in the role. Caballe, Freni, Kabaiwanska and Millo all were notable exponents, but runs were very limited. Scotto is mostly very good (not too late, not too heavy, but still not quite the right voice, if still wonderful stylistically. A propos the discussion on Verdi sopranos, Leontyne Price never did the part, which is unsurprising as it does not play to her considerable Verdian strengths—but that’s another discussion.
Siepi’s contribution is particularly important in that he opens and closes the Bing regime as Filippo, and it is a shame that the April 1972 performance has not been rebroadcast. Three veterans of the 1950 broadcast, Merrill, Siepi, and Amara (Celestial Voice) as well as two new Verdian stars in Caballe and Milnes.
1/23/2012 – How can a week get off to a bad start with Bing’s first presentation as General Manager to the Met in 1950 and the debuts of Siepi and Barbieri? The addition of Bjorling, Merrill, and Hines didn’t hurt. Rigal was a less notable debuting commodity, but this was the Don Carlo production that started the revival of interest which moved to another level with the Giulini/Visconti production at Covent Garden. Bing entrusted Stiedry with a number of his marquee productions in Verdi, Wagner, and Mozart. The sound is a little cramped, but there is no Bjorling studio or other live performance that captures him in this role. Not quite at the level of his Romeo which is one of the great Met performances ever, but my only sadness is that nothing of the video survives of the TELECAST of opening night.
1/30/2011 – A legendary performance and with good reason. Rigal not at the level of the others, but so grateful that it survives in as good a sound as it does. Also available on Met Player.
5/1/2008 – This performance has not been invisible, but for younger Sirius listeners this is a must have. Again, Bjorling did not record it commercially, and though never acclaimed as an actor, his live performances have a juice that his fine studio recordings never had. Exhibit A is the recent broadcast of the 1956 Manon Lescaut. “
“DON CARLO : Verdi
Original Air Date: 11/11/1950
Cast: Stiedry; Bjorling, Rigal, Merrill, Barbieri, Siepi, Hines
Media: MOD Audio SID.18370636 Tags: Archive; 2018, Verdi
This is the production that opened the Bing regime in 1950, and re-introduces Don Carlo to New York audiences. The men are the equal or superior of just about anyone who has ever sung these roles.
Barbieri was new, and if Eboli was not quite her meat as much as her Amneris, Azucena, and Quickly, she was still the Eboli of choice when the sainted Covent Garden production of 1958 made the case in London for the opera 8 years later. New York was to see more sensational Ebolis in the 1960s with Bumbry, Cossotto, and Verrett delivering masterful portrayals of the Princess. Rigal would not have seemed quite so short of desirable had she had less outstanding colleagues.
Elisabetta remains a challenging role, and though never essayed by Milanov (then the queen of Verdi in New York) or Tebaldi (never did the part onstage), the part didn’t turn out to be a major success for either Steber or Rysanek, though both have their moments in the role. Caballe, Freni, Kabaiwanska and Millo all were notable exponents, but runs were very limited. Scotto is mostly very good (not too late, not too heavy, but still not quite the right voice, if still wonderful stylistically. A propos the discussion on Verdi sopranos, Leontyne Price never did the part, which is unsurprising as it does not play to her considerable Verdian strengths—but that’s another discussion.
Siepi’s contribution is particularly important in that he opens and closes the Bing regime as Filippo, and it is a shame that the April 1972 performance has not been rebroadcast. Three veterans of the 1950 broadcast, Merrill, Siepi, and Amara (Celestial Voice) as well as two new Verdian stars in Caballe and Milnes.
1/23/2012 – How can a week get off to a bad start with Bing’s first presentation as General Manager to the Met in 1950 and the debuts of Siepi and Barbieri? The addition of Bjorling, Merrill, and Hines didn’t hurt. Rigal was a less notable debuting commodity, but this was the Don Carlo production that started the revival of interest which moved to another level with the Giulini/Visconti production at Covent Garden. Bing entrusted Stiedry with a number of his marquee productions in Verdi, Wagner, and Mozart. The sound is a little cramped, but there is no Bjorling studio or other live performance that captures him in this role. Not quite at the level of his Romeo which is one of the great Met performances ever, but my only sadness is that nothing of the video survives of the TELECAST of opening night.
1/30/2011 – A legendary performance and with good reason. Rigal not at the level of the others, but so grateful that it survives in as good a sound as it does. Also available on Met Player.
5/1/2008 – This performance has not been invisible, but for younger Sirius listeners this is a must have. Again, Bjorling did not record it commercially, and though never acclaimed as an actor, his live performances have a juice that his fine studio recordings never had. Exhibit A is the recent broadcast of the 1956 Manon Lescaut. “
“DON CARLO : Verdi
Original Air Date: 11/11/1950
Cast: Stiedry; Bjorling, Rigal, Merrill, Barbieri, Siepi, Hines
Media: MOD Audio SID.18370748 Tags: Archive; 2018, Verdi
This is the production that opened the Bing regime in 1950, and re-introduces Don Carlo to New York audiences. The men are the equal or superior of just about anyone who has ever sung these roles.
Barbieri was new, and if Eboli was not quite her meat as much as her Amneris, Azucena, and Quickly, she was still the Eboli of choice when the sainted Covent Garden production of 1958 made the case in London for the opera 8 years later. New York was to see more sensational Ebolis in the 1960s with Bumbry, Cossotto, and Verrett delivering masterful portrayals of the Princess. Rigal would not have seemed quite so short of desirable had she had less outstanding colleagues.
Elisabetta remains a challenging role, and though never essayed by Milanov (then the queen of Verdi in New York) or Tebaldi (never did the part onstage), the part didn’t turn out to be a major success for either Steber or Rysanek, though both have their moments in the role. Caballe, Freni, Kabaiwanska and Millo all were notable exponents, but runs were very limited. Scotto is mostly very good (not too late, not too heavy, but still not quite the right voice, if still wonderful stylistically. A propos the discussion on Verdi sopranos, Leontyne Price never did the part, which is unsurprising as it does not play to her considerable Verdian strengths—but that’s another discussion.
Siepi’s contribution is particularly important in that he opens and closes the Bing regime as Filippo, and it is a shame that the April 1972 performance has not been rebroadcast. Three veterans of the 1950 broadcast, Merrill, Siepi, and Amara (Celestial Voice) as well as two new Verdian stars in Caballe and Milnes.
1/23/2012 – How can a week get off to a bad start with Bing’s first presentation as General Manager to the Met in 1950 and the debuts of Siepi and Barbieri? The addition of Bjorling, Merrill, and Hines didn’t hurt. Rigal was a less notable debuting commodity, but this was the Don Carlo production that started the revival of interest which moved to another level with the Giulini/Visconti production at Covent Garden. Bing entrusted Stiedry with a number of his marquee productions in Verdi, Wagner, and Mozart. The sound is a little cramped, but there is no Bjorling studio or other live performance that captures him in this role. Not quite at the level of his Romeo which is one of the great Met performances ever, but my only sadness is that nothing of the video survives of the TELECAST of opening night.
1/30/2011 – A legendary performance and with good reason. Rigal not at the level of the others, but so grateful that it survives in as good a sound as it does. Also available on Met Player.
5/1/2008 – This performance has not been invisible, but for younger Sirius listeners this is a must have. Again, Bjorling did not record it commercially, and though never acclaimed as an actor, his live performances have a juice that his fine studio recordings never had. Exhibit A is the recent broadcast of the 1956 Manon Lescaut. “
“THAÏS : Massenet
Original Air Date: 12/20/2008
Cast: López-Cobos; Fleming, Hampson, Schade
Media: Live in HDMOD Video SID.18390211 Tags: Archive; 2018
Although the video has been available almost continuously on MOoD, I find this performance preferable to the Sills Milnes, which was massively overplayed in the first years of Sirius Radio. I rather like Thais as a break from other titles in the repertory.”
“OTELLO : Verdi
Original Air Date: 10/13/1995
Cast: Levine; Domingo, Fleming, Morris, Croft
Media: MOD Video SID.18390212 Tags: Archive; 2018, 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.”
“OTELLO : Verdi
Original Air Date: 10/13/1995
Cast: Levine; Domingo, Fleming, Morris, Croft
Media: MOD Video SID.18390424 Tags: Archive; 2018, 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.”
“THAÏS : Massenet
Original Air Date: 12/20/2008
Cast: López-Cobos; Fleming, Hampson, Schade
Media: Live in HDMOD Video SID.18390530 Tags: Archive; 2018
Although the video has been available almost continuously on MOoD, I find this performance preferable to the Sills Milnes, which was massively overplayed in the first years of Sirius Radio. I rather like Thais as a break from other titles in the repertory.”
“OTELLO : Verdi
Original Air Date: 10/13/1995
Cast: Levine; Domingo, Fleming, Morris, Croft
Media: MOD Video SID.18390642 Tags: Archive; 2018, 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.”
“THAÏS : Massenet
Original Air Date: 12/20/2008
Cast: López-Cobos; Fleming, Hampson, Schade
Media: Live in HDMOD Video SID.18390748 Tags: Archive; 2018
Although the video has been available almost continuously on MOoD, I find this performance preferable to the Sills Milnes, which was massively overplayed in the first years of Sirius Radio. I rather like Thais as a break from other titles in the repertory.”
![AIDA [HD]](https://i0.wp.com/operasonsirius.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/aida-observer.jpg?fit=300%2C225&ssl=1)
AIDA : Verdi
LIVE IN HD
Luisotti; Netrebko, Rachvelishvili, Antonenko, Kelsey, Belosselskiy, Speed Green
Media: Live in HD SID.18400600
NYT Review (Tommassini) Last spring at the Metropolitan Opera, the soprano Anna Netrebko took on the title role of Puccini’s “Tosca” for the first time. She claimed that touchstone part for her own, and put her mark on the whole season. On Wednesday at the Met, Ms. Netrebko did it again, this time in the title role of Verdi’s “Aida.” She is still fairly new to this challenging part, which she introduced at the Salzburg Festival a year ago. There was something fresh and exploratory about her performance on Wednesday. Yet it also felt fully formed, dramatically deep. And she sang magnificently.
Observer (Jorden) “Ritorna vincitor!” cries the Egyptian throng in the first scene of Aida as they send their hero off to war: “Return in triumph!” And that’s what the Met’s undisputed prima donna Anna Netrebko did last night in her first local performance of the protean title role of this opera: she came, she sang and she conquered.
BILLY BUDD:Britten
Original Air Date: 03/08/1997
Bedford; Croft, Langridge, Morris, Braun, Courtney
MOD AudioMOD Video SID.18410102
SR: Any opportunity to hear Billy Budd is not to be missed. This broadcast was also the “scratch” performance for the telecast taping on 3/11. A very strong conductor and cast really put the work over. Outstanding among many fine performances are James Morris’ unequalled Claggart, the late Philip Langridge’s haunting portrayal of Capt. Vere and Dwayne Croft’s Billy. The performance makes a good case for those who consider Billy Budd Britten’s strongest work.
RWW: This broadcast precedes the telecast performance from 3 days later. The video was recently added to MOoD, and it’s an outstanding performance, starting with Dwayne Croft, and ably partnered by Philip Langridge as Vere and James Morris as Claggart.
HAMLET:Thomas
Original Air Date: 03/27/2010
Langrée; Keenlyside, Petersen, Larmore, Morris, Spence
MOD Video SID.18410209
This is the only Met broadcast of the Thomas work. Keenlyside has a commercial DVD in the same production with Dessay from Barcelona 2004. Petersen was a late substitute for Dessay for the whole run. Larmoreis especially vivid as Gertrude, part of her movement into dramatic mezzo/soprano parts.
BILLY BUDD:Britten
Original Air Date: 03/08/1997
Bedford; Croft, Langridge, Morris, Braun, Courtney
MOD AudioMOD Video SID.18410425
SR: Any opportunity to hear Billy Budd is not to be missed. This broadcast was also the “scratch” performance for the telecast taping on 3/11. A very strong conductor and cast really put the work over. Outstanding among many fine performances are James Morris’ unequalled Claggart, the late Philip Langridge’s haunting portrayal of Capt. Vere and Dwayne Croft’s Billy. The performance makes a good case for those who consider Billy Budd Britten’s strongest work.
RWW: This broadcast precedes the telecast performance from 3 days later. The video was recently added to MOoD, and it’s an outstanding performance, starting with Dwayne Croft, and ably partnered by Philip Langridge as Vere and James Morris as Claggart.
HAMLET:Thomas
Original Air Date: 03/27/2010
Langrée; Keenlyside, Petersen, Larmore, Morris, Spence
MOD Video SID.18410529
This is the only Met broadcast of the Thomas work. Keenlyside has a commercial DVD in the same production with Dessay from Barcelona 2004. Petersen was a late substitute for Dessay for the whole run. Larmoreis especially vivid as Gertrude, part of her movement into dramatic mezzo/soprano parts.
HAMLET:Thomas
Original Air Date: 03/27/2010
Langrée; Keenlyside, Petersen, Larmore, Morris, Spence
MOD Video SID.18410640
This is the only Met broadcast of the Thomas work. Keenlyside has a commercial DVD in the same production with Dessay from Barcelona 2004. Petersen was a late substitute for Dessay for the whole run. Larmoreis especially vivid as Gertrude, part of her movement into dramatic mezzo/soprano parts.
HAMLET:Thomas
Original Air Date: 03/27/2010
Langrée; Keenlyside, Petersen, Larmore, Morris, Spence
MOD Video SID.18410529
This is the only Met broadcast of the Thomas work. Keenlyside has a commercial DVD in the same production with Dessay from Barcelona 2004. Petersen was a late substitute for Dessay for the whole run. Larmoreis especially vivid as Gertrude, part of her movement into dramatic mezzo/soprano parts.
SAMSON ET DALILA:Saint-Saëns
Original Air Date: 10/20/2018
Elder; Garanca, Algana, Naouri, Azizov, Belosselskiy
Live in HD SID.18420600
LA FANCIULLA DEL WEST : Puccini
Armiliato; Westbroek, Kaufmann, Bosi, Lucic, Simpson, Rose, Gradus
Live in HD
Soprano Eva-Maria Westbroek sings Puccini’s gun-slinging heroine in this romantic epic of the Wild West. Tenor Yusif Eyvazov portrays Dick Johnson for opening night (Oct 4, 8, 12) Jonas Kaufmann returns to the MET for performances on Oct 17, 20, 23, and 27. Baritone Željko Lučić is the vigilante sheriff Jack Rance, and Marco Armiliato conducts.
NYTimes Review: Jonas Kaufmann, Back at the Met, Is Good, Not Great
BWWReview: Kaufmann Returns to the Met with a ‘Heigh-ho Silver’ in Puccini’s FANCIULLA DEL WEST
Tchaikovsky
Original Air Date: 04/10/1999
Gergiev; Domingo, Gorchakova, Söderström, Hvorostovsky, Borodina, Putilin
MOD AudioMOD Video SID.18450104
Giordano
Original Air Date: 04/26/1997
Abbado; Freni, Domingo, Croft, Arteta
MOD Video SID.18450213
Tchaikovsky
Original Air Date: 04/10/1999
Gergiev; Domingo, Gorchakova, Söderström, Hvorostovsky, Borodina, Putilin
MOD AudioMOD Video SID.18450423
Giordano
Original Air Date: 04/26/1997
Abbado; Freni, Domingo, Croft, Arteta
MOD Video SID.18450533
MARNIE : Nico Muhly
Original Air Date: 11/10/2018
Cast: Spano; Leonard, Kelly, Graves, Davies, Maltman
Media: Live Broadcast SID.18450600
Composer Nico Muhly unveils his second new opera for the Met with this gripping reimagining of Winston Graham’s novel, set in the 1950s, about a beautiful, mysterious young woman who assumes multiple identities. Director Michael Mayer and his creative team have devised a fast-moving, cinematic world for this exhilarating story of denial and deceit, which also inspired a film by Alfred Hitchcock. Mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard sings the enigmatic Marnie, and baritone Christopher Maltman is the man who pursues her—with disastrous results. Robert Spano conducts.
Music by Nico Muhly, libretto by Nicholas Wright, based on the novel by Winston Graham
Commissioned by the Metropolitan Opera
A co-production of the Metropolitan Opera and English National Opera
By special arrangement with Universal Pictures
Tchaikovsky
Original Air Date: 04/10/1999
Gergiev; Domingo, Gorchakova, Söderström, Hvorostovsky, Borodina, Putilin
MOD AudioMOD Video SID.18450641
Giordano
Original Air Date: 04/26/1997
Abbado; Freni, Domingo, Croft, Arteta
MOD Video SID.18450744
Verdi
Original Air Date: 03/01/1980
Patanè; Pavarotti, Ricciarelli, Nucci, Peters, Payne
MOD Video SID.18470105
Puccini
Original Air Date: 01/16/1982
Levine; Stratas, Carreras, Scotto, Stilwell, Morris
MOD AudioMOD Video SID.18470315