“NORMA : Bellini
Original Air Date: 09/25/2017
Cast: Rizzi; Radvanovsky, DiDonato, Calleja, Rose
Media: SID.17400640 Tags: LIVE; 2017
Opening Night 2017-2018 Season – Soprano Sandra Radvanovsky and mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato star in the Met’s new production of Norma. Tenor Joseph Calleja is Pollione, Norma’s unfaithful lover, and Carlo Rizzi conducts. Sir David McVicar’s evocative production sets the action deep in a Druid forest where nature and ancient ritual rule. Production a gift of Veronica Atkins
Reviews
Anthony Tommasini (NY Times): www.nytimes.com/2017/09/26/arts/music/norma-review-metropolitan-opera.html
Anne Midgette (The Washington Post) www.washingtonpost.com/news/style/wp/2017/09/26/for-once-the-met-opera-goes-traditional-for-season-opener/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.b63cc26e01e6
Russell Platt (The New Yorker) www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/norma-and-the-met-operas-leading-ladies
James Jorden (New York Observer) observer.com/2017/09/review-sondra-radvanovsky-sizzles-in-mets-norma-despite-all-odds/
Telegraph www.telegraph.co.uk/opera/what-to-see/norma-review-met-opera-live-hd-solid-unpretentious-spectacle/“
“I PURITANI : Bellini
Original Air Date: 01/06/2007
Cast: Summers; Netrebko, Cutler, Vassallo, Relyea
Media: Live in HDMOD Video SID.17410103 Tags: Archive; 2017, Netrebko
This Puritani run launched Netrebko into superstardom, but also engendered some controversy from some bel cantists and Callas widows. Netrebko is a controversial singer in bel canto, but she had a huge success following her premiere of the new Don Pasquale the previous season. Netrebko is very fresh of voice, and will impress many. Her supporting cast is no more than OK, and for Callas fanatics she is totally inadequate. Watch and hear for yourself.
I did see Sutherland in 1976, which was well up to her standard
even though she had just turned 50. Netrebko in the second Live in HD performance (the English Flute had kicked the series off) was visually
electrifying, and that performance is available on DG Blu-Ray. This audio broadcast is also available in MOoD.
This performance duplicates the HD transmission and the DVD cast. This performance is best experience in its simultaneous HD video which is on Met Opera on Demand (MOoD) or on DVD or BLu-Ray. “
“I PURITANI : Bellini
Original Air Date: 01/06/2007
Cast: Summers; Netrebko, Cutler, Vassallo, Relyea
Media: Live in HDMOD Video SID.17410321 Tags: Archive; 2017, Netrebko
This Puritani run launched Netrebko into superstardom, but also engendered some controversy from some bel cantists and Callas widows. Netrebko is a controversial singer in bel canto, but she had a huge success following her premiere of the new Don Pasquale the previous season. Netrebko is very fresh of voice, and will impress many. Her supporting cast is no more than OK, and for Callas fanatics she is totally inadequate. Watch and hear for yourself.
I did see Sutherland in 1976, which was well up to her standard
even though she had just turned 50. Netrebko in the second Live in HD performance (the English Flute had kicked the series off) was visually
electrifying, and that performance is available on DG Blu-Ray. This audio broadcast is also available in MOoD.
This performance duplicates the HD transmission and the DVD cast. This performance is best experience in its simultaneous HD video which is on Met Opera on Demand (MOoD) or on DVD or BLu-Ray. “
DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE : Mozart
Live in HD
James Levine conducts Rene Pape, Golda Schultz, Kathryn Lewek, Charles Castronuovo and Markuys Werba in the Mozart classic
“I PURITANI : Bellini
Original Air Date: 01/06/2007
Cast: Summers; Netrebko, Cutler, Vassallo, Relyea
Media: Live in HDMOD Video SID.17410640 Tags: Archive; 2017, Netrebko
This Puritani run launched Netrebko into superstardom, but also engendered some controversy from some bel cantists and Callas widows. Netrebko is a controversial singer in bel canto, but she had a huge success following her premiere of the new Don Pasquale the previous season. Netrebko is very fresh of voice, and will impress many. Her supporting cast is no more than OK, and for Callas fanatics she is totally inadequate. Watch and hear for yourself.
I did see Sutherland in 1976, which was well up to her standard
even though she had just turned 50. Netrebko in the second Live in HD performance (the English Flute had kicked the series off) was visually
electrifying, and that performance is available on DG Blu-Ray. This audio broadcast is also available in MOoD.
This performance duplicates the HD transmission and the DVD cast. This performance is best experience in its simultaneous HD video which is on Met Opera on Demand (MOoD) or on DVD or BLu-Ray. “
“ARIADNE AUF NAXOS : Strauss
Original Air Date: 03/12/1988
Cast: Levine; Norman, King, Battle, Troyanos, Nentwig, Dickson
Media: MOD AudioMOD Video SID.17420207 Tags: Archive; 2017, Levine, Strauss
“
“THE FIRST EMPEROR : Dun
Original Air Date: 01/13/2007
Cast: Dun; Domingo, Futral, Groves, Tian, DeYoung
Media: Live in HDMOD Video SID.17420319 Tags: Archive; 2017, 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).”
“ARIADNE AUF NAXOS : Strauss
Original Air Date: 03/12/1988
Cast: Levine; Norman, King, Battle, Troyanos, Nentwig, Dickson
Media: MOD AudioMOD Video SID.17420422 Tags: Archive; 2017, Levine, Strauss
“
“THE FIRST EMPEROR : Dun
Original Air Date: 01/13/2007
Cast: Dun; Domingo, Futral, Groves, Tian, DeYoung
Media: Live in HDMOD Video SID.17420531 Tags: Archive; 2017, 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.17420742 Tags: Archive; 2017, 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).”
“ARIADNE AUF NAXOS : Strauss
Original Air Date: 03/12/1988
Cast: Levine; Norman, King, Battle, Troyanos, Nentwig, Dickson
Media: MOD AudioMOD Video SID.17420745 Tags: Archive; 2017, Levine, Strauss
“
“DIE WALKÜRE : Wagner
Original Air Date: 04/08/1989
Cast: Levine; Behrens, Morris, Norman, Lakes, Ludwig, Moll
Media: MOD AudioMOD Video SID.17430104 Tags: Archive; 2017, Levine, Wagner
This performance is in the MOoD as a video. Lakes is operating in a league that is at least a half step beyond him. Behrens, who is certainly well schooled, is not the right voice for me. Norman is very much her own stylist. Still this is a strong cast overall, and finds the Met orchestra and Levine in their first cycle together in extremely committed form.”
“DIE WALKÜRE : Wagner
Original Air Date: 04/08/1989
Cast: Levine; Behrens, Morris, Norman, Lakes, Ludwig, Moll
Media: MOD AudioMOD Video SID.17430105 Tags: Archive; 2017, Levine, Wagner
This performance is in the MOoD as a video. Lakes is operating in a league that is at least a half step beyond him. Behrens, who is certainly well schooled, is not the right voice for me. Norman is very much her own stylist. Still this is a strong cast overall, and finds the Met orchestra and Levine in their first cycle together in extremely committed form.”
“DIE WALKÜRE : Wagner
Original Air Date: 04/08/1989
Cast: Levine; Behrens, Morris, Norman, Lakes, Ludwig, Moll
Media: MOD AudioMOD Video SID.17430423 Tags: Archive; 2017, Levine, Wagner
This performance is in the MOoD as a video. Lakes is operating in a league that is at least a half step beyond him. Behrens, who is certainly well schooled, is not the right voice for me. Norman is very much her own stylist. Still this is a strong cast overall, and finds the Met orchestra and Levine in their first cycle together in extremely committed form.”
“DIE WALKÜRE : Wagner
Original Air Date: 04/08/1989
Cast: Levine; Behrens, Morris, Norman, Lakes, Ludwig, Moll
Media: MOD AudioMOD Video SID.17430424 Tags: Archive; 2017, Levine, Wagner
This performance is in the MOoD as a video. Lakes is operating in a league that is at least a half step beyond him. Behrens, who is certainly well schooled, is not the right voice for me. Norman is very much her own stylist. Still this is a strong cast overall, and finds the Met orchestra and Levine in their first cycle together in extremely committed form.”
“DIE WALKÜRE : Wagner
Original Air Date: 04/08/1989
Cast: Levine; Behrens, Morris, Norman, Lakes, Ludwig, Moll
Media: MOD AudioMOD Video SID.17430641 Tags: Archive; 2017, Levine, Wagner
This performance is in the MOoD as a video. Lakes is operating in a league that is at least a half step beyond him. Behrens, who is certainly well schooled, is not the right voice for me. Norman is very much her own stylist. Still this is a strong cast overall, and finds the Met orchestra and Levine in their first cycle together in extremely committed form.”
“ELEKTRA : Strauss
Original Air Date: 01/22/1994
Cast: Levine; Behrens, Voigt, Fassbaender, McIntyre, King
Media: MOD AudioMOD Video SID.17440211 Tags: Archive; 2017, Levine, Strauss
Behrens was not a natural Elektra voice, and her premiere of the production 2 years earlier was her last appearance in the part for close to 2 years. When she returned to the Met for this performance which was also videod and has been issued on DVD in the Levine 40th anniversary collection, she was able to do justice to the part, if not with the tonal reserves of a Nilsson, Varnay, or Jones. This is very early in Deborah Voigt’s career and one hears why she so impressed listeners in the early 90s. This broadcast/telecast is Fassbaender’s Met farewell, and vocally and dramatically she is a bit over the top. She still has her moments.”
“FIDELIO : Beethoven
Original Air Date: 01/06/2001
Cast: Levine; Mattila, Heppner, Leiferkus, Pape, Hong, Polenzani
Media: MOD Audio SID.17440315 Tags: Archive; 2017, Levine
This new production was telecast earlier in the season, but this audio (both audio and video are in MOoD) replaces Struckmann with Leiferkus, Welch-Babidge with Hong, and Lloyd with James Morris. Mattila and Heppner are both very good, but below the transcendant Fidelios I remember from Nilsson, Rysanek and Marton in the theater all with the inimitable Jon Vickers as Florestan. Flagstad makes her mark in two Met broadcasts as well.”
“ELEKTRA : Strauss
Original Air Date: 01/22/1994
Cast: Levine; Behrens, Voigt, Fassbaender, McIntyre, King
Media: MOD AudioMOD Video SID.17440316 Tags: Archive; 2017, Levine, Strauss
Behrens was not a natural Elektra voice, and her premiere of the production 2 years earlier was her last appearance in the part for close to 2 years. When she returned to the Met for this performance which was also videod and has been issued on DVD in the Levine 40th anniversary collection, she was able to do justice to the part, if not with the tonal reserves of a Nilsson, Varnay, or Jones. This is very early in Deborah Voigt’s career and one hears why she so impressed listeners in the early 90s. This broadcast/telecast is Fassbaender’s Met farewell, and vocally and dramatically she is a bit over the top. She still has her moments.”
“FIDELIO : Beethoven
Original Air Date: 01/06/2001
Cast: Levine; Mattila, Heppner, Leiferkus, Pape, Hong, Polenzani
Media: MOD Audio SID.17440635 Tags: Archive; 2017, Levine
This new production was telecast earlier in the season, but this audio (both audio and video are in MOoD) replaces Struckmann with Leiferkus, Welch-Babidge with Hong, and Lloyd with James Morris. Mattila and Heppner are both very good, but below the transcendant Fidelios I remember from Nilsson, Rysanek and Marton in the theater all with the inimitable Jon Vickers as Florestan. Flagstad makes her mark in two Met broadcasts as well.”
“FIDELIO : Beethoven
Original Air Date: 01/06/2001
Cast: Levine; Mattila, Heppner, Leiferkus, Pape, Hong, Polenzani
Media: MOD Audio SID.17440638 Tags: Archive; 2017, Levine
This new production was telecast earlier in the season, but this audio (both audio and video are in MOoD) replaces Struckmann with Leiferkus, Welch-Babidge with Hong, and Lloyd with James Morris. Mattila and Heppner are both very good, but below the transcendant Fidelios I remember from Nilsson, Rysanek and Marton in the theater all with the inimitable Jon Vickers as Florestan. Flagstad makes her mark in two Met broadcasts as well.”
“BILLY BUDD : Britten
Original Air Date: 03/31/1979
Cast: Leppard; Stilwell, Pears, Morris, Glossop, Ward
Media: MOD Audio SID.17450315 Tags: Archive; 2017
Pears created the role of Captain Vere three decades earlier, and James Morris’ Claggart is one of the great post-war assumptions. Luckily the Met has recently added the video of the 1997 telecast with the late Phillip Langridge as Vere, Dwayne Croft, and Morris once again being the evil anchor as Claggart. This 1979 performance is the first broadcast of the Met’s Budd production, and is Pears’ final Met appearance Much of this attention is surely coming because of the Britten centenary. One of the Met’s most distinguished productions.”
“BILLY BUDD : Britten
Original Air Date: 03/31/1979
Cast: Leppard; Stilwell, Pears, Morris, Glossop, Ward
Media: MOD Audio SID.17450634 Tags: Archive; 2017
Pears created the role of Captain Vere three decades earlier, and James Morris’ Claggart is one of the great post-war assumptions. Luckily the Met has recently added the video of the 1997 telecast with the late Phillip Langridge as Vere, Dwayne Croft, and Morris once again being the evil anchor as Claggart. This 1979 performance is the first broadcast of the Met’s Budd production, and is Pears’ final Met appearance Much of this attention is surely coming because of the Britten centenary. One of the Met’s most distinguished productions.”
“DIE MEISTERSINGER VON NÜRNBERG : Wagner
Original Air Date: 12/08/2001
Cast: Levine; Morris, Mattila, Heppner, Allen, Pape, Polenzani
Media: MOD Video SID.17460104 Tags: Archive; 2017, Levine, Wagner
A little late for Heppner, but still a fine Walther. An excellent
overall performance.”
“DIE MEISTERSINGER VON NÜRNBERG : Wagner
Original Air Date: 12/08/2001
Cast: Levine; Morris, Mattila, Heppner, Allen, Pape, Polenzani
Media: MOD Video SID.17460105 Tags: Archive; 2017, Levine, Wagner
A little late for Heppner, but still a fine Walther. An excellent
overall performance.”
“OTELLO : Verdi
Original Air Date: 10/13/1995
Cast: Levine; Domingo, Fleming, Morris, Croft
Media: MOD Video SID.17460209 Tags: Archive; 2017, 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.”
“L’ELISIR D’AMORE : Donizetti
Original Air Date: 04/29/1989
Cast: Panni; Pavarotti, Battle, Plishka, Quilico
Media: MOD Audio SID.17460320 Tags: Archive; 2017, Pavarotti
L’Elisir is arguably the most over broadcast repertory opera on Sirius. The opera is a charming confection with lovely vocal turns for both the soprano and tenor, and meaty traditional roles for the buffo bass and the lyric baritone. For superstars like Pavarotti, Florez, and Netrebko, these parts allow them to slide a little, but just because superstars find L’Elisir handy Met repertory selection in the house and on the radio have become very distorted.
If you look at the MOoD, you see that Aida has 4 videos (including Leontyne Price’s farewell) and 8 audios while L’Elisir has 3 videos (2 with Pavarotti, 1 with Netrebko) and 11 audios (4 with Pavarotti) This 1989 is the fourth of his six Met radio broadcasts.
To be honest the best way to experience Pavarotti’s Nemorino is to hear the Decca studio version with Sutherland from 1970– JoS never did the part onstage, but the vocal gold of this studio recording is anything but hothouse.
Second best way to experience Pavarotti’s Nemorino is his 1978 broadcast with Blegen, Corena, and Sereni. The presence of the two best bass clef singers for this opera and a Pavarotti 11 years younger make for a considerable improvement. It’s on MOoD.
Also on MOoD and where you should listen to life beyond Pavarotti are the 1972 with Scotto, Bergonzi pairing with Corena and Sereni: 4 native Italians savoring the style to a fare-thee well. Bergonzi has an earlier broadcast with Peters and Guarrera in for Sereni, and Peters has a broadcast with Kraus with Corena and Sereni.
All of these are on MOoD and while they’ve all been on Sirius, they are eschewed mostly in favor of more recent performances with less stylish casts.”
“DIE MEISTERSINGER VON NÜRNBERG : Wagner
Original Air Date: 12/08/2001
Cast: Levine; Morris, Mattila, Heppner, Allen, Pape, Polenzani
Media: MOD Video SID.17460423 Tags: Archive; 2017, Levine, Wagner
A little late for Heppner, but still a fine Walther. An excellent
overall performance.”
“DIE MEISTERSINGER VON NÜRNBERG : Wagner
Original Air Date: 12/08/2001
Cast: Levine; Morris, Mattila, Heppner, Allen, Pape, Polenzani
Media: MOD Video SID.17460424 Tags: Archive; 2017, Levine, Wagner
A little late for Heppner, but still a fine Walther. An excellent
overall performance.”
“OTELLO : Verdi
Original Air Date: 10/13/1995
Cast: Levine; Domingo, Fleming, Morris, Croft
Media: MOD Video SID.17460426 Tags: Archive; 2017, 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.”