LES TROYENS : Berlioz
Original Air Date: 02/18/1984
Cast: Levine; Norman, Sooter, Monk, Taillon, Plishka, Ahlstedt
Media: MOD Audio SID.18400104 Tags: Archive; 2018, Levine
“Norman repeated Verrett’s double assumption on this broadcast (Verrett’s was for the opening of the production in 1973 when Ludwig was indisposed–I was there, quite an evening). I rather prefer Norman’s Didon to her Cassandre, but this broadcast now takes its place in MOoD. Enee is close to an impossible part, but Sooter is no worse than Ronald Dowd was in Boston for Caldwell.”
LES TROYENS : Berlioz
Original Air Date: 02/18/1984
Cast: Levine; Norman, Sooter, Monk, Taillon, Plishka, Ahlstedt
Media: MOD Audio SID.18400105 Tags: Archive; 2018, Levine
“Norman repeated Verrett’s double assumption on this broadcast (Verrett’s was for the opening of the production in 1973 when Ludwig was indisposed–I was there, quite an evening). I rather prefer Norman’s Didon to her Cassandre, but this broadcast now takes its place in MOoD. Enee is close to an impossible part, but Sooter is no worse than Ronald Dowd was in Boston for Caldwell.”
FAUST : Gounod
Original Air Date: 02/26/1972
Cast: Rich; Domingo, Zylis-Gara, Tozzi, Sereni, von Stade
Media: MOD Audio SID.18400106 Tags: Archive; 2018, Domingo
This over-programmed Faust is on again, but there are so many better Fausts on the shelf. Domingo is better than expected in one of his early broadcasts, but Tozzi, a Met stalwart, is in poor form. Mercifully, the rotation has slowed down on this performance.
There are a number of excellent Fausts, 2 with Bjorling (and Siepi) which Sirius has never played, and there are several much better Fausts in the Sirius rotation. This one does not deserve such airplay.
Nicolai Gedda is third in all-time performances (42) as Faust surpassed only by Jean de Reszke at 71 and Giovanni Martinelli at 56, and yet is represented by only one Faust broadcast in MOoD and Sirius reports replay of the 1972, but neither his 1966 or 1969 with interesting casts have been heard on either. Nicolai Gedda is still with us, A little more attention on him please. He was a Met star tenor for two decades, and we mostly hear him in Vanessa (where he is remarkable), but he was the leading Faust in the world with the passing of Bjorling his Swedish countryman.
RIGOLETTO : Verdi
Original Air Date: 12/29/1945
Cast: Sodero; Warren, Sayão, Björling, Cordon, Lipton
Media: MOD Audio SID.18400107 Tags: Archive; 2018, Verdi
This is the only broadcast Duke from the Met with Bjorling and while relatively early Warren, he is the vocal master of this part. Sound is typical AM 40s, but the voices are well captured.
I prefer this Bjorling Warren pairing to the RCA commercial from the mid-50s. Sayao is flattered a bit by the microphones, but there are some other 1940s Met broadcasts that should join this fine go at Rigoletto.
For years the Met with great regularity put out Warren, Merrill, and MacNeil in the title role. For Met listeners what’s not to like. Sayao and Bjorling are not exactly lesser grade. Don’t look for a Gossett critical edition, but Verdi is VERY well served. This performance is also on Met Player, as it should be.
FIDELIO : Beethoven
Böhm; Nilsson, King, Evans, Edelmann, Pracht, Anthony
Original Air Date: 01/22/1966
Media: MOD Audio SID.18400208
I was in attendance for this broadcast, and while I prefer the classic 1960 broadcast with Bohm, Nilsson, and Vickers, Nilsson and King are fine, but Geraint Evans, an artist I much admire is not meant for this kind of role vocally. Uhde has his deficiencies but is much more appropriate. It’s a bit too late for Edelmann, but I think there “never was” for Czerwenka in the 1960. The 1960 performance also appears on a Sony Historical CD. What has not appeared in the Sirius run is the Beethoven 1971 bicentenary broadcast of the new production with Rysanek, Vickers with an excellent effort by Berry and Tozzi also under Bohm. Serious omission!
THE GAMBLER : Prokofiev
Original Air Date: 03/31/2001
Cast: Gergiev; Galouzine, Guryakova, Alexashkin, Obraztsova
Media: SID.18400209 Tags: Archive; 2018
This is the Met broadcast premiere of this work. Seven years later Galouzine and Gergiev are together again for another broadcast at the Met, but with Diadkova in for Obraztsova.
Galouzine has been through a lot of heavy singing in the seven years, so this is overall the best bet for experiencing the Prokofiev. Unfortunately, the MOoD only has the 2008 broadcast.
—
I don’t know that this is an ideal opera for the radio, but this Met premiere cast give it everything they’ve got. I like it better than Semyon Kotko, and it’s shorter than War and Peace.
—
In the theatre with lot of intense visuals, this was a most enjoyable production. Even with audio only Gergiev and Galouzine are still powerhouses.
ELEKTRA : Strauss
Original Air Date: 02/16/1980
Cast: Levine; Nilsson, Rysanek, Dunn, McIntyre, Nagy
Media: SID.18400210 Tags: Archive; 2018, Nilsson, Strauss
This run of Elektras marked Nilsson’s return to the house after an absence of four years. It is also Levine’s first go at Elektra at the Met (maybe his first staged ones). Nilsson, by her standards is somewhat diminished compared to the 1971 performance under Bohm which catches her in much fresher form and under arguably one of the great Strauss conductors in history and luckily is available in MOoD. This 1980 performance was filmed and is available on DVD on Deutsche Grammophon.
I love Nilsson’s Elektra, but this is not the way to remember her. The video of this performance at least gives you some visuals. The 1971 despite Madeira’s unfortunate Met farewell Klytemnestra (she died not long thereafter) is the Met broadcast to hear Nilsson’s Elektra.
ERNANI : Verdi
Original Air Date: 03/09/1985
Cast: Fulton; Mauro, Mitchell, Elvira, Plishka
Media: MOD Audio SID.18400211
This first revival retains only Leona Mitchell from the production premiere. Particular attention should be paid to Pablo Elvira, a little light for his character, but a most agreeable voice. Mauro is no Pavarotti, but this is a well prepared performance of one of my favorite Verdi operas.
COSÌ FAN TUTTE : Mozart
Original Air Date: 01/20/1990
Cast: Levine; Mims, Hadley, Troyanos, Hampson, Hong, Van Allan
Media: MOD Audio SID.18400212
This performance is notable as Troyanos’ only Met season as Dorabella, and the same holds true for Hampson’s Guglielmo. She has a well regarded RCA recording from 1968 (!!!) very early in her career. I find Levine at his most inspired in Mozart, and especially so in Cosi. It will be his return opera to the Met next season and is scheduled for Live in HD. The ensemble is well drilled. Worth a listen.
Updated note : Sirius subscribers have heard Levine’s return in Cosi already with the matinee broadcast and Live in HD to come in March 2014. I thought Levine lived up to his considerable reputation in the fall Cosis.
Various : Various
Original Air Date: 01/01/9999
Cast: Various Artists
Media: SID.18400213
SiriusXM Radio and web player will show the Composer and Title.
DER FLIEGENDE HOLLÄNDER : Wagner
Original Air Date: 02/16/1963
Cast: Böhm; London, Rysanek, Kónya, Tozzi
Media: MOD Audio SID.18400315 Tags: Archive; 2018
This is a legendary partnership of Bohm with London and Rysanek. Bohm and Rysanek are together for two later broadcasts in 1965 with David Ward, and 1970 with William Dooley. Neither of those have been on Sirius. This 1963 broadcast was swapped with Ariadne 2 weeks earlier when the Hollander cast could not be assembled. That swap denied the broadcast audience the chance to hear Della Casa’s Ariadne. For my money there is no Senta like Rysanek. Read the Opera-L archives for my appreciation (I saw a tour performance from the stage). Rysanek and London are certainly a remarkable pair, and the applause for their Act 2 duet (in the 3 act version) regularly seemed unending.
———-
10/10/11 This performance was originally scheduled 2 weeks earlier when Konya was sick and Ariadne was switched at the last minute (and effectively knocked Della Casa out of an Ariadne broadcast). The Met Hollander premiere 3 years earlier with Rysanek and London was with Schippers. Bohm takes command of 3 broadcasts all with Rysanek, but David Ward is on the second (I would love to hear this again– a fine singer almost forgotten), and the third in 1970 with Dooley. For me, Senta and Kaiserin are Rysanek’s two most singular creations. There is nothing like the finale and as I’ve noted in other Opera-L postings I once saw this creation from the stage with her first husband standing right behind me. Fortunately this performance is on Met Player, and is far more thrilling than the studio performance with much the same cast under Dorati.
IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA : Rossini
Original Air Date: 03/09/1963
Cast: Strasfogel; Guarrera, D’Angelo, Shirley, Corena, Tozzi
Media: SID.18400316 Tags: Archive; 2018
The only known I will vouch for in advance is Corena, one of his very best roles. Tozzi becomes more variable in this period, so I don’t want to praise a performance I have not recently heard. This performance could be anything from a train wreck to a secret gem. What I am sure about is that it is not the Zedda critical edition (not yet published).
RIGOLETTO : Verdi
Original Air Date: 12/29/1945
Cast: Sodero; Warren, Sayão, Björling, Cordon, Lipton
Media: MOD Audio SID.18400317 Tags: Archive; 2018, Verdi
This is the only broadcast Duke from the Met with Bjorling and while relatively early Warren, he is the vocal master of this part. Sound is typical AM 40s, but the voices are well captured.
I prefer this Bjorling Warren pairing to the RCA commercial from the mid-50s. Sayao is flattered a bit by the microphones, but there are some other 1940s Met broadcasts that should join this fine go at Rigoletto.
For years the Met with great regularity put out Warren, Merrill, and MacNeil in the title role. For Met listeners what’s not to like. Sayao and Bjorling are not exactly lesser grade. Don’t look for a Gossett critical edition, but Verdi is VERY well served. This performance is also on Met Player, as it should be.
FAUST : Gounod
Original Air Date: 02/26/1972
Cast: Rich; Domingo, Zylis-Gara, Tozzi, Sereni, von Stade
Media: MOD Audio SID.18400318 Tags: Archive; 2018, Domingo
This over-programmed Faust is on again, but there are so many better Fausts on the shelf. Domingo is better than expected in one of his early broadcasts, but Tozzi, a Met stalwart, is in poor form. Mercifully, the rotation has slowed down on this performance.
There are a number of excellent Fausts, 2 with Bjorling (and Siepi) which Sirius has never played, and there are several much better Fausts in the Sirius rotation. This one does not deserve such airplay.
Nicolai Gedda is third in all-time performances (42) as Faust surpassed only by Jean de Reszke at 71 and Giovanni Martinelli at 56, and yet is represented by only one Faust broadcast in MOoD and Sirius reports replay of the 1972, but neither his 1966 or 1969 with interesting casts have been heard on either. Nicolai Gedda is still with us, A little more attention on him please. He was a Met star tenor for two decades, and we mostly hear him in Vanessa (where he is remarkable), but he was the leading Faust in the world with the passing of Bjorling his Swedish countryman.
CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA / PAGLIACCI : Mascagni / Leoncavallo
Original Air Date: 12/10/1988
Cast: Siciliani; Dimitrova, Mauro, Fondary / Giacomini, Soviero, Pons
Media: SID.18400319 Tags: Archive; 2018
Though Dimitrova was well regarded for her power and skill in the “big” roles, her Santuzza was one of the very best I’ve ever heard, and more importantly, seemed very personal. Her voice is satisfyingly volcanic this afternoon. No less impressive is the Pagliacci with Giacomini’s farewell to the Met. I much enjoyed his Don Carlo, and he is on top form for this Canio. Soviero has a strong Nedda as well. Siciliani gives full veristic sway in his conducting. Recommended.
BENVENUTO CELLINI : Berlioz
Original Air Date: 12/27/2003
Cast: Levine; Giordani, Bayrakdarian, Del Carlo, Jepson, Lloyd
Media: MOD Audio SID.18400320
“This is the opera’s only broadcast from its only season. There is much lovely music along the way, but it does not have cumulative impact for me. Giordani copes not always pleasantly with an extremely challenging role. I think twice a year for Cellini is just about the maximum desired cycling. Once a year would be enough for me especially since it’s in MOoD.”
DER ROSENKAVALIER : Strauss
Original Air Date: 02/18/1956
Cast: Kempe; Stevens, Della Casa; Edelmann, Güden, Herbert
Media: MOD Audio SID.18400321 Tags: Archive; 2018, Strauss
Sadly, we lost Della Casa this past week [December 2012]. No more
beautiful woman ever trod the operatic stage. With Kempe in the pit
for his final Met broadcast, this is a wonderful all-around performance.
5/3/11 – This performance has been on, but not frequently. I found a reference to my hearing it in January 2010, but Met Database does not show it has having been on Sirius. In any case I give the performance an absolute rave. If maybe a little late for Stevens, Della Casa and Guden are in absolute prime. Kempe appeared too little and we certainly need his Arabella (in English) with Steber, Guden and London to appear on Sirius. Don’t miss.
ORFEO ED EURIDICE : Gluck
Original Air Date: 01/18/1958
Cast: Rudolf; Stevens, Amara, Cundari
Media: MOD Audio SID.18400422 Tags: Archive; 2018
The strongest thing about this performance is Rudolf’s conducting. Stevens was definitely a star Orfeo, but she’s never an audio favorite of mine. A very great artist outstanding advocate for American artists , and the role of the arts in general. She had quite a following, but her audios alone do not make a career. She is still with us, and may she have many more years.
For me this is much too late for Stevens (She retires in 1960). I did check Paul Jackson’s authoritative volume on Met broadcasts– and he’s at his best in the 40s and 50s, but has nothing to say about this performance. This performance has been on before and is on MOoD.
LES TROYENS : Berlioz
Original Air Date: 02/18/1984
Cast: Levine; Norman, Sooter, Monk, Taillon, Plishka, Ahlstedt
Media: MOD Audio SID.18400423 Tags: Archive; 2018, Levine
Norman repeated Verrett’s double assumption on this broadcast (Verrett’s was for the opening of the production in 1973 when Ludwig was indisposed–I was there, quite an evening). I rather prefer Norman’s Didon to her Cassandre, but this broadcast now takes its place in MOoD. Enee is close to an impossible part, but Sooter is no worse than Ronald Dowd was in Boston for Caldwell.
LES TROYENS : Berlioz
Original Air Date: 02/18/1984
Cast: Levine; Norman, Sooter, Monk, Taillon, Plishka, Ahlstedt
Media: MOD Audio SID.18400424 Tags: Archive; 2018, Levine
Norman repeated Verrett’s double assumption on this broadcast (Verrett’s was for the opening of the production in 1973 when Ludwig was indisposed–I was there, quite an evening). I rather prefer Norman’s Didon to her Cassandre, but this broadcast now takes its place in MOoD. Enee is close to an impossible part, but Sooter is no worse than Ronald Dowd was in Boston for Caldwell.
FIDELIO : Beethoven
Original Air Date: 01/22/1966
Cast: Böhm; Nilsson, King, Evans, Edelmann, Pracht, Anthony
Media: MOD Audio SID.18400425 Tags: Archive; 2018, Nilsson
I was in attendance for this broadcast, and while I prefer the classic 1960 broadcast with Bohm, Nilsson, and Vickers, Nilsson and King are fine, but Geraint Evans, an artist I much admire is not meant for this kind of role vocally. Uhde has his deficiencies but is much more appropriate. It’s a bit too late for Edelmann, but I think there “never was” for Czerwenka in the 1960. The 1960 performance also appears on a Sony Historical CD. What has not appeared in the Sirius run is the Beethoven 1971 bicentenary broadcast of the new production with Rysanek, Vickers with an excellent effort by Berry and Tozzi also under Bohm. Serious omission!
THE GAMBLER : Prokofiev
Original Air Date: 03/31/2001
Cast: Gergiev; Galouzine, Guryakova, Alexashkin, Obraztsova
Media: SID.18400426 Tags: Archive; 2018
This is the Met broadcast premiere of this work. Seven years later Galouzine and Gergiev are together again for another broadcast at the Met, but with Diadkova in for Obraztsova.
Galouzine has been through a lot of heavy singing in the seven years, so this is overall the best bet for experiencing the Prokofiev. Unfortunately, the MOoD only has the 2008 broadcast.
—
I don’t know that this is an ideal opera for the radio, but this Met premiere cast give it everything they’ve got. I like it better than Semyon Kotko, and it’s shorter than War and Peace.
—
In the theatre with lot of intense visuals, this was a most enjoyable production. Even with audio only Gergiev and Galouzine are still powerhouses.
COSÌ FAN TUTTE : Mozart
Original Air Date: 01/20/1990
Cast: Levine; Mims, Hadley, Troyanos, Hampson, Hong, Van Allan
Media: MOD Audio SID.18400212
This performance is notable as Troyanos’ only Met season as Dorabella, and the same holds true for Hampson’s Guglielmo. She has a well regarded RCA recording from 1968 (!!!) very early in her career. I find Levine at his most inspired in Mozart, and especially so in Cosi. It will be his return opera to the Met next season and is scheduled for Live in HD. The ensemble is well drilled. Worth a listen.
Updated note : Sirius subscribers have heard Levine’s return in Cosi already with the matinee broadcast and Live in HD to come in March 2014. I thought Levine lived up to his considerable reputation in the fall Cosis.
ORFEO ED EURIDICE : Gluck
Original Air Date: 01/18/1958
Cast: Rudolf; Stevens, Amara, Cundari
Media: MOD Audio SID.18400422 Tags: Archive; 2018
The strongest thing about this performance is Rudolf’s conducting. Stevens was definitely a star Orfeo, but she’s never an audio favorite of mine. A very great artist outstanding advocate for American artists , and the role of the arts in general. She had quite a following, but her audios alone do not make a career. She is still with us, and may she have many more years.
For me this is much too late for Stevens (She retires in 1960). I did check Paul Jackson’s authoritative volume on Met broadcasts– and he’s at his best in the 40s and 50s, but has nothing to say about this performance. This performance has been on before and is on MOoD.
BENVENUTO CELLINI : Berlioz
Original Air Date: 12/27/2003
Cast: Levine; Giordani, Bayrakdarian, Del Carlo, Jepson, Lloyd
Media: MOD Audio SID.18400531 Tags: Archive; 2018, Levine
“This is the opera’s only broadcast from its only season. There is much lovely music along the way, but it does not have cumulative impact for me. Giordani copes not always pleasantly with an extremely challenging role. I think twice a year for Cellini is just about the maximum desired cycling. Once a year would be enough for me especially since it’s in MOoD.”
IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA : Rossini
Original Air Date: 03/09/1963
Cast: Strasfogel; Guarrera, D’Angelo, Shirley, Corena, Tozzi
Media: SID.18400532 Tags: Archive; 2018
The only known I will vouch for in advance is Corena, one of his very best roles. Tozzi becomes more variable in this period, so I don’t want to praise a performance I have not recently heard. This performance could be anything from a train wreck to a secret gem. What I am sure about is that it is not the Zedda critical edition (not yet published).
ELEKTRA : Strauss
Original Air Date: 02/16/1980
Cast: Levine; Nilsson, Rysanek, Dunn, McIntyre, Nagy
Media: SID.18400533 Tags: Archive; 2018, Nilsson, Strauss
This run of Elektras marked Nilsson’s return to the house after an absence of four years. It is also Levine’s first go at Elektra at the Met (maybe his first staged ones). Nilsson, by her standards is somewhat diminished compared to the 1971 performance under Bohm which catches her in much fresher form and under arguably one of the great Strauss conductors in history and luckily is available in MOoD. This 1980 performance was filmed and is available on DVD on Deutsche Grammophon.
I love Nilsson’s Elektra, but this is not the way to remember her. The video of this performance at least gives you some visuals. The 1971 despite Madeira’s unfortunate Met farewell Klytemnestra (she died not long thereafter) is the Met broadcast to hear Nilsson’s Elektra.
DER FLIEGENDE HOLLÄNDER : Wagner
Original Air Date: 02/16/1963
Cast: Böhm; London, Rysanek, Kónya, Tozzi
Media: MOD Audio SID.18400315 Tags: Archive; 2018
This is a legendary partnership of Bohm with London and Rysanek. Bohm and Rysanek are together for two later broadcasts in 1965 with David Ward, and 1970 with William Dooley. Neither of those have been on Sirius. This 1963 broadcast was swapped with Ariadne 2 weeks earlier when the Hollander cast could not be assembled. That swap denied the broadcast audience the chance to hear Della Casa’s Ariadne. For my money there is no Senta like Rysanek. Read the Opera-L archives for my appreciation (I saw a tour performance from the stage). Rysanek and London are certainly a remarkable pair, and the applause for their Act 2 duet (in the 3 act version) regularly seemed unending.
———-
10/10/11 This performance was originally scheduled 2 weeks earlier when Konya was sick and Ariadne was switched at the last minute (and effectively knocked Della Casa out of an Ariadne broadcast). The Met Hollander premiere 3 years earlier with Rysanek and London was with Schippers. Bohm takes command of 3 broadcasts all with Rysanek, but David Ward is on the second (I would love to hear this again– a fine singer almost forgotten), and the third in 1970 with Dooley. For me, Senta and Kaiserin are Rysanek’s two most singular creations. There is nothing like the finale and as I’ve noted in other Opera-L postings I once saw this creation from the stage with her first husband standing right behind me. Fortunately this performance is on Met Player, and is far more thrilling than the studio performance with much the same cast under Dorati.
CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA / PAGLIACCI : Mascagni / Leoncavallo
Original Air Date: 12/10/1988
Cast: Siciliani; Dimitrova, Mauro, Fondary / Giacomini, Soviero, Pons
Media: SID.18400535 Tags: Archive; 2018
Though Dimitrova was well regarded for her power and skill in the “big” roles, her Santuzza was one of the very best I’ve ever heard, and more importantly, seemed very personal. Her voice is satisfyingly volcanic this afternoon. No less impressive is the Pagliacci with Giacomini’s farewell to the Met. I much enjoyed his Don Carlo, and he is on top form for this Canio. Soviero has a strong Nedda as well. Siciliani gives full veristic sway in his conducting. Recommended.
FAUST : Gounod
Original Air Date: 02/26/1972
Cast: Rich; Domingo, Zylis-Gara, Tozzi, Sereni, von Stade
Media: MOD Audio SID.18400636 Tags: Archive; 2018
This over-programmed Faust is on again, but there are so many better Fausts on the shelf. Domingo is better than expected in one of his early broadcasts, but Tozzi, a Met stalwart, is in poor form. Mercifully, the rotation has slowed down on this performance.
There are a number of excellent Fausts, 2 with Bjorling (and Siepi) which Sirius has never played, and there are several much better Fausts in the Sirius rotation. This one does not deserve such airplay.
Nicolai Gedda is third in all-time performances (42) as Faust surpassed only by Jean de Reszke at 71 and Giovanni Martinelli at 56, and yet is represented by only one Faust broadcast in MOoD and Sirius reports replay of the 1972, but neither his 1966 or 1969 with interesting casts have been heard on either. Nicolai Gedda is still with us, A little more attention on him please. He was a Met star tenor for two decades, and we mostly hear him in Vanessa (where he is remarkable), but he was the leading Faust in the world with the passing of Bjorling his Swedish countryman.