LES CONTES D’HOFFMANN:Offenbach
Original Air Date: 12/03/1955
Monteux; Tucker, Singher, Peters, Stevens, Amara, Miller
SID.19230428
To Monteux went the honor of conducting the world premieres of Sacre du Printemps Petruchka and Daphnis et Chloe all for Diaghilev and was principal viola in the world premiere of Pelleas. He appeared at the Met for the first time in 1917 and came back 37 years later for a series of performances which allowed three broadcasts of Faust, Pelleas, Carmen, Manon (just issued on Met Player), Orfeo and this delightful performance of Contes d’Hoffmann. Tucker might not be the stylist of a Gedda or Kraus but he certainly gives his all. This is also on Met Player, and the villains are in the most capable hands of Martial Singher. What a treat to hear ANY week. This performance has also been issued Sony Historical CD and is on MOoD. The women are musical if not especially satisfying. Tucker and Singher fill their considerable duties with tone (Tucker) and style (Singher). Just the right touch comes from the legendary Monteux.
MESSA DA REQUIEM:Verdi
Original Air Date: 02/20/1982
Levine; Price, Quivar, Domingo, Cheek
MOD Audio SID.19230529
This broadcast is in memory of long-time Met Assistant Manager and Press representative, Francis Robinson. This is getting to be pretty late Price, and Domingo is not in my first tier of tenor soloists for the Requiem. Quivar is a very solid mezzo soloist, and for me to be preferred to many commercially recorded mezzos. Cheek is OK, but if you are a Met Opera on Demand (MOoD) you can listen to a 1964 Requiem (in memory of John F. Kennedy) under Solti with Price,Elias, Bergonzi, and Siepi. Sound is not digital, but the performance is splendid and marks Solti’s final appearance with the Met
MADAMA BUTTERFLY:Puccini
Original Air Date: 01/08/1994
Fulton; Soviero, Leech, Deng, Allen, Anthony
SID.19230530
Soviero sometimes seems like the last of the “veristas”, but I am glad this performance which has been on Sirius before is once again in the rotation. I’m still waiting for the Stella/Fernandi Butterfly from 1958 and the Tucci/Bergonzi (this one time was scheduled for Sirius, but for some reason never happened). This is Thomas Fulton’s last Met broadcast, and his solid support in the pit is still much missed. *** I don’t remember this performance, but Soviero is a fine singer, Scotto-like detail with a more agreeable upper register. Leech was still a fine Pinkerton at this stage. Soviero and Leech are together again 2 years later (Soviero’s last Met Butterfly), but this performance features Thomas Allen and Thomas Fulton conduting (the latter’s farewell Met performance).
LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR:Donizetti
Original Air Date: 02/18/1989
Müller; Devia, Glassman, Quilico, Howell
SID.19230531
This is Devia’s first Lucia broadcast; she also broadcast the role five years later in 1994 with Hadley, Pons, Plishka under Santi. This later performance is available in MOoD.She is still singing and has an active schedule with Anna Bolena currently in the Canaries, and Roberto Devereux upcoming in Madrid in September October. This is for a woman who made her Met debut in 1979 as Gilda Her Met 73 performance history (none since 1994) is equally as eclectic with Despina and two broadcasts Constanze in Entfuhrung, and appearances as Nannetta (Falstaff) and Gilda (Rigoletto) with no broadcasts. Still a 40+ year career in major houses. NOTE: Ms. Devia retires after singing three performances of NORMA at Teatro La Fenice the week of May 13, 2018. Devia has announced that after the “Norma” performances she will be retiring from the Opera stage and will dedicate her career to singing concerts and teaching. Ms. Devia was awarded the “Premio Una vita nella musica 2018” on May 14, 2018,
MACBETH:Verdi
Original Air Date: 03/24/1962
Rosenstock; Colzani, Rysanek, Tozzi, Bergonzi
SID.19230532
Rosenstock picked up much of the conducting load previously assigned to Leinsdorf, who had decamped to the Boston Symphony as Music Director. Rosenstock had debuted at the Met in 1929 with six appearances not to reappear again until 1961 when he began a 248 performance run at the Met ending in 1969 with Meistersinger which he had premiered in November 1962 in a new production by Robert O’Hearn and Nathaniel Merrill. In other repertory most of this late career could be described as correct, and nowhere at the level of Bohm, Leinsdorf, or Stiedry. This is Rysanek’s third and last Lady Macbeth performance, and she is not in the form of her debut 4 years earlier, nor is Rosenstock as up to the task as Leinsdorf who replaced the orgiinally scheduled Mitropoulos in 1958. Colzani can be a bit rough hewn, but that works as Macbeth, and Bergonzi is as classy as it gets; Tozzi I prefer to HInes, but I prefer Giaiotti to either– a role Siepi never did at the Met (and don’t notice it elsewhere either).
SALOME:Strauss
Original Air Date: 03/27/2004
Gergiev; Mattila, Jerusalem, Diadkova, Dohmen, Polenzani
MOD Audio SID.19230533
This is Mattila’s first season as Salome, and she delivered one of the greatest Salomes ever at the Met. Though she did the part again in 2008 as part of the HD telecasts, she didn’t have the same supremacy she had four years earlier (this HD is available on MOoD). This week’s audio broadcast is the one to hear in case you are in any doubt of what her top form sounds like. I like the supporting cast better in this 2004 performance as well. She filmed it in 2004 at the Met (not HD and pre Gelb) with Terfel, but we are likely to never see this which is a shame. Maybe they could put the audio version on MOoD. (editors note… it is on MOD now) Although this has been on before, because of the HD 4 years later, that performance is more frequently encountered. The 2004 performance was filmed also, but we think will never see the light of day. I’m happy that the Sirius audio survives (the video included Terfel, not Dohmen) and so warmly welcome this rebroadcast again. I would still love to hear the 1958 with Borkh under Mitropoulos (Schicchi is the curtain-raiser!!!!!)
Various:Various
Original Air Date: 01/01/9999
Various Artists
SID.19230534
Various selections between scheduled operas. Siriusxm Radio and web player will show the Composer and Title.
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Original Air Date: 01/01/9999
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SID.19230636
Various selections between scheduled operas. Siriusxm Radio and web player will show the Composer and Title.
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Original Air Date: 01/01/9999
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SID.19230637
Various selections between scheduled operas. Siriusxm Radio and web player will show the Composer and Title.
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Original Air Date: 01/01/9999
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SID.19230638
Various selections between scheduled operas. Siriusxm Radio and web player will show the Composer and Title.
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Original Air Date: 01/01/9999
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SID.19230639
Various selections between scheduled operas. Siriusxm Radio and web player will show the Composer and Title.
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Original Air Date: 01/01/9999
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SID.19230640
Various selections between scheduled operas. Siriusxm Radio and web player will show the Composer and Title.
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Original Air Date: 01/01/9999
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SID.19230641
Various selections between scheduled operas. Siriusxm Radio and web player will show the Composer and Title.
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Original Air Date: 01/01/9999
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SID.19230642
Various selections between scheduled operas. Siriusxm Radio and web player will show the Composer and Title.
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Original Air Date: 01/01/9999
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SID.19230743
Various selections between scheduled operas. Siriusxm Radio and web player will show the Composer and Title.
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Original Air Date: 01/01/9999
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SID.19230744
Various selections between scheduled operas. Siriusxm Radio and web player will show the Composer and Title.
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Original Air Date: 01/01/9999
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SID.19230745
Various selections between scheduled operas. Siriusxm Radio and web player will show the Composer and Title.
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Original Air Date: 01/01/9999
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SID.19230746
Various selections between scheduled operas. Siriusxm Radio and web player will show the Composer and Title.
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Original Air Date: 01/01/9999
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SID.19230747
Various selections between scheduled operas. Siriusxm Radio and web player will show the Composer and Title.
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Original Air Date: 01/01/9999
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SID.19230748
Various selections between scheduled operas. Siriusxm Radio and web player will show the Composer and Title.
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Original Air Date: 01/01/9999
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SID.19230749
Various selections between scheduled operas. Siriusxm Radio and web player will show the Composer and Title.
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Original Air Date: 01/01/9999
TBA
SID.19240101
Various selections between scheduled operas. Siriusxm Radio and web player will show the Composer and Title.
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Original Air Date: 01/01/9999
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SID.19240102
Various selections between scheduled operas. Siriusxm Radio and web player will show the Composer and Title.
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Original Air Date: 01/01/9999
TBA
SID.19240103
Various selections between scheduled operas. Siriusxm Radio and web player will show the Composer and Title.
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Original Air Date: 01/01/9999
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SID.19240104
Various selections between scheduled operas. Siriusxm Radio and web player will show the Composer and Title.
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Original Air Date: 01/01/9999
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SID.19240105
Various selections between scheduled operas. Siriusxm Radio and web player will show the Composer and Title.
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Original Air Date: 01/01/9999
TBA
SID.19240106
Various selections between scheduled operas. Siriusxm Radio and web player will show the Composer and Title.
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Original Air Date: 01/01/9999
TBA
SID.19240107
Various selections between scheduled operas. Siriusxm Radio and web player will show the Composer and Title.
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Original Air Date: 01/01/9999
TBA
SID.19240208
Various selections between scheduled operas. Siriusxm Radio and web player will show the Composer and Title.
TBA:TBA
Original Air Date: 01/01/9999
TBA
SID.19240209
Various selections between scheduled operas. Siriusxm Radio and web player will show the Composer and Title.