“DIE ZAUBERFLÃTE : Mozart
Original Air Date: 02/21/1998
Cast: de Waart; Bonney, Lopardo, Finley, Dunleavy, Moll
Media: MOD Audio SID.18290745 Tags: Archive; 2018, Mozart
I want to take a listen to this broadcast, esp. for Bonney and Finley. I wrote a few months ago on some missing gaps in Zauberflote:
If relatively recent sound is the criterion, more rotation of the Lorengar, Deutekom from 1968 is called for and I would love to hear again the 1970 and 1972 broadcasts which have not yet made it to Sirius. The 1970 features the matchless Papageno of Hermann Prey (and live performance is quite a different thing than the recording studio) Popp is out there for one of her last times as the QotN; the 1972 features the strong Queen of Edda Moser and an unusual Pamina, Adriana Maliponte. If sound is not the sole criterion, it would be nice to hear Bruno Walter conducting in the early 40s, with Steber leading the three ladies in three broadcasts succeeded in 1945 by Regina Resnik. Kipnis and Pinza are 2 of the Sarastros. For really splendid Mozart in English, the 1950 with Steber moving up to Pamina, and Tucker as Tamino; Erna Berger sings the Queen in English under Stiedry.”
“DIE WALKÃRE : Wagner
Original Air Date: 12/23/1961
Cast: Leinsdorf; Nilsson, Edelmann, Kuchta, Vickers, Dalis, Wiemann
Media: MOD Audio SID.18290746 Tags: Archive; 2018, Nilsson, Wagner
This performance was on not so long ago, and I caught most of it. Kuchta was much better than I had remembered; alas Edelmann seemed quite a bit worse. The two real vocal standouts were Nilsson and Vickers, who would put down in London a few months later a marvelous studio version with George London , Rita Gorr, and Gre Brouwenstijn under Leinsdorf; the Valkyries are a particularly strong group, among the best ever. A positive word on Ernst Wiemann, who for me is a German Giaiotti : a strong voice with a solid technique and well schooled in the German repertoire. Dalis is an incisive Fricka.”
“DIE WALKÃRE : Wagner
Original Air Date: 12/23/1961
Cast: Leinsdorf; Nilsson, Edelmann, Kuchta, Vickers, Dalis, Wiemann
Media: MOD Audio SID.18290747 Tags: Archive; 2018, Nilsson, Wagner
This performance was on not so long ago, and I caught most of it. Kuchta was much better than I had remembered; alas Edelmann seemed quite a bit worse. The two real vocal standouts were Nilsson and Vickers, who would put down in London a few months later a marvelous studio version with George London , Rita Gorr, and Gre Brouwenstijn under Leinsdorf; the Valkyries are a particularly strong group, among the best ever. A positive word on Ernst Wiemann, who for me is a German Giaiotti : a strong voice with a solid technique and well schooled in the German repertoire. Dalis is an incisive Fricka.”
“AIDA : Verdi
Original Air Date: 03/11/1950
Cast: Cooper; Welitsch, Vinay, Harshaw, Merrill, Hines
Media: MOD Audio SID.18290749 Tags: Archive; 2018, Verdi
According to my records this is new to Sirius [ in 2013]. It may have
been broadcast in the first three years of Sirius when I wasn’t doing
the playlists.
I’ve heard this performance, and Welitsch has some powerful moments, and a pleasure to hear early Merrill in this role. He is the Met champion Amonasro with 72 (MacNeil is 71, and Amato 70) “
“COSÃ FAN TUTTE : Mozart
Original Air Date: 01/22/1972
Cast: Pritchard; Zylis- Gara, Bottazzo, Elias, Uppman, Stratas, Berry
Media: MOD Audio SID.18300101 Tags: Archive; 2018, Mozart
This is the first season Cosi returns to the original Italian at the Met, but still retains the Lunt/Gerard production. Pritchard is an experienced Mozartean, if rarely to my taste. Stratas is sharp casting for Despina, and nice to see Berry in a congenial part.This is Vickers’ first of four Otello broadcasts and in the Zeffirelli production new the previous year. This is Levine’s first season out in Otello, and Quilico is a familiar figure with a voice well suited to Verdi baritone roles– in an era of Merrill, MacNeil, and Milnes, Quilico doesn’t seem so top tier. Among today’s baritones he sings the pants off of any of them”
“LUISA MILLER : Verdi
Original Air Date: 01/23/1982
Cast: Santi; Ricciarelli, Pavarotti, Nucci, Plishka, Cheek, Berini
Media: MOD Audio SID.18300103 Tags: Archive; 2018, Pavarotti, Verdi
Luisa is probably Ricciarelli’s best role, and is well suited to the lyricism as well as technical skill for this part. This performance is also available in MOoD and one I highly recommend, even if Santi is rather lethargic at some critical points. Act 3 of Luisa Miller is among Verdi’s greatest inspirations.”
“LE NOZZE DI FIGARO : Mozart
Original Air Date: 01/23/1960
Cast: Leinsdorf; Siepi, Söderström, Della Casa, Borg, Miller
Media: MOD Audio SID.18300105 Tags: Archive; 2018, Mozart
This performance has been on before, and chiefly notable for Siepi’s Figaro and Soderstroem’s Susanna. Soderstroem and Borg had made their debuts when this production premiered a few months before the broadcast with largely the same cast. .
***
Leinsdorf is second only to Levine in number of Figaro performances, Della Casa at 47 second only to Steber’s 55 Countesses and of course Siepi’s 79 Figaros, almost twice Pinza’s number and Mildred Miller at 61 holds the Met record for Cherubino. So solid performances all around, not least from relative newcomer Soderstrom as Susanna. There are many fine Figaros today, but I do miss Siepi’s combination of elegance and rich dark sound.”
“EUGENE ONEGIN : Tchaikovsky
Original Air Date: 04/19/1997
Cast: Pappano; Chernov, Gorchakova, Farina, Tarassova, Ognovenko
Media: MOD Audio SID.18300107 Tags: Archive; 2018
We hear so much more of Onegin these days, and this run is Pappano’s (CGarden music director) only Met appearance. Good to hear Chernov again in retrospect. Turned out to not be the Russian Robert Merrill.
***
Antonio Pappano, though an American resident for some years has ended up basing most of his operatic career as the music director at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. The Met thought enough to give him this new production as his debut and only run of Met appearances Chernov was originally brought in as a Russian Robert Merrill. The voice is attractive and smoothly lyric, but not a patch on his countryman, Yuri Mazurok, and at least two sizes too small to even be compared to Merrill.
***
Even in the Met’s own archives, the Peter G. Davis review of the opening night comes in for some very hard knocks musically for both the singers and the conductor. Why this was picked for MOoD when the two Mazurok broadcasts (regularly on Sirius) were not picked gives one pause about performance selection on MOoD.”
“DER FREISCHÃTZ : Weber
Original Air Date: 04/15/1972
Cast: Ludwig; Kónya, Lorengar, Feldhoff, Mathis
Media: MOD Audio SID.18300210 Tags: Archive; 2018
This is the only Met broadcast of Freischutz, and despite some good work from the treble/tenor clef, Ludwig’s conducting does not give it the sparkle it needs. Feldhoff is more adequate than commanding. One cannot blame the Met entirely, this work simply is not as much a part of the standard opera house repertoire as it was 50 years ago.”
“LA GIOCONDA : Ponchielli
Original Air Date: 01/03/1953
Cast: Cleva; Milanov, Baum, Warren, Barbieri, Siepi
Media: MOD Audio SID.18300316 Tags: Archive; 2018
This is a big voiced Gioconda cast– the work does not call for chamber voices and this is the third of Milanov’s 7 broadcasts of the street singer. Baum is on a lower plane than the other starry principals, but for Gioconda aficionados (I’m one), this is a performance to enjoy.”
“EUGENE ONEGIN : Tchaikovsky
Original Air Date: 04/19/1997
Cast: Pappano; Chernov, Gorchakova, Farina, Tarassova, Ognovenko
Media: MOD Audio SID.18300317 Tags: Archive; 2018
We hear so much more of Onegin these days, and this run is Pappano’s (CGarden music director) only Met appearance. Good to hear Chernov again in retrospect. Turned out to not be the Russian Robert Merrill.
***
Antonio Pappano, though an American resident for some years has ended up basing most of his operatic career as the music director at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. The Met thought enough to give him this new production as his debut and only run of Met appearances Chernov was originally brought in as a Russian Robert Merrill. The voice is attractive and smoothly lyric, but not a patch on his countryman, Yuri Mazurok, and at least two sizes too small to even be compared to Merrill.
***
Even in the Met’s own archives, the Peter G. Davis review of the opening night comes in for some very hard knocks musically for both the singers and the conductor. Why this was picked for MOoD when the two Mazurok broadcasts (regularly on Sirius) were not picked gives one pause about performance selection on MOoD.”
“LUISA MILLER : Verdi
Original Air Date: 01/23/1982
Cast: Santi; Ricciarelli, Pavarotti, Nucci, Plishka, Cheek, Berini
Media: MOD Audio SID.18300319 Tags: Archive; 2018, Pavarotti, Verdi
Luisa is probably Ricciarelli’s best role, and is well suited to the lyricism as well as technical skill for this part. This performance is also available in MOoD and one I highly recommend, even if Santi is rather lethargic at some critical points. Act 3 of Luisa Miller is among Verdi’s greatest inspirations.”
“LE NOZZE DI FIGARO : Mozart
Original Air Date: 01/23/1960
Cast: Leinsdorf; Siepi, Söderström, Della Casa, Borg, Miller
Media: MOD Audio SID.18300321 Tags: Archive; 2018, Mozart
This performance has been on before, and chiefly notable for Siepi’s Figaro and Soderstroem’s Susanna. Soderstroem and Borg had made their debuts when this production premiered a few months before the broadcast with largely the same cast. .
***
Leinsdorf is second only to Levine in number of Figaro performances, Della Casa at 47 second only to Steber’s 55 Countesses and of course Siepi’s 79 Figaros, almost twice Pinza’s number and Mildred Miller at 61 holds the Met record for Cherubino. So solid performances all around, not least from relative newcomer Soderstrom as Susanna. There are many fine Figaros today, but I do miss Siepi’s combination of elegance and rich dark sound.”
“DER FREISCHÃTZ : Weber
Original Air Date: 04/15/1972
Cast: Ludwig; Kónya, Lorengar, Feldhoff, Mathis
Media: MOD Audio SID.18300426 Tags: Archive; 2018
This is the only Met broadcast of Freischutz, and despite some good work from the treble/tenor clef, Ludwig’s conducting does not give it the sparkle it needs. Feldhoff is more adequate than commanding. One cannot blame the Met entirely, this work simply is not as much a part of the standard opera house repertoire as it was 50 years ago.”
“LA GIOCONDA : Ponchielli
Original Air Date: 01/03/1953
Cast: Cleva; Milanov, Baum, Warren, Barbieri, Siepi
Media: MOD Audio SID.18300532 Tags: Archive; 2018
This is a big voiced Gioconda cast– the work does not call for chamber voices and this is the third of Milanov’s 7 broadcasts of the street singer. Baum is on a lower plane than the other starry principals, but for Gioconda aficionados (I’m one), this is a performance to enjoy.”
“EUGENE ONEGIN : Tchaikovsky
Original Air Date: 04/19/1997
Cast: Pappano; Chernov, Gorchakova, Farina, Tarassova, Ognovenko
Media: MOD Audio SID.18300533 Tags: Archive; 2018
We hear so much more of Onegin these days, and this run is Pappano’s (CGarden music director) only Met appearance. Good to hear Chernov again in retrospect. Turned out to not be the Russian Robert Merrill.
***
Antonio Pappano, though an American resident for some years has ended up basing most of his operatic career as the music director at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. The Met thought enough to give him this new production as his debut and only run of Met appearances Chernov was originally brought in as a Russian Robert Merrill. The voice is attractive and smoothly lyric, but not a patch on his countryman, Yuri Mazurok, and at least two sizes too small to even be compared to Merrill.
***
Even in the Met’s own archives, the Peter G. Davis review of the opening night comes in for some very hard knocks musically for both the singers and the conductor. Why this was picked for MOoD when the two Mazurok broadcasts (regularly on Sirius) were not picked gives one pause about performance selection on MOoD.”
“LE NOZZE DI FIGARO : Mozart
Original Air Date: 01/23/1960
Cast: Leinsdorf; Siepi, Söderström, Della Casa, Borg, Miller
Media: MOD Audio SID.18300638 Tags: Archive; 2018, Mozart
This performance has been on before, and chiefly notable for Siepi’s Figaro and Soderstroem’s Susanna. Soderstroem and Borg had made their debuts when this production premiered a few months before the broadcast with largely the same cast. .
***
Leinsdorf is second only to Levine in number of Figaro performances, Della Casa at 47 second only to Steber’s 55 Countesses and of course Siepi’s 79 Figaros, almost twice Pinza’s number and Mildred Miller at 61 holds the Met record for Cherubino. So solid performances all around, not least from relative newcomer Soderstrom as Susanna. There are many fine Figaros today, but I do miss Siepi’s combination of elegance and rich dark sound.”
“DER FREISCHÃTZ : Weber
Original Air Date: 04/15/1972
Cast: Ludwig; Kónya, Lorengar, Feldhoff, Mathis
Media: MOD Audio SID.18300642 Tags: Archive; 2018
This is the only Met broadcast of Freischutz, and despite some good work from the treble/tenor clef, Ludwig’s conducting does not give it the sparkle it needs. Feldhoff is more adequate than commanding. One cannot blame the Met entirely, this work simply is not as much a part of the standard opera house repertoire as it was 50 years ago.”
“LUISA MILLER : Verdi
Original Air Date: 01/23/1982
Cast: Santi; Ricciarelli, Pavarotti, Nucci, Plishka, Cheek, Berini
Media: MOD Audio SID.18300743 Tags: Archive; 2018, Pavarotti, Verdi
Luisa is probably Ricciarelli’s best role, and is well suited to the lyricism as well as technical skill for this part. This performance is also available in MOoD and one I highly recommend, even if Santi is rather lethargic at some critical points. Act 3 of Luisa Miller is among Verdi’s greatest inspirations.”
“LA GIOCONDA : Ponchielli
Original Air Date: 01/03/1953
Cast: Cleva; Milanov, Baum, Warren, Barbieri, Siepi
Media: MOD Audio SID.18310101 Tags: Archive; 2018
This is a big voiced Gioconda cast– the work does not call for chamber voices and this is the third of Milanov’s 7 broadcasts of the street singer. Baum is on a lower plane than the other starry principals, but for Gioconda aficionados (I’m one), this is a performance to enjoy.”
“ESCLARMONDE : Massenet
Original Air Date: 12/11/1976
Cast: Bonynge; Sutherland, Aragall, Tourangeau, Grant
Media: MOD Audio SID.18310102 Tags: Archive; 2018
This is the Met’s only broadcast of Esclarmonde, and the performance in addition to the predictable glitter from Sutherland, captures Aragall in one of his best performances. For many, his material was the best of absolute best, and the new generation of tenors in the 1970s, but it never quite all came together. Here is the exception. Enjoy.”
“DON GIOVANNI : Mozart
Original Air Date: 02/15/2003
Cast: Cambreling; Mattei, Radvanovsky, Furlanetto, Diener, Trost, Netrebko
Media: MOD Audio SID.18310103 Tags: Archive; 2018, Mozart
This Don Giovanni is a solid performance especially in key roles, and proof that not all fine performances are pre-1980. Radvanovsky and Netrebko have gone on to extraordinary careers, but Mattei and Furlanetto make for a fresh and effective pairing as the Don and Leporello (Mattei will reprise his DON later in the 2014-2015 season, but I don’t think Furlanetto does Leporello so much these days. I’ve listened to this performance
thanks to previous Sirius appearances. Recommended.
8/22/11 – This performance is on Met Player and I think it’s a splendid afternoon. I saw an earlier performance with Mattei and found him one of the very best of recent Giovannis. I’m not forgetting Siepi, but Mattei managed to be both dark of drama and sunny of voice. The women are among the very best of recent trios, with Radvanovsky just starting to take off, Diener very solid, and Netrebko one of the lushest Zerlinas ever. Furlanetto is not chopped liver as Leporello, and Trost is OK. Not all fine
performances took place 40 years ago.”
“TRISTAN UND ISOLDE : Wagner
Original Air Date: 03/19/1955
Cast: Kempe; Svanholm, Varnay, Thebom, Hines, Metternich
Media: MOD Audio SID.18310106 Tags: Archive; 2018
For me, this is the highlight of the week, even though it has been on before. Generally I prefer Varnay as Isolde to Brunnhilde, and Kempe is one of my favorite conductors.
His 25 performances of five operas, all of which received matinee broadcasts, are probably capped by the Met premiere of Arabella, but I would hope that Sirius could make some space for both the Meistersinger (with Schoffler, Della Casa, Da Costa, and Tozzi) and Tannhauser (with Vinay, London, Varnay, Thebom). I plead my case for the Arabella regularly. Kempe’s Rosenkavalier which has been on Sirius, is also in MOoD, his only representation there.
***
Though late for Svanholm, it is Varnay’s only Met Isolde broadcast. Kempe is such a rare commodity, that we are grateful to have this documentation.”
“DER ROSENKAVALIER : Strauss
Original Air Date: 02/08/1969
Cast: Böhm; Ludwig, Rysanek, Berry, Grist, Knoll
Media: MOD Audio SID.18310209 Tags: Archive; 2018, Strauss
This production had its final performances in 2013-2014 with Martina Serafin, and Alice Coote. I remember the premiere of this Nathaniel Merrill/Robert O’Hearn production. The opening of the second act almost blinded the audience. Bohm, Ludwig, Rysanek, and Berry all rank very high in their portrayals in this opera, and for me only Grist was a little undercast for a house the size of the Met. Glad it’s returning to the Sirius airwaves, and even happier that it’s in MOoD. Gedda is lagniappe indeed as the Italian Singer.”
“ARABELLA : Strauss
Original Air Date: 12/15/2001
Cast: Eschenbach; Fleming; Ketelsen, Bonney, Very, Forst, Halfvarson
Media: MOD Audio SID.18310211 Tags: Archive; 2018, Strauss
This is Fleming’s only Met broadcast outing as Arabella. Eschenbach was the fly in the ointment when I saw the production prior to the broadcast, and so he remains.
Because of the English translation used prior to the new production, Sirius listeners are regularly denied the glories of Steber under Kempe in the premiere season of 1955, and Della Casa from 1957-1965.
Della Casa has studio and stage Arabellas in German from other sources, but Kempe is a special Straussian, and Steber is in particularly stunning voice with London from the premiere year.
09/24/2012 – I thought Eschenbach was the real fly in the ointment when this revival came around. Fleming is in very beautiful voice, but the performance as a whole lacks magic. Arabella takes special handling and this doesn’t really get it.
03/27/2012 – I saw an earlier performance in the run, and while OK, Fleming did not have a great deal of personality. The singing was excellent. I prefer Steber or Della Casa.
8/2/2011 – For me, Eschenbach is a bit of the fly in the ointment, but this is still a solid Arabella cast. This does give me a chance to make a plea for the Met premiere broadcast of Arabella (in English — part of the delay I am sure) with Steber, Guden, London, under Rudolf Kempe. What a magnificent performance from all concerned”
“DEATH IN VENICE : Britten
Original Air Date: 02/26/1994
Cast: Atherton; Rolfe Johnson, Allen, Gall
Media: MOD Audio SID.18310212 Tags: Archive; 2018
I’ve given Britten’s final work several tries in the theatre and on record, and it just doesn’t make it for me. I’m always game for Peter Grimes and Billy Budd, and enjoy Albert Herring as well, so it’s not any antipathy to Britten. But I feel the inspiration as barren as Aschenbach’s view of life.
Both Met revivals, the original with Peter Pears from 1974 and this 1994 revival are available in MOoD.I’ve given Britten’s final work several tries in the theatre and on record, and it just doesn’t make it for me. I’m always game for Peter Grimes and Billy Budd, and enjoy Albert Herring as well, so it’s not any antipathy to Britten. But I feel the inspiration as barren as Aschenbach’s view of life. Both Met revivals, the original with Peter Pears from 1974 and this 1994 revival are available in MOoD.”
“LA BOHEME : Puccini
Original Air Date: 03/15/1952
Cast: Erede; Albanese, Di Stefano, Güden, Guarrera, Siepi
Media: MOD Audio SID.18310213 Tags: Archive; 2018, Puccini
This is really quite a strong Italianate cast (Guden excepted) with Albanese, Di Stefano, and Siepi all justly famous.
“
“SIEGFRIED : Wagner
Original Air Date: 02/16/1957
Cast: Stiedry; Windgassen, Mödl, Edelmann, Madeira, Kelley, Pechner
Media: SID.18310214 Tags: Archive; 2018
This is one of Windgassen’s two Met broadcasts (Gotterdammerung two weeks later is the other). This is a brisk performance. Modl does the best she can, but New York wanted Flagstad, Traubel, or Nilsson. I’ve listened to large chunks of this performance several times on Sirius, and I enjoy it. It’s not one for the pantheon.
***
This is on regularly, but not excessively. Windgassen has his only other Met broadcast that of Gotterdammerung two weeks later. The winter of 1957 is his only time at the Met (scheduled for Tannhauser in 1966 but did not appear) and did 7 Ring appearances over a two month period. He is arguably the best postwar Siegfried after Melchior. Edelmann is not ideal as the Wanderer, but this is Modl’s only appearance on the Met airwaves. In addition to the three Brunnhildes, she also did Isolde and Kundry in her three Met seasons. Almost everyone whoever saw her never forgot her. Audio only encounters are sometimes more of a mixed bag.”
“SIEGFRIED : Wagner
Original Air Date: 02/16/1957
Cast: Stiedry; Windgassen, Mödl, Edelmann, Madeira, Kelley, Pechner
Media: SID.18310315 Tags: Archive; 2018
This is one of Windgassen’s two Met broadcasts (Gotterdammerung two weeks later is the other). This is a brisk performance. Modl does the best she can, but New York wanted Flagstad, Traubel, or Nilsson. I’ve listened to large chunks of this performance several times on Sirius, and I enjoy it. It’s not one for the pantheon.
***
This is on regularly, but not excessively. Windgassen has his only other Met broadcast that of Gotterdammerung two weeks later. The winter of 1957 is his only time at the Met (scheduled for Tannhauser in 1966 but did not appear) and did 7 Ring appearances over a two month period. He is arguably the best postwar Siegfried after Melchior. Edelmann is not ideal as the Wanderer, but this is Modl’s only appearance on the Met airwaves. In addition to the three Brunnhildes, she also did Isolde and Kundry in her three Met seasons. Almost everyone whoever saw her never forgot her. Audio only encounters are sometimes more of a mixed bag.”
“ESCLARMONDE : Massenet
Original Air Date: 12/11/1976
Cast: Bonynge; Sutherland, Aragall, Tourangeau, Grant
Media: MOD Audio SID.18310318 Tags: Archive; 2018
This is the Met’s only broadcast of Esclarmonde, and the performance in addition to the predictable glitter from Sutherland, captures Aragall in one of his best performances. For many, his material was the best of absolute best, and the new generation of tenors in the 1970s, but it never quite all came together. Here is the exception. Enjoy.”