ERNANI:Verdi
Schippers; Bergonzi, Price, MacNeil, Tozzi, Ordassy, Nagy, Reitan
Original Air Date: 12/01/1962
MOD Audio
SID.19520641
This is one of the classic Met broadcasts, and on balance the best of the Ernani broadcasts. Corelli was more of an in-house Ernani, but for the broadcast mikes, Bergonzi is close to ideal. MacNeil, one of the Met mainstay baritones on this occasion delivers an absolutely historic performance with a seemingly unending upper register, but also a command of the style that surpassed any modern baritone at the Met. Price is not ideal as Elvira, but she has many superb moments, especially as captured by the mikes. Fortunately this performance as well as the 1965 with Corelli, Sereni, and Siepi joining Price are BOTH on MOoD, and both performances serve Verdi very well indeed. Available in a Sony historical CD and on MOoD. As much as I love Bergonzi, the most remarkable performance of the afternoon is MacNeil in one of his greatest if not greatest broadcast appearance. Do not miss.
DIE FRAU OHNE SCHATTEN:Strauss
Perick; Meier, Schunk, Martin, Courtney, Dernesch
Original Air Date: 12/09/1989
MOD Audio
SID.19520642
The big gap is Courtney being a late fill-in for Weikl as Barak. Dernesch finds some tough sledding in a lot of the Nurse’s part. I love the work, and Perick works hard. Though Johanna Meier is no Rysanek or Marton, she still has her moments. Listening to the COMPLETE performance under Jurowski from last season finds the Met and Frau particularly congenial partners. Maybe this is a minor hommage to Janis Martin who passed away, and got no paid obituary from the Met in the NYTimes [rechecked this afternoon and still so]
VANESSA:Barber
Steinberg; Costa, Alexander, Elias, Thebom, Tozzi
Original Air Date: 04/03/1965
MOD Audio
SID.19520743
The Met does well by Samuel Barber, and regularly programs on Sirius the Steber world premiere season broadcast from 1958. Elias and Tozzi remain from the original cast under William Steinberg. The skating aria for Vanessa is gone by this revival, another reason to check out the Steber broadcast in MOoD.
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM:Britten
Atherton; McNair, Kowalski, Rose, Streit, Bunnell, Gilfry, Gustafson
Original Air Date: 12/21/1996
MOD Audio
SID.19520744
The work was revived under Conlon in 2013 for 3 Sirius streamed live broadcasts, one of which was rebroadcast on Sirius as part of their June Friday night encores, but no national free network. I saw a lovely production at the original Sadler’s Wells Theatre almost 20 years ago under the late Richard Hickox. It’s one of those works I seem to like less as the years go on, but that may be just me.
DAS RHEINGOLD:Wagner
Levine; Morris, Schwarz, Langridge, Wlaschiha, Hölle, Koptchak
Original Air Date: 03/27/1993
MOD Audio
SID.19520746
This is close to the end of Schwarz’s Met career. Not quite. She is back for the 2016 season for Buryja in Jenufa after an absence of 14 years. She has an earlier Rheingold Fricka in 1993, and I saw her in the Chereau Ring in 1978 and she closes her Met career with a 2002 Klytemnestra with Schnaut. There is also an excellent Erda in Madrid in 2007. One also encounters Phillip Langridge’s fine Loge.
CARMEN:Bizet
Domingo; Horne, Luchetti, Freni, Ramey
Original Air Date: 12/17/1988
SID.20010102
I love Carmen, but Horne does two of her three Met broadcasts with her ex-husband, Henry Lewis, and this performance rather late in her career. Horne’s collaboration with Bernstein is at least partially transferred to the studio. Her live performance that fall with Lenny was one of the best things I ever saw from her. Luchetti was more often encountered in Verdi Requiems when Bergonzi, Pavarotti, and Richard Lewis were not available. This is his final Met performance in a one season, one role Met career (his wife Mietta Sighele Met debuted in an earlier performance in the run as Micaela and two Micaelas are her Met total; I saw her do an excellent Butterfly in Philadelphia 21 years earlier– much in the Tucci lyric mod). Luchetti is rather a good Jose, as they go. Ramey is an excellent Escamillo. Domingo, despite many fine Don Joses, is not the Carmen conductor I want. Freni is quite good for a 50+ Micaela, having brought the house down 20 years earlier and stealing the show from Verrett (debut) and Vickers.
PARSIFAL:Wagner
Stiedry; Svanholm, Harshaw, Schöffler, Edelmann, Pechner
Original Air Date: 03/24/1956
SID.20010103
I only heard parts of this performance, so I checked Jackson to see where he was. Except for a glancing mention of Svanholm, this performance is ignored in favor of the 1954 Stiedry performance which he doesn’t much care for which features Hotter’s farewell to the Met (very few appearances). Only Hotter comes in for considerable praise. A few pages later he takes great pleasure in the Pretre 1966 Parsifal with Konya , Crespin and Hines. This is one of Crespin’s very best broadcast efforts, and belongs both on Sirius and in MOoD.
PARSIFAL:Wagner
Stiedry; Svanholm, Harshaw, Schöffler, Edelmann, Pechner
Original Air Date: 03/24/1956
SID.20010104
Except for a glancing mention of Svanholm, this performance is ignored in favor of the 1954 Stiedry performance which he doesn’t much care for which features Hotter’s farewell to the Met (very few appearances). Only Hotter comes in for considerable praise. A few pages later he takes great pleasure in the Pretre 1966 Parsifal with Konya , Crespin and Hines. This is one of Crespin’s very best broadcast efforts, and belongs both on Sirius and in MOoD.
MACBETH:Verdi
Levine; Milnes, Scotto, Plishka, Ciannella
Original Air Date: 01/28/1984
SID.20010105
This is the second season of the infamous Peter Hall Macbeth. The first season broadcast also with Levine, Scotto, Milnes and Plishka is available on (MOoD). Generally with Scotto, earlier is better. This part, despite many insightful line readings, is simply not for her.
COSÌ FAN TUTTE:Mozart
Tate; Vaness, Rendall, Murray, Holloay, Hamari, MacNeil
Original Air Date: 12/22/1984
SID.20010106
This is Vaness’ first of four Cosi broadcasts, and amazingly, the only one with Levine in the pit is 1996 when the opera gets a new production and features the debut of Cecilia Bartoli as Despina. This 1984 on the Sirius airwaves features Cornell MacNeil in his only Mozartean appearance (a run of 14 including a tour) all with Vaness who has the house record for Fiordiligi at 44 (Steber is not a close 2nd at 29, but Te Kanawa a very distant 3d at 16) in a line of very distinguished Fiordiligis. It’s a shame that none of the 4 Steber broadcsts (1952-1955, 3 with Tucker,one with Valletti) have made it to the Sirius airwaves. The Columbia studio recording made during the opening season is a fine memento, but a LIVE performance record of one of the great Met productions should be heard. Translation rights again appears to be the stumbling block.
DIE ÄGYPTISCHE HELENA:Strauss
Luisi; Voigt, Kerl, Damrau, Grove, Brendel
Original Air Date: 03/31/2007
MOD Audio
SID.20010107
This is the Met’s only broadcast of the Strauss work and Kerl and Damrau are very impressive. I don’t love the work, but like most Strauss, it has its moments. It’s repeated too often in rotation which in no way approximates its importance in the Strauss canon. This was the first Met production in more than eight decades. I love the awakening scene, but for me it’s one of the weaker Strauss works. I shouldn’t complain. No Strauss at all this season or next. To date this is the only Met matinee broadcast of this uncommon Strauss work. The strongest profile is from Damrau who is an excellent Aithra. The opera has some great moments, and was one of Met audience’s first chances to encounter Luisi, now the Principal Conductor.
THE QUEEN OF SPADES:Tchaikovsky
Gergiev; Grigorian, Guleghina, Rysanek, Hvorostovsky, Svendén, Putilin
Original Air Date: 12/30/1995
SID.20010208
This was the year of the new production which had starred Mattila and Heppner along with Rysanek in her last Met role. This is Rysanek’s broadcast farewell, and her final Met performance took place three days later. Guleghina and Grigorian are very solid and Gergiev is at his best. and oh yes, there’s Hvorostovsky in absolute prime. This performance should really be in MOoD. This is Rysanek’s broadcast farewell, and Hvorostovsky’s broadcast debut. Rysanek’s farewell to the Met is three days later after a career spanning five decades (38 years). A shame the cameras did not catch the opening run with Mattila and Heppner at their best, but this is a very solid broadcast. Heppner and Mattila were replaced by Guleghina and Greigorian. Both pairs were very good. The two baritones are also outstanding. Among the very best of Queen of Spades’ broadcasts. The 1966 English language (we’ll never hear it ;(((( ) with McCracken and Stratas should really be heard; I’m sorry Resnik didn’t have the broadcast instead of Madeira, but would really like to break the Sirius logjam on translations.
LA FORZA DEL DESTINO:Verdi
Stiedry; Milanov, Penno, Warren, Hines, Madeira, Pechner
Original Air Date: 03/20/1954
SID.20010209
Milanov’s four broadcast Leonoras begin in 1952 with much of the above cast except Tucker for Penno. That performance is on MOoD and there are many fine moments. Penno is the point of interest in this week’s Forza, and clearly he must have had one of the largest tenor voices in an era of big voiced singers. His Met career was not long, but he is long remembered as well for several appearances with Callas– Macbeth and Medea. He is also the Pollione at the Met in Milanov’s final series of Normas. Milanov’s Norma has not appeared in the Sirius series, and while the 2 1940s performances will catch her in smoother voice, I would love to hear the 1954 performance as well. If memory serves, this is the best of MIlanov’s 50s Forza Leonoras. Penno is a comet that didn’t turn out so well, but other than not being Tucker or Del Monaco, he’s fine.
L’ITALIANA IN ALGERI:Rossini
Campanella; Larmore, Polenzani, Ramey, Corbelli
Original Air Date: 02/17/2001
MOD Audio
SID.20010210
This is Ramey’s only Mustafa broadcast, and early appearances by Polenzani and Kwiecien who are Met regulars in star parts these days. My own favorite Isabella is Borodina whose performance with Florez and Furlanetto is also on MOoD.
LA BOHÈME:Puccini
Cleva; Sayão, Di Stefano, Hunt, Valdengo, Siepi
Original Air Date: 03/17/1951
MOD Audio
SID.20010211
The oldest BOHEME in the MOD catalog, it’s Siepi’s debut MET season. Although Sayao is Brazilian, she is certainly at one with the idiom and the luxury of Di Stefano, Valdengo, and Siepi among the Bohemians is pleasure indeed. Paul Jackson in his survey of Met broadcasts isn’t thrilled with Cleva, but listening to the MOoD is quite a dose of sunshine, and the sound for a 65 year old broadcast is quite clear.
L’ELISIR D’AMORE:Donizetti
Weikert; Cole, Upshaw, Taddei, Schexnayder
Original Air Date: 02/20/1988
SID.20010212
This is Kaufmann’s debut year, and Michaels-Moore is below the standard of Gheorghiu. Kaufmann is still a bit green, but I plan to listen again to see how close he was vocally to his current very high performance standard. My memory in the theatre was AG was still the star; it’s one of her best roles.
NEW YEAR’S EVE GALA: ANNA NETREBKO:Puccini
Nézet-Séguin; Netrebko, Polenzani, Kelsey, Luciano, Van Horn, Woodley, Netrebko, Eyvazov, Nikitin, Carfizzi, Netrebko, Eyvazov
Original Air Date: 12/31/2019
SID.20010213
In an unprecedented program to celebrate the new year, Anna Netrebko pulls out all the Puccini stops, starring as Mimì, Tosca, and Turandot in one gala evening. The star soprano will sing Act I of La Bohème, opposite tenor Matthew Polenzani, and Act I of Tosca and Act II of Turandot, opposite tenor Yusif Eyvazov. Conducted by Met Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin and featuring an outstanding cast that also includes baritones Quinn Kelsey and Davide Luciano, and bass-baritones Evgeny Nikitin and Christian Van Horn, this will be an evening not to be missed. Each of the acts will be fully staged and costumed in the respective (and spectacular) Zeffirelli and McVicar productions.
DIE FLEDERMAUS:Strauss Jr.
Kozma; Steber, Kullman, Munsel, Hayward, Novotná, Brownlee
Original Air Date: 01/23/1954
SID.20010315
Steber lets the end of the Czardas get away from her, and John Brownlee is never a voice I want to hear, but Munsel is quite a trouper in this role; Novotna is a stylish Orlofsky. Why is the Fledermaus translation not a problem for the Met, but their Arabella is? This is Steber’s only broadcast Rosalinde, and she makes a meal of it. This is getting toward the end of Munsel’s reign at the Met with mostly Perichole and some Depinas ahead of her. My problem is with Brownlee, one of the driest voices ever .
WERTHER:Massenet
Bonynge; Kraus, Crespin, Battle, Carlson
Original Air Date: 02/03/1979
MOD Audio
SID.20010316
This performance is one I always enjoy. Kraus and Crespin are solid exponents of the style, and Battle is a delight as Sophie. This is Crespin’s final Charlotte, and finds Kraus on very congenial ground. This is also on Met Player. Nice to have a mini-Crespin festival this week. One of the most enjoyable of Met Werther broadcasts.
OTELLO:Verdi
Gergiev; Domingo, Vaness, Leiferkus, Croft
Original Air Date: 04/02/1994
SID.20010317
Vaness’ Desdemona is professional and musical without being especially memorable. In the current controversy [this was over Gergiev’s close support of Putin and around the time of the Onegin opening night, where will Ukraine be in January 2015 when Gergiev is back at the house?] Gergiev was hardly deserving of an Otello production, but he was Joe Volpe’s counterbalance to Levine. His participation here is not a plus. Domingo’s Otello is a known quantity and he’s heard better elsewhere. though surprisingly streaming only features one audio performance and 2 videos; his actual broadcast total from the Met is 2 videos and 4 audios.
L’ITALIANA IN ALGERI:Rossini
Campanella; Larmore, Polenzani, Ramey, Corbelli
Original Air Date: 02/17/2001
MOD Audio
SID.20010426
This is Ramey’s only Mustafa broadcast, and early appearances by Polenzani and Kwiecien who are Met regulars in star parts these days. My own favorite Isabella is Borodina whose performance with Florez and Furlanetto is also on MOoD.
LA BOHÈME:Puccini
Cleva; Sayão, Di Stefano, Hunt, Valdengo, Siepi
Original Air Date: 03/17/1951
MOD Audio
SID.20010427
The oldest BOHEME in the MOD catalog, it’s Siepi’s debut MET season. Although Sayao is Brazilian, she is certainly at one with the idiom and the luxury of Di Stefano, Valdengo, and Siepi among the Bohemians is pleasure indeed. Paul Jackson in his survey of Met broadcasts isn’t thrilled with Cleva, but listening to the MOoD is quite a dose of sunshine, and the sound for a 65 year old broadcast is quite clear.
WERTHER:Massenet
Bonynge; Kraus, Crespin, Battle, Carlson
Original Air Date: 02/03/1979
MOD Audio
SID.20010529
This performance is one I always enjoy. Kraus and Crespin are solid exponents of the style, and Battle is a delight as Sophie. This is Crespin’s final Charlotte, and finds Kraus on very congenial ground. This is also on Met Player. Nice to have a mini-Crespin festival this week. One of the most enjoyable of Met Werther broadcasts.
DIE ÄGYPTISCHE HELENA:Strauss
Luisi; Voigt, Kerl, Damrau, Grove, Brendel
Original Air Date: 03/31/2007
MOD Audio
SID.20010531
This is the Met’s only broadcast of the Strauss work and Kerl and Damrau are very impressive. I don’t love the work, but like most Strauss, it has its moments. It’s repeated too often in rotation which in no way approximates its importance in the Strauss canon. This was the first Met production in more than eight decades. I love the awakening scene, but for me it’s one of the weaker Strauss works. I shouldn’t complain. No Strauss at all this season or next. To date this is the only Met matinee broadcast of this uncommon Strauss work. The strongest profile is from Damrau who is an excellent Aithra. The opera has some great moments, and was one of Met audience’s first chances to encounter Luisi, now the Principal Conductor.
WERTHER:Massenet
Bonynge; Kraus, Crespin, Battle, Carlson
Original Air Date: 02/03/1979
MOD Audio
SID.20010638
This performance is one I always enjoy. Kraus and Crespin are solid exponents of the style, and Battle is a delight as Sophie. This is Crespin’s final Charlotte, and finds Kraus on very congenial ground. This is also on Met Player. Nice to have a mini-Crespin festival this week. One of the most enjoyable of Met Werther broadcasts.
L’ITALIANA IN ALGERI:Rossini
Campanella; Larmore, Polenzani, Ramey, Corbelli
Original Air Date: 02/17/2001
MOD Audio
SID.20010642
This is Ramey’s only Mustafa broadcast, and early appearances by Polenzani and Kwiecien who are Met regulars in star parts these days. My own favorite Isabella is Borodina whose performance with Florez and Furlanetto is also on MOoD.
LA BOHÈME:Puccini
Cleva; Sayão, Di Stefano, Hunt, Valdengo, Siepi
Original Air Date: 03/17/1951
MOD Audio
SID.20010743
The oldest BOHEME in the MOD catalog, it’s Siepi’s debut MET season. Although Sayao is Brazilian, she is certainly at one with the idiom and the luxury of Di Stefano, Valdengo, and Siepi among the Bohemians is pleasure indeed. Paul Jackson in his survey of Met broadcasts isn’t thrilled with Cleva, but listening to the MOoD is quite a dose of sunshine, and the sound for a 65 year old broadcast is quite clear.
DIE ÄGYPTISCHE HELENA:Strauss
Luisi; Voigt, Kerl, Damrau, Grove, Brendel
Original Air Date: 03/31/2007
MOD Audio
SID.20010745
This is the Met’s only broadcast of the Strauss work and Kerl and Damrau are very impressive. I don’t love the work, but like most Strauss, it has its moments. It’s repeated too often in rotation which in no way approximates its importance in the Strauss canon. This was the first Met production in more than eight decades. I love the awakening scene, but for me it’s one of the weaker Strauss works. I shouldn’t complain. No Strauss at all this season or next. To date this is the only Met matinee broadcast of this uncommon Strauss work. The strongest profile is from Damrau who is an excellent Aithra. The opera has some great moments, and was one of Met audience’s first chances to encounter Luisi, now the Principal Conductor.
LA BOHÈME:Puccini
Cleva; Sayão, Di Stefano, Hunt, Valdengo, Siepi
Original Air Date: 03/17/1951
MOD Audio
SID.20010748
The oldest BOHEME in the MOD catalog, it’s Siepi’s debut MET season. Although Sayao is Brazilian, she is certainly at one with the idiom and the luxury of Di Stefano, Valdengo, and Siepi among the Bohemians is pleasure indeed. Paul Jackson in his survey of Met broadcasts isn’t thrilled with Cleva, but listening to the MOoD is quite a dose of sunshine, and the sound for a 65 year old broadcast is quite clear.
OTELLO:Verdi
Gergiev; Domingo, Vaness, Leiferkus, Croft
Original Air Date: 04/02/1994
SID.20020101
Vaness’ Desdemona is professional and musical without being especially memorable. In the current controversy [this was over Gergiev’s close support of Putin and around the time of the Onegin opening night, where will Ukraine be in January 2015 when Gergiev is back at the house?] Gergiev was hardly deserving of an Otello production, but he was Joe Volpe’s counterbalance to Levine. His participation here is not a plus. Domingo’s Otello is a known quantity and he’s heard better elsewhere. though surprisingly streaming only features one audio performance and 2 videos; his actual broadcast total from the Met is 2 videos and 4 audios.