ERNANI:Verdi
Original Air Date: 03/09/1985
Fulton; Mauro, Mitchell, Elvira, Plishka
MOD Audio SID.19260743
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. Only Mitchell survives from the production opening cast the previous season. Elvira was a lovely lyric baritone, but I prefer a MacNeil or Cappuccilli in this showy part. Among my very favorite early Verdi, even if this is not the performance I would first pull off the shelf.
TANNHÄUSER:Wagner
Original Air Date: 12/17/1960
Solti; Hopf, Rysanek, Dalis, Prey, Hines
SID.19260744
This is the first Tannhauser of the season and marks the house debuts of both Prey and Solti. Hopf is not for everyone, but this is a thrilling broadcast with fine work from all, and first appearance of the Paris version of Tannhauser, which Levine continued when the new production debuted in 1977. 1965-66 is the only season with the Dresden version after 1954-55. 10/15/12 – This was the double debut of Solti and Hermann Prey, and the first performance of the season. This was the beginning of a dustup between Rysanek and Solti and when the cast started revolving with three Elisabeths (Rysanek, De Los Angeles, Nilsson), three Wolframs (Prey, Cassel, Wachter), three Venuses (Dalis, Dunn, Harshaw), with only Hopf and Hines staying intact, Solti left after the De Los Angeles performance. His conducting is of a high order and despite the contretemps, Rysanek gives her all. This performance is on MOoD, and is highly recommended. 3/26/12 – This is the first Tannhauser of the season, the Met debuts of Solti and Prey, and the first appearance of the Paris version in post WW2 Met revivals. The Met reverts back to Dresden 5 seasons later when Nilsson doubles both roles, and Windgassen is a late cancellation not well replaced. One Levine comes in with the new production in 1977, it is Paris all the way. All the singers are major German repertory singers. Hopf was pleading a cold that day as well. This is available on MOoD (Met Opera on Demand formerly MetPlayer) as well.
DON PASQUALE:Donizetti
Original Air Date: 03/22/1980
Rescigno; Trimarchi, Peters, Rendall, Duesing
SID.19260745
This is getting quite late for Peters, and Trimarchi only has one Met season. Rescigno is an experienced bel canto conductor, but this is a pretty wan cast.
THE MERRY WIDOW:Lehár
Original Air Date: 12/23/2000
Fisch; von Stade, Hagegård, Welch-Babidge, Groves
SID.19260746
This is the second year of the production originally mounted for Von Stade with Domingo. I hadn’t noticed until preparing this list that the production is by Tim Albery who is also responsible for this coming season’s Midsummer Night’s Dream for the Britten centenary. It’s not often that anything in English translation is on Sirius, but this is. Now if only they could have some of much worthier English translation evenings like Arabella and Cosi fan tutte with Steber and some of the great Boris Godunovs of the 1950s and 60s.
L’ASSEDIO DI CORINTO:Rossini
Original Air Date: 01/17/1976
Schippers; Sills, Verrett, Di Giuseppe, Díaz
SID.19260747
“The following season also with Sills and Verrett under Woitach) are the Met broadcast history of this problematic Rossini work, and both are on MOoD. Verrett is in top form, but I find Sills too late for these assumptions. I find the work as edited for these performances a jumble and they don’t make this reluctant Rossinian any less so. Barbiere remains a miracle and though done to death, still sparkles.”
THE QUEEN OF SPADES:Tchaikovsky
Original Air Date: 04/10/1999
Gergiev; Domingo, Gorchakova, Söderström, Hvorostovsky, Borodina, Putilin
MOD AudioMOD Video SID.19260748
This performance is too late for Soderstrom, too late for Domingo, and too late for Gorchakova. You can see the video of from five days later on MOoD as well. Better to hear the first season of the production with Gregorian who succeeded Heppner, Guleghina who succeeded Mattila with Rysanek. That has been on Sirius, but is not on MOoD. If Sirius had been at work when the production premiered we would have a broadcast of Heppner and Mattila at their very best. MOD is from 4-15-99 performance.
IL TROVATORE:Verdi
Original Air Date: 01/21/1989
Levine; Pavarotti, Millo, Cossotto, Milnes, Plishka
MOD Audio SID.19260749
Milnes’ farewell comes in Aida in March 1997, but his appearances in plum video and broadcast assignments drop off in his final decade. This IS Cossotto’s Met farewell, and she is authoritative in her standard way. Pavarotti and Millo are both very solid.
FALSTAFF:Verdi
Original Air Date: 01/23/1965
Rosenstock; Evans, Tucci, Sereni, Resnik, Raskin, Shirley
SID.19270317
A fine cast is mostly undone by Rosenstock’s foursquare conducting. Where is the 1964 original production broadcast with Bernstein? Bernstein has only 2 Met broadcasts (the other is Cavalleria) and neither has made it to Sirius.
DIE WALKÜRE:Wagner
Original Air Date: 03/01/1969
von Karajan; Nilsson, Adam, Crespin, Vickers, Veasey, Talvela
MOD Audio SID.19270318
Last appearance at MET by Von Karajan. To my knowledge this is the only broadcast opera performance (not counting galas) in which both Nilsson and Crespin appear together. This is Crespin’s only broadcast Sieglinde from the Met. It is also Karajan’s final Met performance (he had done the Rheingold broadcast a week earlier (also on MOoD); it is also Josephine Veasey’s Met farewell. I’m rather sorry that Stewart did not get this broadcast, but he had the first year’s with Nilsson, Rysanek, Vickers,and Ludwig. Adam is experienced (he is in Bohm’s Bayreuth Ring of the same period, but his tone is not so agreeable to me.) This 1969 broadcast is Talvela’s only broadcast Hunding. The quality of the performance is one of the best postwar Walkures. 2/10/12 -This is one of von Karajan’s two Met broadcasts (the other is Rheingold), and Crespin’s only Sieglinde broadcast. The performance is also on MetPlayer. I’m not a big fan of Adam, but this is still powerhouse casting. Karajan’s conducting is in many ways closer to his early Bayreuth conducting than his 60s studio efforts.
DIE WALKÜRE:Wagner
Original Air Date: 03/01/1969
von Karajan; Nilsson, Adam, Crespin, Vickers, Veasey, Talvela
MOD Audio SID.19270319
Last appearance at MET by Von Karajan. To my knowledge this is the only broadcast opera performance (not counting galas) in which both Nilsson and Crespin appear together. This is Crespin’s only broadcast Sieglinde from the Met. It is also Karajan’s final Met performance (he had done the Rheingold broadcast a week earlier (also on MOoD); it is also Josephine Veasey’s Met farewell. I’m rather sorry that Stewart did not get this broadcast, but he had the first year’s with Nilsson, Rysanek, Vickers,and Ludwig. Adam is experienced (he is in Bohm’s Bayreuth Ring of the same period, but his tone is not so agreeable to me.) This 1969 broadcast is Talvela’s only broadcast Hunding. The quality of the performance is one of the best postwar Walkures. 2/10/12 -This is one of von Karajan’s two Met broadcasts (the other is Rheingold), and Crespin’s only Sieglinde broadcast. The performance is also on MetPlayer. I’m not a big fan of Adam, but this is still powerhouse casting. Karajan’s conducting is in many ways closer to his early Bayreuth conducting than his 60s studio efforts.
DON GIOVANNI:Mozart
Original Air Date: 04/14/1990
Levine; Furlanetto, Vaness, Ramey, Putnam, Winbergh, Upshaw
MOD Video SID.19270320
This performance comes 2 weeks after the telecast of the new Zeffirelli production with a number of cast changes Furlanetto and Ramey switch roles with Furlanetto now in the title role, Winbergh replaces Hadley, Putnam replaces Mattila. Although this has been on the radio before, it is not familiar to me, and I will make a special effort to take a listen.
IL PIRATA:Bellini
Original Air Date: 02/08/2003
Campanella; Fleming, Giordani, Croft
MOD Audio SID.19270321
This is the Met premiere of Pirata and to date its only broadcast season, but I don’t find either the soprano or tenor quite right for their parts. This was the performance that started me on my Giordani no listen zone. I was lucky enough to see Caballe do a stage Pirata (2x) in Philadelphia, and she was almost ideally cast. Fleming is a versatile, highly skilled singer, but this part was not for her.
LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR:Donizetti
Original Air Date: 12/31/1966
Bonynge; Sutherland, Tucker, Colzani, Ghiuselev
SID.19270422
Sutherland and Tucker are in very hot form. Colzani, who is the perfect Rance we can’t find anymore, is not so well suited to Enrico. Bonynge’s debut broadcast. The contributions of Sutherland and Tucker are quite strong, Colzani less so. It seems to have been broadcast maybe 5 times in the last 3 months. Better that we should have another chance to hear Sutherland’s debut season Lucia , also with Tucker and repeat a few other Lucias. Sirius covers the Met broadcast history well going back to 1937 for LIly Pons. The omissions as far as I can see are Munsel and Peters, not great losses. But one performance from 2/1/69 has not been on Sirius, and it is an UNFORGETTABLE afternoon, the first performance of the season with Moffo, Gedda, Bruson (Met debut), Giaiotti, under Franci (Met debut). The male side of the performance is extremely strong, and you will never hear another Lucia like Moffo’s. I wish a lurker for the Met would wake up to the ridiculous rotation applied to this mostly very good broadcast. STOP playing this for 6 months. Play the 2/1/1969 with Moffo, Gedda, Bruson (debut), Giaiotti , Franci conductor (the men are superb). This 1966 Lucia broadcast does the distinguished career of Anselmo Colzani any favors at all. Do I need to write Mel Karmazin at Sirius?
SALOME:Strauss
Original Air Date: 01/05/1974
Levine; Bumbry, Ulfung, Resnik, Shadur, Lewis
SID.19270423
This is Levine’s only Met run of Salome. Bumbry is in luscious voice, but Shadur is below major house standard for Jokanaan.
RIGOLETTO:Verdi
Original Air Date: 12/17/2005
Fisch; Guelfi, Netrebko, Villazón, Halfvarson, Fabiola Herrera
SID.19270424
I was at the first performance of the run, and while Netrebko had her moments, this part was just a bit too high for her. I still enjoyed her, but Villazon had his ups and downs. The real weakness was Guelfi who continued to UNdistinguish Met performances for the next decade plus. Even though he debuted in a series of park Rigolettos in 2000, this 2005 performance marks his Met broadcast debut.
DIE ÄGYPTISCHE HELENA:Strauss
Original Air Date: 03/31/2007
Luisi; Voigt, Kerl, Damrau, Grove, Brendel
MOD Audio SID.19270425
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.
MANON:Massenet
Original Air Date: 12/21/1963
Schippers; Moffo, Gedda, Guarrera
SID.19270427
I saw Moffo and Gedda in this new production on the Met tour in Dallas (spring 1964.) She was very beautiful, but made no impact. Once you’ve heard the De Los Angeles/Monteux recording, THERE is Manon. There is a 1959 broadcast with Gedda and De Los Angeles which has never appeared on Sirius ( she does have a 1954 with Valletti which is very fine and has been on), but let us have more Jean Morel in the pit.
Britten
Original Air Date: 12/14/1974
Bedford; Pears, Shirley Quirk, Velis
MOD Audio SID.19270428
The Met saw the USA premiere of Britten’s Death in Venice and for the Met debut of Peter Pears. His only other role at the Met was Captain Vere in Billy Budd four years later; fortunately both of Pears’ roles are on MOoD. I always enjoy returning to Billy Budd, but I find Death in Venice a hard sit despite all the talent involved.
Verdi
Original Air Date: 03/24/2001
Levine; Pons, Guleghina, Ramey, Casanova
SID.19270529
The telecast (on MOoD) and DVD replace Casanova with Gwyn Hughes Jones. Chorus is solid (but better since Palumbo) and Pons, Guleghina, and Ramey are all ok, with Ramey beginning his wobble phase. He has Zaccarias in other houses that are better, but this is pretty much ok, just defintely not his peak (which is very good indeed). I prefer the broadcast with Susan Neves and Ataneli from 2003 also with Ramey. What is on MOoD is the Met premiere season of Nabucco with MacNeil and Siepi in excellent form and Rysanek doing full engagement with Abigaille, not always successfully.
DON GIOVANNI:Mozart
Original Air Date: 04/14/1990
Levine; Furlanetto, Vaness, Ramey, Putnam, Winbergh, Upshaw
MOD Video SID.19270530
This performance comes 2 weeks after the telecast of the new Zeffirelli production with a number of cast changes Furlanetto and Ramey switch roles with Furlanetto now in the title role, Winbergh replaces Hadley, Putnam replaces Mattila. Although this has been on the radio before, it is not familiar to me, and I will make a special effort to take a listen.
SAMSON ET DALILA:Saint-Saëns
Original Air Date: 04/16/1977
Ehrling; Chauvet, Cossotto, Walker
SID.19270531
Although I think Samson is being over-programmed –it’s not Carmen but I feel like we seem to get about equal parts of each– this performance is Cossotto’s only in-Met Dalila but did a full tour with the Met after this broadcast. Chauvet may not be ideal, but stylistically he is more authentic than anyone since Maison. Cossotto also has only one broadcast of Quickly, and again she only did it one season, and I am not sure how often elsewhere. While she is famous for the big Verdi mezzo parts, she can be a very fine musician, and certainly has the technical chops. Late I believe she did Herodias in Spain; wish she had brought that to the Met as well.
JENUFA:Janácek
Original Air Date: 12/26/1992
Conlon; Benacková, Rysanek, Heppner, Trussel, Christin
SID.19270532
One of the great Met performances, and why is this performance not in MOoD– in fact NO performances of Jenufa are there? All the ingredients are there, and I saw the combo of Benackova and Rysanek in both San Francisco and New York. Heppner is an additional bonus.
FALSTAFF:Verdi
Original Air Date: 01/23/1965
Rosenstock; Evans, Tucci, Sereni, Resnik, Raskin, Shirley
SID.19270533
A fine cast is mostly undone by Rosenstock’s foursquare conducting. Where is the 1964 original production broadcast with Bernstein? Bernstein has only 2 Met broadcasts (the other is Cavalleria) and neither has made it to Sirius.
Various:Various
Original Air Date: 01/01/9999
Various Artists
SID.19270534
Various selections between scheduled operas. Siriusxm Radio and web player will show the Composer and Title.
DIE WALKÜRE:Wagner
Original Air Date: 03/01/1969
von Karajan; Nilsson, Adam, Crespin, Vickers, Veasey, Talvela
MOD Audio SID.19270636
Last appearance at MET by Von Karajan. To my knowledge this is the only broadcast opera performance (not counting galas) in which both Nilsson and Crespin appear together. This is Crespin’s only broadcast Sieglinde from the Met. It is also Karajan’s final Met performance (he had done the Rheingold broadcast a week earlier (also on MOoD); it is also Josephine Veasey’s Met farewell. I’m rather sorry that Stewart did not get this broadcast, but he had the first year’s with Nilsson, Rysanek, Vickers,and Ludwig. Adam is experienced (he is in Bohm’s Bayreuth Ring of the same period, but his tone is not so agreeable to me.) This 1969 broadcast is Talvela’s only broadcast Hunding. The quality of the performance is one of the best postwar Walkures. 2/10/12 -This is one of von Karajan’s two Met broadcasts (the other is Rheingold), and Crespin’s only Sieglinde broadcast. The performance is also on MetPlayer. I’m not a big fan of Adam, but this is still powerhouse casting. Karajan’s conducting is in many ways closer to his early Bayreuth conducting than his 60s studio efforts.
MANON:Massenet
Original Air Date: 12/21/1963
Schippers; Moffo, Gedda, Guarrera
SID.19270637
I saw Moffo and Gedda in this new production on the Met tour in Dallas (spring 1964.) She was very beautiful, but made no impact. Once you’ve heard the De Los Angeles/Monteux recording, THERE is Manon. There is a 1959 broadcast with Gedda and De Los Angeles which has never appeared on Sirius ( she does have a 1954 with Valletti which is very fine and has been on), but let us have more Jean Morel in the pit.
IL PIRATA:Bellini
Original Air Date: 02/08/2003
Campanella; Fleming, Giordani, Croft
MOD Audio SID.19270638
This is the Met premiere of Pirata and to date its only broadcast season, but I don’t find either the soprano or tenor quite right for their parts. This was the performance that started me on my Giordani no listen zone. I was lucky enough to see Caballe do a stage Pirata (2x) in Philadelphia, and she was almost ideally cast. Fleming is a versatile, highly skilled singer, but this part was not for her.
LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR:Donizetti
Original Air Date: 12/31/1966
Bonynge; Sutherland, Tucker, Colzani, Ghiuselev
SID.19270639
Sutherland and Tucker are in very hot form. Colzani, who is the perfect Rance we can’t find anymore, is not so well suited to Enrico. Bonynge’s debut broadcast. The contributions of Sutherland and Tucker are quite strong, Colzani less so. It seems to have been broadcast maybe 5 times in the last 3 months. Better that we should have another chance to hear Sutherland’s debut season Lucia , also with Tucker and repeat a few other Lucias. Sirius covers the Met broadcast history well going back to 1937 for LIly Pons. The omissions as far as I can see are Munsel and Peters, not great losses. But one performance from 2/1/69 has not been on Sirius, and it is an UNFORGETTABLE afternoon, the first performance of the season with Moffo, Gedda, Bruson (Met debut), Giaiotti, under Franci (Met debut). The male side of the performance is extremely strong, and you will never hear another Lucia like Moffo’s. I wish a lurker for the Met would wake up to the ridiculous rotation applied to this mostly very good broadcast. STOP playing this for 6 months. Play the 2/1/1969 with Moffo, Gedda, Bruson (debut), Giaiotti , Franci conductor (the men are superb). This 1966 Lucia broadcast does the distinguished career of Anselmo Colzani any favors at all. Do I need to write Mel Karmazin at Sirius?
RIGOLETTO:Verdi
Original Air Date: 12/17/2005
Fisch; Guelfi, Netrebko, Villazón, Halfvarson, Fabiola Herrera
SID.19270640
I was at the first performance of the run, and while Netrebko had her moments, this part was just a bit too high for her. I still enjoyed her, but Villazon had his ups and downs. The real weakness was Guelfi who continued to UNdistinguish Met performances for the next decade plus. Even though he debuted in a series of park Rigolettos in 2000, this 2005 performance marks his Met broadcast debut.