“DON PASQUALE : Donizetti
Original Air Date: 01/20/1979
Cast: Rescigno; Bacquier, Sills, Kraus, Hagegård
Media: MOD Audio SID.18190213 Tags: Archive; 2018
This is Beverly Sills’ farewell production and her company farewell comes at the end of the Met spring tour in Detroit. This is the audio broadcast that followed the national telecast by 9 days, and marks her Metropolitan Opera House farewell. Both performances are available in Met Opera on Demand (MOoD). I find Sills’ video a congenial interpretation even if I prefer the Netrebko video. For audio, I prefer the younger Kraus with Grist and Corena.”
“DON PASQUALE : Donizetti
Original Air Date: 01/20/1979
Cast: Rescigno; Bacquier, Sills, Kraus, Hagegård
Media: MOD Audio SID.18190529 Tags: Archive; 2018
This is Beverly Sills’ farewell production and her company farewell comes at the end of the Met spring tour in Detroit. This is the audio broadcast that followed the national telecast by 9 days, and marks her Metropolitan Opera House farewell. Both performances are available in Met Opera on Demand (MOoD). I find Sills’ video a congenial interpretation even if I prefer the Netrebko video. For audio, I prefer the younger Kraus with Grist and Corena.”
“DON PASQUALE : Donizetti
Original Air Date: 01/20/1979
Cast: Rescigno; Bacquier, Sills, Kraus, Hagegård
Media: MOD Audio SID.18190745 Tags: Archive; 2018
This is Beverly Sills’ farewell production and her company farewell comes at the end of the Met spring tour in Detroit. This is the audio broadcast that followed the national telecast by 9 days, and marks her Metropolitan Opera House farewell. Both performances are available in Met Opera on Demand (MOoD). I find Sills’ video a congenial interpretation even if I prefer the Netrebko video. For audio, I prefer the younger Kraus with Grist and Corena.”
“IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA : Rossini
Original Air Date: 03/24/2007
Cast: Benini; Mattei, DiDonato, Flórez, Del Carlo, Relyea
Media: Live in HDMOD Video SID.18200106 Tags: Archive; 2018
This is a simulcast of the first season Live in HD videocast. It’s the only matinee broadcast appearance of Mattei, DiDonato and Florez together, and they are a splendid trio.”
“IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA : Rossini
Original Air Date: 03/24/2007
Cast: Benini; Mattei, DiDonato, Flórez, Del Carlo, Relyea
Media: Live in HDMOD Video SID.18200422 Tags: Archive; 2018
This is a simulcast of the first season Live in HD videocast. It’s the only matinee broadcast appearance of Mattei, DiDonato and Florez together, and they are a splendid trio.”
“IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA : Rossini
Original Air Date: 03/24/2007
Cast: Benini; Mattei, DiDonato, Flórez, Del Carlo, Relyea
Media: Live in HDMOD Video SID.18200639 Tags: Archive; 2018
This is a simulcast of the first season Live in HD videocast. It’s the only matinee broadcast appearance of Mattei, DiDonato and Florez together, and they are a splendid trio.”
“I PURITANI : Bellini
Original Air Date: 03/13/1976
Cast: Bonynge; Sutherland, Pavarotti, Milnes, Morris
Media: MOD Audio SID.18210103 Tags: Archive; 2018, Pavarotti
I was at this broadcast as well as the premiere, and while I did not see the historic concert Puritanis that Sutherland did 12 years earlier at Carnegie Hall (and Philadelphia and DC as well) with Gedda, Bing delivered a lovely production, and the 4 principals all were well suited to their roles. This was a big break-out part for Morris and the Suoni la tromba duet with Milnes almost stole the show from Pavarotti and Sutherland.
Sutherland is 50 for this performance, and amazingly is back ten years later for another Puritani broadcast. This 1976 is the preferred broadcast and deservingly is on Met Player. It’s just a shame it wasn’t videod as well (the first video of the modern series comes a year later).
This performance is also on MOoD and is a fitting document to one of the strongest Puritani quartets ever. While I didn’t
have the good luck to be in NYC or Philadelphia for the legendary 1963 concert performances Sutherland with Gedda (American Opera Society, not othe Met in both places) Sutherland was still in pretty triumpant voice 13 years later and I was in the Met audence for both the premiere of the production and this broadcast a few weeks later. I’m not the world’s biggest Milnes fan, but there is no arguing that Met casting was top tier, and this certainly lifted Morris up from being promising to being major.
This is one of the truly historic Met broadcasts. Sutherland may not be as overwhelming as she had been in the New York, Philadelphia, and Washington concert Puritanis with Gedda (American Opera Society) a dozen years before, but she still had plenty of star power to match the three robust voiced males. I was in the theatre for this broadcast and the excitement was tremendous.”
“I PURITANI : Bellini
Original Air Date: 03/13/1976
Cast: Bonynge; Sutherland, Pavarotti, Milnes, Morris
Media: MOD Audio SID.18210319 Tags: Archive; 2018, Pavarotti
I was at this broadcast as well as the premiere, and while I did not see the historic concert Puritanis that Sutherland did 12 years earlier at Carnegie Hall (and Philadelphia and DC as well) with Gedda, Bing delivered a lovely production, and the 4 principals all were well suited to their roles. This was a big break-out part for Morris and the Suoni la tromba duet with Milnes almost stole the show from Pavarotti and Sutherland.
Sutherland is 50 for this performance, and amazingly is back ten years later for another Puritani broadcast. This 1976 is the preferred broadcast and deservingly is on Met Player. It’s just a shame it wasn’t videod as well (the first video of the modern series comes a year later).
This performance is also on MOoD and is a fitting document to one of the strongest Puritani quartets ever. While I didn’t
have the good luck to be in NYC or Philadelphia for the legendary 1963 concert performances Sutherland with Gedda (American Opera Society, not othe Met in both places) Sutherland was still in pretty triumpant voice 13 years later and I was in the Met audence for both the premiere of the production and this broadcast a few weeks later. I’m not the world’s biggest Milnes fan, but there is no arguing that Met casting was top tier, and this certainly lifted Morris up from being promising to being major.
This is one of the truly historic Met broadcasts. Sutherland may not be as overwhelming as she had been in the New York, Philadelphia, and Washington concert Puritanis with Gedda (American Opera Society) a dozen years before, but she still had plenty of star power to match the three robust voiced males. I was in the theatre for this broadcast and the excitement was tremendous.”
“I PURITANI : Bellini
Original Air Date: 03/13/1976
Cast: Bonynge; Sutherland, Pavarotti, Milnes, Morris
Media: MOD Audio SID.18210743 Tags: Archive; 2018, Pavarotti
I was at this broadcast as well as the premiere, and while I did not see the historic concert Puritanis that Sutherland did 12 years earlier at Carnegie Hall (and Philadelphia and DC as well) with Gedda, Bing delivered a lovely production, and the 4 principals all were well suited to their roles. This was a big break-out part for Morris and the Suoni la tromba duet with Milnes almost stole the show from Pavarotti and Sutherland.
Sutherland is 50 for this performance, and amazingly is back ten years later for another Puritani broadcast. This 1976 is the preferred broadcast and deservingly is on Met Player. It’s just a shame it wasn’t videod as well (the first video of the modern series comes a year later).
This performance is also on MOoD and is a fitting document to one of the strongest Puritani quartets ever. While I didn’t
have the good luck to be in NYC or Philadelphia for the legendary 1963 concert performances Sutherland with Gedda (American Opera Society, not othe Met in both places) Sutherland was still in pretty triumpant voice 13 years later and I was in the Met audence for both the premiere of the production and this broadcast a few weeks later. I’m not the world’s biggest Milnes fan, but there is no arguing that Met casting was top tier, and this certainly lifted Morris up from being promising to being major.
This is one of the truly historic Met broadcasts. Sutherland may not be as overwhelming as she had been in the New York, Philadelphia, and Washington concert Puritanis with Gedda (American Opera Society) a dozen years before, but she still had plenty of star power to match the three robust voiced males. I was in the theatre for this broadcast and the excitement was tremendous.”
“ARIADNE AUF NAXOS : Strauss
Original Air Date: 03/20/1993
Cast: Marin; Norman, Moser, Swenson, Mentzer, Stewart, Oswald
Media: MOD Audio SID.18220103 Tags: Archive; 2018, Strauss
For my money Jessye Norman is much better in her two earlier broadcasts (the first with Andrew Davis conducting, the second with Levine and subsequently telecast). Moser is not my preferred Bacchus, but Swenson featuring more of a lyric Zerbinetta (a la Guden) is very fine. 11/21/16
***
This is Norman’s last Ariadne broadcast and in the new production for her. I prefer the 1988 video (which is on DVD from DG) with Troyanos and Battle under Levine. Swenson has her moments as well. 4/23/12
***
I’m not sure about the interest in this performance. Norman five years earlier under Levine has a sterling broadcast and telecast with King, Troyanos, and Battle. What has NOT been broadcast on Sirius is either Bohm Ariadne : the Met premiere season in 1963 with Rysanek (supposed to have been Della Casa, but with the opera switch from Dutchman, it went to LR). Seven years later features Bohm and Rysanek with King and a delectable performance from Reri Grist. 11 July 2011
“
“HAMLET : Thomas
Original Air Date: 03/27/2010
Cast: Langrée; Keenlyside, Petersen, Larmore, Morris, Spence
Media: MOD Video SID.18220107 Tags: Archive; 2018
This is the only Met broadcast of the Thomas work. Keenlyside has a commercial DVD in the same production with Dessay from Barcelona 2004. Petersen was a late substitute for Dessay for the whole run. Larmoreis especially vivid as Gertrude, part of her movement into dramatic mezzo/soprano parts.”
“HAMLET : Thomas
Original Air Date: 03/27/2010
Cast: Langrée; Keenlyside, Petersen, Larmore, Morris, Spence
Media: MOD Video SID.18220317 Tags: Archive; 2018
This is the only Met broadcast of the Thomas work. Keenlyside has a commercial DVD in the same production with Dessay from Barcelona 2004. Petersen was a late substitute for Dessay for the whole run. Larmoreis especially vivid as Gertrude, part of her movement into dramatic mezzo/soprano parts.”
“ARIADNE AUF NAXOS : Strauss
Original Air Date: 03/20/1993
Cast: Marin; Norman, Moser, Swenson, Mentzer, Stewart, Oswald
Media: MOD Audio SID.18220319 Tags: Archive; 2018, Strauss
For my money Jessye Norman is much better in her two earlier broadcasts (the first with Andrew Davis conducting, the second with Levine and subsequently telecast). Moser is not my preferred Bacchus, but Swenson featuring more of a lyric Zerbinetta (a la Guden) is very fine. 11/21/16
***
This is Norman’s last Ariadne broadcast and in the new production for her. I prefer the 1988 video (which is on DVD from DG) with Troyanos and Battle under Levine. Swenson has her moments as well. 4/23/12
***
I’m not sure about the interest in this performance. Norman five years earlier under Levine has a sterling broadcast and telecast with King, Troyanos, and Battle. What has NOT been broadcast on Sirius is either Bohm Ariadne : the Met premiere season in 1963 with Rysanek (supposed to have been Della Casa, but with the opera switch from Dutchman, it went to LR). Seven years later features Bohm and Rysanek with King and a delectable performance from Reri Grist. 11 July 2011
“
“HAMLET : Thomas
Original Air Date: 03/27/2010
Cast: Langrée; Keenlyside, Petersen, Larmore, Morris, Spence
Media: MOD Video SID.18220533 Tags: Archive; 2018
This is the only Met broadcast of the Thomas work. Keenlyside has a commercial DVD in the same production with Dessay from Barcelona 2004. Petersen was a late substitute for Dessay for the whole run. Larmoreis especially vivid as Gertrude, part of her movement into dramatic mezzo/soprano parts.”
“ARIADNE AUF NAXOS : Strauss
Original Air Date: 03/20/1993
Cast: Marin; Norman, Moser, Swenson, Mentzer, Stewart, Oswald
Media: MOD Audio SID.18220743 Tags: Archive; 2018, Strauss
For my money Jessye Norman is much better in her two earlier broadcasts (the first with Andrew Davis conducting, the second with Levine and subsequently telecast). Moser is not my preferred Bacchus, but Swenson featuring more of a lyric Zerbinetta (a la Guden) is very fine. 11/21/16
***
This is Norman’s last Ariadne broadcast and in the new production for her. I prefer the 1988 video (which is on DVD from DG) with Troyanos and Battle under Levine. Swenson has her moments as well. 4/23/12
***
I’m not sure about the interest in this performance. Norman five years earlier under Levine has a sterling broadcast and telecast with King, Troyanos, and Battle. What has NOT been broadcast on Sirius is either Bohm Ariadne : the Met premiere season in 1963 with Rysanek (supposed to have been Della Casa, but with the opera switch from Dutchman, it went to LR). Seven years later features Bohm and Rysanek with King and a delectable performance from Reri Grist. 11 July 2011
“
“FEDORA : Giordano
Original Air Date: 04/26/1997
Cast: Abbado; Freni, Domingo, Croft, Arteta
Media: MOD Video SID.18260102 Tags: Archive; 2018, Domingo
This is the Met’s only broadcast of this verismo work, and is available on DVD also. This is a solid performance even if it catches Freni in the extreme twilight of a very long career. This is Freni’s penultimate opera performance at the Met, with another Fedora 5 days later. She appears 5 years later in an opening night gala doing Act 2 of Fedora, and she returns 3 years later for an end of season concert that marks her last vocal appearance on any stage.”
“FEDORA : Giordano
Original Air Date: 04/26/1997
Cast: Abbado; Freni, Domingo, Croft, Arteta
Media: MOD Video SID.18260318 Tags: Archive; 2018, Domingo
This is the Met’s only broadcast of this verismo work, and is available on DVD also. This is a solid performance even if it catches Freni in the extreme twilight of a very long career. This is Freni’s penultimate opera performance at the Met, with another Fedora 5 days later. She appears 5 years later in an opening night gala doing Act 2 of Fedora, and she returns 3 years later for an end of season concert that marks her last vocal appearance on any stage.”
“FEDORA : Giordano
Original Air Date: 04/26/1997
Cast: Abbado; Freni, Domingo, Croft, Arteta
Media: MOD Video SID.18260636 Tags: Archive; 2018, Domingo
This is the Met’s only broadcast of this verismo work, and is available on DVD also. This is a solid performance even if it catches Freni in the extreme twilight of a very long career. This is Freni’s penultimate opera performance at the Met, with another Fedora 5 days later. She appears 5 years later in an opening night gala doing Act 2 of Fedora, and she returns 3 years later for an end of season concert that marks her last vocal appearance on any stage.”
“FEDORA : Giordano
Original Air Date: 04/26/1997
Cast: Abbado; Freni, Domingo, Croft, Arteta
Media: MOD Video SID.18260748 Tags: Archive; 2018, Domingo
This is the Met’s only broadcast of this verismo work, and is available on DVD also. This is a solid performance even if it catches Freni in the extreme twilight of a very long career. This is Freni’s penultimate opera performance at the Met, with another Fedora 5 days later. She appears 5 years later in an opening night gala doing Act 2 of Fedora, and she returns 3 years later for an end of season concert that marks her last vocal appearance on any stage.”
“I PURITANI : Bellini
Original Air Date: 01/06/2007
Cast: Summers; Netrebko, Cutler, Vassallo, Relyea
Media: Live in HDMOD Video SID.18270213 Tags: Archive; 2018, 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.18270529 Tags: Archive; 2018, 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.18270745 Tags: Archive; 2018, 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. “
“UN BALLO IN MASCHERA : Verdi
Original Air Date: 03/01/1980
Cast: Patanè; Pavarotti, Ricciarelli, Nucci, Peters, Payne
Media: MOD Video SID.18280103 Tags: Archive; 2018, Pavarotti, Verdi
New Production for Pavarotti had been telecast 2 weeks earlier with Quilico for Nucci, Berini for Payne, and Blegen for Peters. Patane is a fine conductor. I think Amelia is a little heavy for Ricciarelli– her best outing in this role is a San Francisco broadcast with Carreras.
Ricciarelli, Pavarotti under Patane appear in a video with Quilico, Berini, and Blegen from the same run. I generally prefer the supporting cast that is on the video, and that is available in Met Opera on Demand (MOoD), formerly Met Player. Riccardo was one of LP’s best roles, and Patane is a solid conductor.
Ricciarelli is a bit light for Amelia, but she has a most successful San Francisco outing (maybe Chicago too?) with Carreras. The telecast
which comes before the broadcast features Quilico, Berini, and Blegen
in the supporting parts.
Patane is a solid, idiomatic conductor. Payne isn’t much, it’s starting to get late for Peters, but this is Nucci’s debut season, and he appears as late as 2004 as a strong Monforte in Vespri Siciliani. He premiered a new production of Nabucco at Covent Garden in 2013, which is his most frequent assumption on a calendar that is rather full through October 2017!!! He still has in his repertoire Miller, Boccanegra, Giorgio Germont, and Rigoletto at La Scala this past January with upcoming dates in Budapest and Madrid. No dates on this side of the Atlantic, but 26 years after his Met debut, and at the age of 74, he’sonly a year younger than
Domingo.Ricciarelli is a bit light for Amelia, but she has a most successful San Francisco outing (maybe Chicago too?) with Carreras. The telecast which comes before the broadcast features Quilico, Berini, and Blegen in the supporting parts is available on DVD and in MOoD. Patane is a solid, idiomatic conductor. Payne isn’t much, it’s starting to get late for Peters, but this is Nucci’s debut season, and he appears at the Met as late as 2004 as a strong Monforte in Vespri Siciliani. He premiered a new production of Nabucco at Covent Garden in 2013, which is his most frequent assumption on a calendar that is rather full through October 2017!!! He still has in his repertoire Miller, Boccanegra, Giorgio Germont, and Rigoletto at La Scala with upcoming dates in Budapest and Madrid. No dates on this side of the Atlantic, but 26 years after his Met debut, and at the age of 74, he’sonly a year younger than Domingo. MOD is 2/16/80 performance with Patanè; Ricciarelli, Blegen, Berini, Pavarotti, Quilico”
“SALOME : Strauss
Original Air Date: 03/27/2004
Cast: Gergiev; Mattila, Jerusalem, Diadkova, Dohmen, Polenzani
Media: MOD Audio SID.18280209 Tags: Archive; 2018, Strauss
This is Mattila’s first season as Salome, and she delivered one of the greatest Salomes ever at the Met. Though she did the part again in 2008 as part of the HD telecasts, she didn’t have the same supremacy she had four years earlier (this HD is available on MOoD). This week’s audio broadcast is the one to hear in case you are in any doubt of what her top form sounds like. I like the supporting cast better in this 2004 performance as well. She filmed it in 2004 at the Met (not HD and pre Gelb) with Terfel, but we are likely to never see this which is a shame. Maybe they could put the audio version on MOoD. (editors note… it is on MOD now)
Although this has been on before, because of the HD 4 years later, that performance is more frequently encountered. The 2004 performance was filmed also, but we think will never see the light of day. I’m happy that the Sirius audio survives (the video included Terfel, not Dohmen) and so warmly welcome this rebroadcast again. I would still love to hear the 1958 with Borkh under Mitropoulos (Schicchi is the curtain-raiser!!!!!)”
“IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA : Rossini
Original Air Date: 03/13/1982
Cast: Davis; Workman, Battle, Blake, Capecchi, Montarsolo
Media: MOD Audio SID.18280211 Tags: Archive; 2018
The Met Database shows this as previously rebroadcast on Sirius, but not recently. The plus is relatively early Battle performance, but she also has a 1988 telecast reissued on commercial DG DVD (still available per Amazon). The difference between William Workman and Leo Nucci on the DVD is considerable. I was surprised that this telecast is not in MOoD. In fact, the two videos there are the excellent DiDonato, Florez, Mattei performance rom the first season of Met LIve in HD, and the second last season’s Barbiere with Isabel Leonard, Brownlee, and Maltman. Surely this 1988 performance needs to be in MOoD.”
“SIMON BOCCANEGRA : Verdi
Original Air Date: 03/03/2007
Cast: Luisi; Hampson, Gheorghiu, Giordani, Furlanetto, Gerello
Media: SID.18280212 Tags: Archive; 2018, Verdi
Simon is one opera that gets regular outings at the Met, though not
necessarily everywhere, starting with the titanic duo of Tibbett and
Pinza, both of whom are still my standard in Simon and Fiesco (but not yet appearing on Sirius). I am not a big fan of Hampson’s traversal of the Verdi baritone repertoire.
This was followed with another MOoD broadcast (video) with Domingo moving up to the title role under Levine. For me the best of the recent SBs was the FOLLOWING year when Levine did a short revival with Hvorostovsky (not always my choice for Verdi either) with Frittoli, Vargas, and Furlanetto, where Levine seems at his most inspired– he’s conducted 1/3 of all Boccanegras at the Met, and this performance is now out on MOoD as well. Somehow this performance did not make it in to MOoD– it should.
SB is rather well represented in MOoD with Milanov, Tebaldi, Bergonzi, but stillno rebroadcast in modern times is the Ehrling 1974 Boccanegra with distinguished contributions by Ingvar Wixell in the title role and Adriana Maliponte as Amelia; Tucker and Tozzi provide solid support. 11/28/2015”
“UN BALLO IN MASCHERA : Verdi
Original Air Date: 03/01/1980
Cast: Patanè; Pavarotti, Ricciarelli, Nucci, Peters, Payne
Media: MOD Video SID.18280319 Tags: Archive; 2018, Pavarotti, Verdi
New Production for Pavarotti had been telecast 2 weeks earlier with Quilico for Nucci, Berini for Payne, and Blegen for Peters. Patane is a fine conductor. I think Amelia is a little heavy for Ricciarelli– her best outing in this role is a San Francisco broadcast with Carreras.
Ricciarelli, Pavarotti under Patane appear in a video with Quilico, Berini, and Blegen from the same run. I generally prefer the supporting cast that is on the video, and that is available in Met Opera on Demand (MOoD), formerly Met Player. Riccardo was one of LP’s best roles, and Patane is a solid conductor.
Ricciarelli is a bit light for Amelia, but she has a most successful San Francisco outing (maybe Chicago too?) with Carreras. The telecast
which comes before the broadcast features Quilico, Berini, and Blegen
in the supporting parts.
Patane is a solid, idiomatic conductor. Payne isn’t much, it’s starting to get late for Peters, but this is Nucci’s debut season, and he appears as late as 2004 as a strong Monforte in Vespri Siciliani. He premiered a new production of Nabucco at Covent Garden in 2013, which is his most frequent assumption on a calendar that is rather full through October 2017!!! He still has in his repertoire Miller, Boccanegra, Giorgio Germont, and Rigoletto at La Scala this past January with upcoming dates in Budapest and Madrid. No dates on this side of the Atlantic, but 26 years after his Met debut, and at the age of 74, he’sonly a year younger than
Domingo.Ricciarelli is a bit light for Amelia, but she has a most successful San Francisco outing (maybe Chicago too?) with Carreras. The telecast which comes before the broadcast features Quilico, Berini, and Blegen in the supporting parts is available on DVD and in MOoD. Patane is a solid, idiomatic conductor. Payne isn’t much, it’s starting to get late for Peters, but this is Nucci’s debut season, and he appears at the Met as late as 2004 as a strong Monforte in Vespri Siciliani. He premiered a new production of Nabucco at Covent Garden in 2013, which is his most frequent assumption on a calendar that is rather full through October 2017!!! He still has in his repertoire Miller, Boccanegra, Giorgio Germont, and Rigoletto at La Scala with upcoming dates in Budapest and Madrid. No dates on this side of the Atlantic, but 26 years after his Met debut, and at the age of 74, he’sonly a year younger than Domingo. MOD is 2/16/80 performance with Patanè; Ricciarelli, Blegen, Berini, Pavarotti, Quilico”
“SALOME : Strauss
Original Air Date: 03/27/2004
Cast: Gergiev; Mattila, Jerusalem, Diadkova, Dohmen, Polenzani
Media: MOD Audio SID.18280425 Tags: Archive; 2018, Strauss
This is Mattila’s first season as Salome, and she delivered one of the greatest Salomes ever at the Met. Though she did the part again in 2008 as part of the HD telecasts, she didn’t have the same supremacy she had four years earlier (this HD is available on MOoD). This week’s audio broadcast is the one to hear in case you are in any doubt of what her top form sounds like. I like the supporting cast better in this 2004 performance as well. She filmed it in 2004 at the Met (not HD and pre Gelb) with Terfel, but we are likely to never see this which is a shame. Maybe they could put the audio version on MOoD. (editors note… it is on MOD now)
Although this has been on before, because of the HD 4 years later, that performance is more frequently encountered. The 2004 performance was filmed also, but we think will never see the light of day. I’m happy that the Sirius audio survives (the video included Terfel, not Dohmen) and so warmly welcome this rebroadcast again. I would still love to hear the 1958 with Borkh under Mitropoulos (Schicchi is the curtain-raiser!!!!!)”
“IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA : Rossini
Original Air Date: 03/13/1982
Cast: Davis; Workman, Battle, Blake, Capecchi, Montarsolo
Media: MOD Audio SID.18280427 Tags: Archive; 2018
The Met Database shows this as previously rebroadcast on Sirius, but not recently. The plus is relatively early Battle performance, but she also has a 1988 telecast reissued on commercial DG DVD (still available per Amazon). The difference between William Workman and Leo Nucci on the DVD is considerable. I was surprised that this telecast is not in MOoD. In fact, the two videos there are the excellent DiDonato, Florez, Mattei performance rom the first season of Met LIve in HD, and the second last season’s Barbiere with Isabel Leonard, Brownlee, and Maltman. Surely this 1988 performance needs to be in MOoD.”
“SIMON BOCCANEGRA : Verdi
Original Air Date: 03/03/2007
Cast: Luisi; Hampson, Gheorghiu, Giordani, Furlanetto, Gerello
Media: SID.18280428 Tags: Archive; 2018, Verdi
Simon is one opera that gets regular outings at the Met, though not
necessarily everywhere, starting with the titanic duo of Tibbett and
Pinza, both of whom are still my standard in Simon and Fiesco (but not yet appearing on Sirius). I am not a big fan of Hampson’s traversal of the Verdi baritone repertoire.
This was followed with another MOoD broadcast (video) with Domingo moving up to the title role under Levine. For me the best of the recent SBs was the FOLLOWING year when Levine did a short revival with Hvorostovsky (not always my choice for Verdi either) with Frittoli, Vargas, and Furlanetto, where Levine seems at his most inspired– he’s conducted 1/3 of all Boccanegras at the Met, and this performance is now out on MOoD as well. Somehow this performance did not make it in to MOoD– it should.
SB is rather well represented in MOoD with Milanov, Tebaldi, Bergonzi, but stillno rebroadcast in modern times is the Ehrling 1974 Boccanegra with distinguished contributions by Ingvar Wixell in the title role and Adriana Maliponte as Amelia; Tucker and Tozzi provide solid support. 11/28/2015”