Massenet
Rudel; Swenson, Sabbatini, de Candia
Original Air Date: 03/03/2001
MOD Audio
SID.19480315
I’m not sure if anyone has conducted Manon more than Julius Rudel, the opera having been a mainstay during his NYCO stewardship. This is an OK performance, but wish we could hear the 1959 DeLosAngeles Gedda Manon under Jean Morel as well.I’m not sure if anyone has conducted Manon more than Julius Rudel, the opera having been a mainstay during his NYCO stewardship. This is an OK performance, but wish we could hear the 1959 De Los Angeles/Gedda Manon under Jean Morel as well. This opera is available on MOoD to listen to anytime. 1/29/11 – This is uncommon casting, but maybe one way to start preparing for the new production of Manon. I would be happier if someone would dig deeper into the archives for the single De Los Angeles/Gedda broadcast under Jean Morel from 1959.
Stravinsky
Levine; Upshaw, Blythe, Groves, Ramey
Original Air Date: 04/19/2003
MOD Audio
SID.19480316
Rake’s Progress had its American premiere under Fritz Reiner on a Met broadcast. I saw this Jonathan Miller production when it was new in 1998 with the same cast as above except Jerry Hadley was the Tom Rakewell. I find the work cold, and though very well prepared, the Miller production did not make it one whit more interesting.
Massenet
Rudel; Swenson, Sabbatini, de Candia
Original Air Date: 03/03/2001
MOD Audio
SID.19480427
I’m not sure if anyone has conducted Manon more than Julius Rudel, the opera having been a mainstay during his NYCO stewardship. This is an OK performance, but wish we could hear the 1959 DeLosAngeles Gedda Manon under Jean Morel as well.I’m not sure if anyone has conducted Manon more than Julius Rudel, the opera having been a mainstay during his NYCO stewardship. This is an OK performance, but wish we could hear the 1959 De Los Angeles/Gedda Manon under Jean Morel as well. This opera is available on MOoD to listen to anytime.1/29/11 – This is uncommon casting, but maybe one way to start preparing for the new production of Manon. I would be happier if someone would dig deeper into the archives for the single De Los Angeles/Gedda broadcast under Jean Morel from 1959.
Donizetti
Varviso; Sutherland; Kónya, Herlea, Giaiotti
Original Air Date: 12/05/1964
MOD Audio
SID.19480428
This is Sutherland’s second broadcast Lucia, and not often heard. Konya is not my favorite Edgardo, but for those who don’t want to hear Bonynge, they get another figure at the podium.
BILLY BUDD:Britten
Mackerras; Hampson, Clark, Morris, Held, Courtney
Original Air Date: 04/04/1992
MOD Audio
SID.19480530
Morris has sung almost every Claggart in the production and it is one of his best parts. Hampson isn’t always ideal as an innocent, but he’s a fine musician and the cast under Mackerras is top drawer. There is also an excellent Met video of the production with Dwayne Croft on MOoD.
Donizetti
Varviso; Sutherland; Kónya, Herlea, Giaiotti
Original Air Date: 12/05/1964
MOD Audio
SID.19480531
This is Sutherland’s second broadcast Lucia, and not often heard. Konya is not my favorite Edgardo, but for those who don’t want to hear Bonynge, they get another figure at the podium.
Stravinsky
Levine; Upshaw, Blythe, Groves, Ramey
Original Air Date: 04/19/2003
MOD Audio
SID.19480636
Rake’s Progress had its American premiere under Fritz Reiner on a Met broadcast. I saw this Jonathan Miller production when it was new in 1998 with the same cast as above except Jerry Hadley was the Tom Rakewell. I find the work cold, and though very well prepared, the Miller production did not make it one whit more interesting.
Stravinsky
Levine; Upshaw, Blythe, Groves, Ramey
Original Air Date: 04/19/2003
MOD Audio
SID.19480638
Rake’s Progress had its American premiere under Fritz Reiner on a Met broadcast. I saw this Jonathan Miller production when it was new in 1998 with the same cast as above except Jerry Hadley was the Tom Rakewell. I find the work cold, and though very well prepared, the Miller production did not make it one whit more interesting.
BILLY BUDD:Britten
Mackerras; Hampson, Clark, Morris, Held, Courtney
Original Air Date: 04/04/1992
MOD Audio
SID.19480743
Morris has sung almost every Claggart in the production and it is one of his best parts. Hampson isn’t always ideal as an innocent, but he’s a fine musician and the cast under Mackerras is top drawer. There is also an excellent Met video of the production with Dwayne Croft on MOoD.
Massenet
Rudel; Swenson, Sabbatini, de Candia
Original Air Date: 03/03/2001
MOD Audio
SID.19480746
I’m not sure if anyone has conducted Manon more than Julius Rudel, the opera having been a mainstay during his NYCO stewardship. This is an OK performance, but wish we could hear the 1959 DeLosAngeles Gedda Manon under Jean Morel as well.I’m not sure if anyone has conducted Manon more than Julius Rudel, the opera having been a mainstay during his NYCO stewardship. This is an OK performance, but wish we could hear the 1959 De Los Angeles/Gedda Manon under Jean Morel as well. This opera is available on MOoD to listen to anytime.1/29/11 – This is uncommon casting, but maybe one way to start preparing for the new production of Manon. I would be happier if someone would dig deeper into the archives for the single De Los Angeles/Gedda broadcast under Jean Morel from 1959.
DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE:Mozart
Levine; Milne, Polenzani, Goerne, Miklósa, Moll
Original Air Date: 04/16/2005
MOD Audio
SID.19490208
This is the broadcast from the first year of the Taymor production. This is an extremely solid cast with no weak links. Goerne was originally scheduled for the premiere in the fall, but had an injury, and was replaced by Pogossov. Roschmann was the premiere Pamina (and an outstanding one) but her only appearances on Sirius so far have been non-matinee broadcasts for Sirius subscribers. The Sirius 3 x a week of contemporary performances are invaluable. This is Moll’s broadcast farewell and his final Met appearance is Sarastro one week later (not marked in the Met Database-still true 4/2015) Moll also sang Commendatore in Don Giovanni in the evening after this Zauberflote matinee.
LA FORZA DEL DESTINO:Verdi
Noseda; Voigt, Licitra, Delavan, Ramey, Komlósi, Pons
Original Air Date: 03/11/2006
MOD Audio
SID.19490209
I love Forza del Destino, but it’s a rather disjointed work, and not an easy sing for ANYONE. I saw Voigt who did the part early in her Met career with the lamented Sergej Larin. For this broadcast, it’s Licitra, also destined to leave us too soon. For me it’s too late for Ramey, Delavan does not impress me and this 2006 broadcast does not catch Voigt in anything like the voice she had a decade earlier. What is MOoD doing featuring this performance when another Sirius Forza broadcast with Tebaldi and Tucker from 1960 only gets an occasional rotation and no presence for Tebaldi in this role in MOoD. Noseda is a quality conductor, but why such special pleading for Voigt and Licitra?
DER FREISCHÜTZ:Weber
Ludwig; Kónya, Lorengar, Feldhoff, Mathis
Original Air Date: 04/15/1972
MOD Audio
SID.19490211
This is the only Met broadcast of Freischutz, and despite some good work from the treble/tenor clef, Ludwig’s conducting does not give it the sparkle it needs. Feldhoff is more adequate than commanding. One cannot blame the Met entirely, this work simply is not as much a part of the standard opera house repertoire as it was 50 years ago.
ARABELLA:Strauss
Eschenbach; Fleming; Ketelsen, Bonney, Very, Forst, Halfvarson
Original Air Date: 12/15/2001
MOD Audio
SID.19490214
This is Fleming’s only Met broadcast outing as Arabella. Eschenbach was the fly in the ointment when I saw the production prior to the broadcast, and so he remains. Because of the English translation used prior to the new production, Sirius listeners are regularly denied the glories of Steber under Kempe in the premiere season of 1955, and Della Casa from 1957-1965. Della Casa has studio and stage Arabellas in German from other sources, but Kempe is a special Straussian, and Steber is in particularly stunning voice with London from the premiere year. 09/24/2012 – I thought Eschenbach was the real fly in the ointment when this revival came around. Fleming is in very beautiful voice, but the performance as a whole lacks magic. Arabella takes special handling and this doesn’t really get it. 03/27/2012 – I saw an earlier performance in the run, and while OK, Fleming did not have a great deal of personality. The singing was excellent. I prefer Steber or Della Casa. 8/2/2011 – For me, Eschenbach is a bit of the fly in the ointment, but this is still a solid Arabella cast. This does give me a chance to make a plea for the Met premiere broadcast of Arabella (in English — part of the delay I am sure) with Steber, Guden, London, under Rudolf Kempe. What a magnificent performance from all concerned
RODELINDA:Handel
Bicket; Fleming, Daniels, van Rensburg, Blythe, Mehta, Relyea
Original Air Date: 01/01/2005
MOD Audio
SID.19490321
Fleming is the star in all three seasons of Rodelinda at the Met, and the first two broadcasts from 2005 (this one) and 2006 have a major shift with Bicket handing over to Patrick Summers, and the lead countertenor role from David Daniels to Andreas Scholl. The telecast/moviecast is on Decca DVD and in MOoD comes five years later in 2011 and returns Bicket to the podium, but for my money finds Scholl in considerably diminished form compared to his excellent effort in 2006. I’m not a big fan of Handel, and while several of the individual arias are notable, the absence of ensembles (except for the glorious duet for Blythe with the lead countertenor) and the ABA aria style make for a long afternoon or evening of listening or watching. The comings and goings of Rodelinda at the Met are well documented in MOoD, and this first broadcast is a good place to start.
DER FREISCHÜTZ:Weber
Ludwig; Kónya, Lorengar, Feldhoff, Mathis
Original Air Date: 04/15/1972
MOD Audio
SID.19490422
This is the only Met broadcast of Freischutz, and despite some good work from the treble/tenor clef, Ludwig’s conducting does not give it the sparkle it needs. Feldhoff is more adequate than commanding. One cannot blame the Met entirely, this work simply is not as much a part of the standard opera house repertoire as it was 50 years ago.
DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE:Mozart
Levine; Milne, Polenzani, Goerne, Miklósa, Moll
Original Air Date: 04/16/2005
MOD Audio
SID.19490424
This is the broadcast from the first year of the Taymor production. This is an extremely solid cast with no weak links. Goerne was originally scheduled for the premiere in the fall, but had an injury, and was replaced by Pogossov. Roschmann was the premiere Pamina (and an outstanding one) but her only appearances on Sirius so far have been non-matinee broadcasts for Sirius subscribers. The Sirius 3 x a week of contemporary performances are invaluable. This is Moll’s broadcast farewell and his final Met appearance is Sarastro one week later (not marked in the Met Database-still true 4/2015) Moll also sang Commendatore in Don Giovanni in the evening after this Zauberflote matinee.
LA FORZA DEL DESTINO:Verdi
Noseda; Voigt, Licitra, Delavan, Ramey, Komlósi, Pons
Original Air Date: 03/11/2006
MOD Audio
SID.19490425
I love Forza del Destino, but it’s a rather disjointed work, and not an easy sing for ANYONE. I saw Voigt who did the part early in her Met career with the lamented Sergej Larin. For this broadcast, it’s Licitra, also destined to leave us too soon. For me it’s too late for Ramey, Delavan does not impress me and this 2006 broadcast does not catch Voigt in anything like the voice she had a decade earlier. What is MOoD doing featuring this performance when another Sirius Forza broadcast with Tebaldi and Tucker from 1960 only gets an occasional rotation and no presence for Tebaldi in this role in MOoD. Noseda is a quality conductor, but why such special pleading for Voigt and Licitra?
ARABELLA:Strauss
Eschenbach; Fleming; Ketelsen, Bonney, Very, Forst, Halfvarson
Original Air Date: 12/15/2001
MOD Audio
SID.19490531
This is Fleming’s only Met broadcast outing as Arabella. Eschenbach was the fly in the ointment when I saw the production prior to the broadcast, and so he remains. Because of the English translation used prior to the new production, Sirius listeners are regularly denied the glories of Steber under Kempe in the premiere season of 1955, and Della Casa from 1957-1965. Della Casa has studio and stage Arabellas in German from other sources, but Kempe is a special Straussian, and Steber is in particularly stunning voice with London from the premiere year. 09/24/2012 – I thought Eschenbach was the real fly in the ointment when this revival came around. Fleming is in very beautiful voice, but the performance as a whole lacks magic. Arabella takes special handling and this doesn’t really get it. 03/27/2012 – I saw an earlier performance in the run, and while OK, Fleming did not have a great deal of personality. The singing was excellent. I prefer Steber or Della Casa. 8/2/2011 – For me, Eschenbach is a bit of the fly in the ointment, but this is still a solid Arabella cast. This does give me a chance to make a plea for the Met premiere broadcast of Arabella (in English — part of the delay I am sure) with Steber, Guden, London, under Rudolf Kempe. What a magnificent performance from all concerned
RODELINDA:Handel
Bicket; Fleming, Daniels, van Rensburg, Blythe, Mehta, Relyea
Original Air Date: 01/01/2005
MOD Audio
SID.19490532
Fleming is the star in all three seasons of Rodelinda at the Met, and the first two broadcasts from 2005 (this one) and 2006 have a major shift with Bicket handing over to Patrick Summers, and the lead countertenor role from David Daniels to Andreas Scholl. The telecast/moviecast is on Decca DVD and in MOoD comes five years later in 2011 and returns Bicket to the podium, but for my money finds Scholl in considerably diminished form compared to his excellent effort in 2006. I’m not a big fan of Handel, and while several of the individual arias are notable, the absence of ensembles (except for the glorious duet for Blythe with the lead countertenor) and the ABA aria style make for a long afternoon or evening of listening or watching. The comings and goings of Rodelinda at the Met are well documented in MOoD, and this first broadcast is a good place to start.
DER FREISCHÜTZ:Weber
Ludwig; Kónya, Lorengar, Feldhoff, Mathis
Original Air Date: 04/15/1972
MOD Audio
SID.19490637
This is the only Met broadcast of Freischutz, and despite some good work from the treble/tenor clef, Ludwig’s conducting does not give it the sparkle it needs. Feldhoff is more adequate than commanding. One cannot blame the Met entirely, this work simply is not as much a part of the standard opera house repertoire as it was 50 years ago.
DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE:Mozart
Levine; Milne, Polenzani, Goerne, Miklósa, Moll
Original Air Date: 04/16/2005
MOD Audio
SID.19490640
This is the broadcast from the first year of the Taymor production. This is an extremely solid cast with no weak links. Goerne was originally scheduled for the premiere in the fall, but had an injury, and was replaced by Pogossov. Roschmann was the premiere Pamina (and an outstanding one) but her only appearances on Sirius so far have been non-matinee broadcasts for Sirius subscribers. The Sirius 3 x a week of contemporary performances are invaluable. This is Moll’s broadcast farewell and his final Met appearance is Sarastro one week later (not marked in the Met Database-still true 4/2015) Moll also sang Commendatore in Don Giovanni in the evening after this Zauberflote matinee.
LA FORZA DEL DESTINO:Verdi
Noseda; Voigt, Licitra, Delavan, Ramey, Komlósi, Pons
Original Air Date: 03/11/2006
MOD Audio
SID.19490641
I love Forza del Destino, but it’s a rather disjointed work, and not an easy sing for ANYONE. I saw Voigt who did the part early in her Met career with the lamented Sergej Larin. For this broadcast, it’s Licitra, also destined to leave us too soon. For me it’s too late for Ramey, Delavan does not impress me and this 2006 broadcast does not catch Voigt in anything like the voice she had a decade earlier. What is MOoD doing featuring this performance when another Sirius Forza broadcast with Tebaldi and Tucker from 1960 only gets an occasional rotation and no presence for Tebaldi in this role in MOoD. Noseda is a quality conductor, but why such special pleading for Voigt and Licitra?
DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE:Mozart
Levine; Milne, Polenzani, Goerne, Miklósa, Moll
Original Air Date: 04/16/2005
MOD Audio
SID.19490743
This is the broadcast from the first year of the Taymor production. This is an extremely solid cast with no weak links. Goerne was originally scheduled for the premiere in the fall, but had an injury, and was replaced by Pogossov. Roschmann was the premiere Pamina (and an outstanding one) but her only appearances on Sirius so far have been non-matinee broadcasts for Sirius subscribers. The Sirius 3 x a week of contemporary performances are invaluable. This is Moll’s broadcast farewell and his final Met appearance is Sarastro one week later (not marked in the Met Database-still true 4/2015) Moll also sang Commendatore in Don Giovanni in the evening after this Zauberflote matinee.
RODELINDA:Handel
Bicket; Fleming, Daniels, van Rensburg, Blythe, Mehta, Relyea
Original Air Date: 01/01/2005
MOD Audio
SID.19490744
Fleming is the star in all three seasons of Rodelinda at the Met, and the first two broadcasts from 2005 (this one) and 2006 have a major shift with Bicket handing over to Patrick Summers, and the lead countertenor role from David Daniels to Andreas Scholl. The telecast/moviecast is on Decca DVD and in MOoD comes five years later in 2011 and returns Bicket to the podium, but for my money finds Scholl in considerably diminished form compared to his excellent effort in 2006. I’m not a big fan of Handel, and while several of the individual arias are notable, the absence of ensembles (except for the glorious duet for Blythe with the lead countertenor) and the ABA aria style make for a long afternoon or evening of listening or watching. The comings and goings of Rodelinda at the Met are well documented in MOoD, and this first broadcast is a good place to start.
ARABELLA:Strauss
Eschenbach; Fleming; Ketelsen, Bonney, Very, Forst, Halfvarson
Original Air Date: 12/15/2001
MOD Audio
SID.19490746
This is Fleming’s only Met broadcast outing as Arabella. Eschenbach was the fly in the ointment when I saw the production prior to the broadcast, and so he remains. Because of the English translation used prior to the new production, Sirius listeners are regularly denied the glories of Steber under Kempe in the premiere season of 1955, and Della Casa from 1957-1965. Della Casa has studio and stage Arabellas in German from other sources, but Kempe is a special Straussian, and Steber is in particularly stunning voice with London from the premiere year. 09/24/2012 – I thought Eschenbach was the real fly in the ointment when this revival came around. Fleming is in very beautiful voice, but the performance as a whole lacks magic. Arabella takes special handling and this doesn’t really get it. 03/27/2012 – I saw an earlier performance in the run, and while OK, Fleming did not have a great deal of personality. The singing was excellent. I prefer Steber or Della Casa. 8/2/2011 – For me, Eschenbach is a bit of the fly in the ointment, but this is still a solid Arabella cast. This does give me a chance to make a plea for the Met premiere broadcast of Arabella (in English — part of the delay I am sure) with Steber, Guden, London, under Rudolf Kempe. What a magnificent performance from all concerned
TRISTAN UND ISOLDE:Wagner
Leindsorf; Thomas, Nilsson, Dalis, Tozzi, Doole
Original Air Date: 12/18/1971
MOD Audio
SID.19510103
This performance is not often rebroadcast, and is as distinctive for Leinsdorf’s sleek conducting as for Nilsson’s continued mastery of Isolde. I find Jess Thomas less ingratiating than most, but this is one of his better performances.
ESCLARMONDE:Massenet
Bonynge; Sutherland, Aragall, Tourangeau, Grant
Original Air Date: 12/11/1976
MOD Audio
SID.19510208
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.
DER ROSENKAVALIER:Strauss
Kout; Mentzer, Studer, Halfvarson, Norberg-Schulz, Opie
Original Air Date: 01/29/2000
MOD Audio
SID.19510210
This is Cheryl Studer’s penultimate Met performance in her 39 performance Met career. The Met has cast Rosenkavalier more strongly, but Studer still has major Strauss credentials.
DON PASQUALE:Donizetti
Papi; Baccaloni, Sayão, Martini, Valentino
Original Air Date: 12/21/1940
MOD Audio
SID.19510212
This is one of the older Met broadcasts to appear in the Sirius rebroadcast series. It’s also one of the best, with Baccaloni and Sayao in very top form. This is also available in MOoD. Sayao and Baccaloni have a lot of charm in our only broadcast from the 40s this week This is also on Met Player, and it’s good to hear why Baccaloni and Sayao were so beloved. What personality even in 1940 AM sound.