GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG:Wagner
Original Air Date: 01/11/1936
Bodanzky; Lawrence, Melchior, Hofmann, Schorr, Manski, Meisle
MOD Audio SID.19200209
This is one of the earliest Met broadcasts to appear on Sirius, and it’s great to have Lawrence and Melchior in respectably decent sound for the period. It’s regrettable that Flagstad never broadcast Gotterdammerung (Prologue only during World’s Fair Year) from the Met, but Melchior is top tier and we simply have not heard a singer like him since. This also appears in the Met Wagner bicentennial CD box.
GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG:Wagner
Original Air Date: 01/11/1936
Bodanzky; Lawrence, Melchior, Hofmann, Schorr, Manski, Meisle
MOD Audio SID.19200210
This is one of the earliest Met broadcasts to appear on Sirius, and it’s great to have Lawrence and Melchior in respectably decent sound for the period. It’s regrettable that Flagstad never broadcast Gotterdammerung (Prologue only during World’s Fair Year) from the Met, but Melchior is top tier and we simply have not heard a singer like him since. This also appears in the Met Wagner bicentennial CD box.
AIDA:Verdi
Original Air Date: 03/03/1962
Schick; Tucci, Corelli, Dalis, MacNeil, Tozzi
MOD Audio SID.19200213
I much enjoy the energy and passion of all the singers. Tucci is definitely a lyric Aida, but she knows the idiom well and is very solid. George Schick who was a staff conductor at the Met for some years, knows how to keep the forces under control without stifling any of the artists’ expressive impulses. The men definitely ate their Wheaties before the performance. Enjoy.
BILLY BUDD:Britten
Original Air Date: 03/31/1979
Leppard; Stilwell, Pears, Morris, Glossop, Ward
MOD Audio SID.19200214
Pears created the role of Captain Vere three decades earlier, and James Morris’ Claggart is one of the great post-war assumptions. Luckily the Met has recently added the video of the 1997 telecast with the late Phillip Langridge as Vere, Dwayne Croft, and Morris once again being the evil anchor as Claggart. This 1979 performance is the first broadcast of the Met’s Budd production, and is Pears’ final Met appearance Much of this attention is surely coming because of the Britten centenary. One of the Met’s most distinguished productions.
FIDELIO:Beethoven
Original Air Date: 02/13/1960
Böhm; Nilsson, Vickers, Uhde, Czerwenka, Hurley, Anthony
MOD Audio SID.19200315
This performance was issued also on Sony’s Met Historic CD series, as well as being in MOoD. Bohm, Nilsson, and Vickers bring all the exaltation and passion one could want to this opera. Vickers still continues to leave most other Florestans in the dust. What a privilege to have seen him from beginning (1958 in Dallas) to end great performances well into the 1980s. He’s not for everyone, but in his core roles– Grimes, Otello, Siegmund, Florestan, Samson, Parsifal, Tristan, Enee he never left audiences wanting. One of the very greatest singers ever to appear on ANY stage, and it was my privilege to have shared so many evenings with him. Czerwenka is not my idea of Rocco, but Bohm, Nilsson and Vickers are pretty unbeatable, and no one plays the Leonore No. 3 like Bohm.
HÄNSEL UND GRETEL:Humperdinck
Original Air Date: 12/29/2001
Mackerras; Larmore, Upshaw, Forst, Blythe, Josephson
MOD Audio SID.19200321
This performance is indeed in German and yet is performed by a 100% Anglophone cast. Irony indeed. Mackerras is the most distinctive contributor to a work whose orchestral passages are among its most interesting. Also worth noting is there is a separate listing in MOoD for the English language versions and the German version. But though the language was German it was the same production as premiered in English in 1967-1968 by O’Hearn and Merrill and concluded with these performances in 2001-2. Hansel returned in a new also English language production by Richard Jones in 2007-2008.
BILLY BUDD:Britten
Original Air Date: 03/31/1979
Leppard; Stilwell, Pears, Morris, Glossop, Ward
MOD Audio SID.19200423
Pears created the role of Captain Vere three decades earlier, and James Morris’ Claggart is one of the great post-war assumptions. Luckily the Met has recently added the video of the 1997 telecast with the late Phillip Langridge as Vere, Dwayne Croft, and Morris once again being the evil anchor as Claggart. This 1979 performance is the first broadcast of the Met’s Budd production, and is Pears’ final Met appearance Much of this attention is surely coming because of the Britten centenary. One of the Met’s most distinguished productions.
GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG:Wagner
Original Air Date: 01/11/1936
Bodanzky; Lawrence, Melchior, Hofmann, Schorr, Manski, Meisle
MOD Audio SID.19200425
This is one of the earliest Met broadcasts to appear on Sirius, and it’s great to have Lawrence and Melchior in respectably decent sound for the period. It’s regrettable that Flagstad never broadcast Gotterdammerung (Prologue only during World’s Fair Year) from the Met, but Melchior is top tier and we simply have not heard a singer like him since. This also appears in the Met Wagner bicentennial CD box.
GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG:Wagner
Original Air Date: 01/11/1936
Bodanzky; Lawrence, Melchior, Hofmann, Schorr, Manski, Meisle
MOD Audio SID.19200426
This is one of the earliest Met broadcasts to appear on Sirius, and it’s great to have Lawrence and Melchior in respectably decent sound for the period. It’s regrettable that Flagstad never broadcast Gotterdammerung (Prologue only during World’s Fair Year) from the Met, but Melchior is top tier and we simply have not heard a singer like him since. This also appears in the Met Wagner bicentennial CD box.
AIDA:Verdi
Original Air Date: 03/03/1962
Schick; Tucci, Corelli, Dalis, MacNeil, Tozzi
MOD Audio SID.19200529
I much enjoy the energy and passion of all the singers. Tucci is definitely a lyric Aida, but she knows the idiom well and is very solid. George Schick who was a staff conductor at the Met for some years, knows how to keep the forces under control without stifling any of the artists’ expressive impulses. The men definitely ate their Wheaties before the performance. Enjoy.
FIDELIO:Beethoven
Original Air Date: 02/13/1960
Böhm; Nilsson, Vickers, Uhde, Czerwenka, Hurley, Anthony
MOD Audio SID.19200531
This performance was issued also on Sony’s Met Historic CD series, as well as being in MOoD. Bohm, Nilsson, and Vickers bring all the exaltation and passion one could want to this opera. Vickers still continues to leave most other Florestans in the dust. What a privilege to have seen him from beginning (1958 in Dallas) to end great performances well into the 1980s. He’s not for everyone, but in his core roles– Grimes, Otello, Siegmund, Florestan, Samson, Parsifal, Tristan, Enee he never left audiences wanting. One of the very greatest singers ever to appear on ANY stage, and it was my privilege to have shared so many evenings with him. Czerwenka is not my idea of Rocco, but Bohm, Nilsson and Vickers are pretty unbeatable, and no one plays the Leonore No. 3 like Bohm.
HÄNSEL UND GRETEL:Humperdinck
Original Air Date: 12/29/2001
Mackerras; Larmore, Upshaw, Forst, Blythe, Josephson
MOD Audio SID.19200638
This performance is indeed in German and yet is performed by a 100% Anglophone cast. Irony indeed. Mackerras is the most distinctive contributor to a work whose orchestral passages are among its most interesting. Also worth noting is there is a separate listing in MOoD for the English language versions and the German version. But though the language was German it was the same production as premiered in English in 1967-1968 by O’Hearn and Merrill and concluded with these performances in 2001-2. Hansel returned in a new also English language production by Richard Jones in 2007-2008.
GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG:Wagner
Original Air Date: 01/11/1936
Bodanzky; Lawrence, Melchior, Hofmann, Schorr, Manski, Meisle
MOD Audio SID.19200641
This is one of the earliest Met broadcasts to appear on Sirius, and it’s great to have Lawrence and Melchior in respectably decent sound for the period. It’s regrettable that Flagstad never broadcast Gotterdammerung (Prologue only during World’s Fair Year) from the Met, but Melchior is top tier and we simply have not heard a singer like him since. This also appears in the Met Wagner bicentennial CD box.
GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG:Wagner
Original Air Date: 01/11/1936
Bodanzky; Lawrence, Melchior, Hofmann, Schorr, Manski, Meisle
MOD Audio SID.19200642
This is one of the earliest Met broadcasts to appear on Sirius, and it’s great to have Lawrence and Melchior in respectably decent sound for the period. It’s regrettable that Flagstad never broadcast Gotterdammerung (Prologue only during World’s Fair Year) from the Met, but Melchior is top tier and we simply have not heard a singer like him since. This also appears in the Met Wagner bicentennial CD box.
AIDA:Verdi
Original Air Date: 03/03/1962
Schick; Tucci, Corelli, Dalis, MacNeil, Tozzi
MOD Audio SID.19200745
I much enjoy the energy and passion of all the singers. Tucci is definitely a lyric Aida, but she knows the idiom well and is very solid. George Schick who was a staff conductor at the Met for some years, knows how to keep the forces under control without stifling any of the artists’ expressive impulses. The men definitely ate their Wheaties before the performance. Enjoy.
BILLY BUDD:Britten
Original Air Date: 03/31/1979
Leppard; Stilwell, Pears, Morris, Glossop, Ward
MOD Audio SID.19200746
Pears created the role of Captain Vere three decades earlier, and James Morris’ Claggart is one of the great post-war assumptions. Luckily the Met has recently added the video of the 1997 telecast with the late Phillip Langridge as Vere, Dwayne Croft, and Morris once again being the evil anchor as Claggart. This 1979 performance is the first broadcast of the Met’s Budd production, and is Pears’ final Met appearance Much of this attention is surely coming because of the Britten centenary. One of the Met’s most distinguished productions.
FIDELIO:Beethoven
Original Air Date: 02/13/1960
Böhm; Nilsson, Vickers, Uhde, Czerwenka, Hurley, Anthony
MOD Audio SID.19200747
This performance was issued also on Sony’s Met Historic CD series, as well as being in MOoD. Bohm, Nilsson, and Vickers bring all the exaltation and passion one could want to this opera. Vickers still continues to leave most other Florestans in the dust. What a privilege to have seen him from beginning (1958 in Dallas) to end great performances well into the 1980s. He’s not for everyone, but in his core roles– Grimes, Otello, Siegmund, Florestan, Samson, Parsifal, Tristan, Enee he never left audiences wanting. One of the very greatest singers ever to appear on ANY stage, and it was my privilege to have shared so many evenings with him. Czerwenka is not my idea of Rocco, but Bohm, Nilsson and Vickers are pretty unbeatable, and no one plays the Leonore No. 3 like Bohm.
TOSCA:Puccini
Original Air Date: 01/06/1979
Conlon; Verrett, Pavarotti, MacNeil
MOD Audio SID.19210102
This performance has the same three leads as the telecast from a few weeks earlier– Tajo replaces Corena as the Sacristan. The video is of greater interest because there are relatively few complete performances on video with Verrett, and while the broadcast is OK, her voice qua voice was not an ideal Puccini instrument. Both performances appear in Met Opera on Demand (MOoD) and the video is also available for commercial DVD purchase. The DVD features a discussion between Gobbi (the stage director) and MacNeil about Scarpia; there is also a bonus of Pavarotti and Verrett rehearsing with Conlon. One of the better Tosca broadcasts in the new house.
IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA:Rossini
Original Air Date: 03/13/1982
Davis; Workman, Battle, Blake, Capecchi, Montarsolo
MOD Audio SID.19210103
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.
DON CARLO:Verdi
Original Air Date: 03/07/1964
Adler; Corelli, Rysanek, Herlea, Dalis, Tozzi, Uhde
MOD Audio SID.19210104
This performance is in the Sony Historical CD series. Corelli is the centerpiece, but he despite being in thrilling voice, is a bit of a mess. Rysanek has her moments, some very good, some not so good. Herlea is a successful debutant as Rodrigo, and Dalis a distinctive Eboli. The great Met Ebolis are shortly to arrive with Bumbry, Cossotto, Verrett and Zajick. This performance is heavily cut and Tozzi shows signs that his voice is no longer in prime condition, but one of the most beautiful voices ever in that prime.
PARSIFAL:Wagner
Original Air Date: 04/12/2003
Gergiev; Domingo, Urmana, Struckmann, Pape, Putilin
MOD Audio SID.19210209
The main attraction here is Pape’s first Gurnemanz. I was not much taken with Gergiev’s work, but the part is a good one for Domingo, and the rest of the cast are top tier. It’s certainly a change from Levine, and one of Domingo’s better German offerings. Because of the contributions of Pape and Gergiev, MOoD should have this performance as well. Pape is represented in the new production on video on MOoD and on DVD. There are a number of Parsifals that have not made it to either Sirius rebroadcast or MOoD. Broadcasts featuring Crespin (under Pretre, 1966) Varnay with Hotter, 1954, Dalis with Siepi and Stewart, 1971 and several interesting casts under Levine including Gwyneth Jones are all unrepresented.
CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA / PAGLIACCI:Mascagni / Leoncavallo
Original Air Date: 04/04/1953
Erede; Milanov, Baum, Valentino / Rigal, Del Monaco, Silveri
MOD Audio SID.19210212
This performance is most notable for Del Monaco’s relatively early Canio. The role is his farewell 6 years later in 1959. The 1959 broadcast should be added to the Sirius rotation / MOoD because it features Mitropoulos in the pit, but also Warren in one of his greatest roles. Warren’s previous broadcast Tonio was 1951.
I VESPRI SICILIANI:Verdi
Original Air Date: 03/20/1982
Levine; Scotto, Ochman, Elvira, Raimondi
MOD Audio SID.19210213
Scotto could be an interesting singer in this music, but not by 1982–simply too much Lady Macbeth and Gioconda, among other things. I didn’t see her in 1974 which many people still rave about. 1974’s Arrigo was Domingo who had opened the season with Deutekom. Domingo never does the part after that 1974 run (he’s not in the spring 1975 broadcast)– it is among Verdi’s most challenging tenor assignments. Ochman is best described as earnest. Pablo Elvira was too little heard at the Met, and died prematurely. The broadcast mikes probably give him an extra volume boost, but he has nice Verdian style. Raimondi is never a favorite of mine, but Procida is one of the great Verdian bass roles– listen to Christoff with Callas (not from the Met). Siepi never did Procida at the Met and his omission from the Met premiere was part of his departure from the Met in April 1973.
GIULIO CESARE:Handel
Original Air Date: 04/21/2007
Bicket; Daniels, Swenson, Coote, Bardon, Zazzo
MOD Audio SID.19210214
Bicket knows this turf well, but a countertenor Caesar doesn’t work for me, but the whole of the work is tough going for me. I leave it for others to comment. I’m not good with Caesar in the hands of a countertenor. The cast is solid, but I’m not a Handelian so caveat auditor. Handel is not my specialty, but Bicket gets consistently good notices for his handling of Baroque operas. Cesare is notable for a number of lovely arias for Cleopatra (and one of Sills’ calling card roles.)
TOSCA:Puccini
Original Air Date: 01/06/1979
Conlon; Verrett, Pavarotti, MacNeil
MOD Audio SID.19210318
This performance has the same three leads as the telecast from a few weeks earlier– Tajo replaces Corena as the Sacristan. The video is of greater interest because there are relatively few complete performances on video with Verrett, and while the broadcast is OK, her voice qua voice was not an ideal Puccini instrument. Both performances appear in Met Opera on Demand (MOoD) and the video is also available for commercial DVD purchase. The DVD features a discussion between Gobbi (the stage director) and MacNeil about Scarpia; there is also a bonus of Pavarotti and Verrett rehearsing with Conlon. One of the better Tosca broadcasts in the new house.
IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA:Rossini
Original Air Date: 03/13/1982
Davis; Workman, Battle, Blake, Capecchi, Montarsolo
MOD Audio SID.19210319
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.
DON CARLO:Verdi
Original Air Date: 03/07/1964
Adler; Corelli, Rysanek, Herlea, Dalis, Tozzi, Uhde
MOD Audio SID.19210320
This performance is in the Sony Historical CD series. Corelli is the centerpiece, but he despite being in thrilling voice, is a bit of a mess. Rysanek has her moments, some very good, some not so good. Herlea is a successful debutant as Rodrigo, and Dalis a distinctive Eboli. The great Met Ebolis are shortly to arrive with Bumbry, Cossotto, Verrett and Zajick. This performance is heavily cut and Tozzi shows signs that his voice is no longer in prime condition, but one of the most beautiful voices ever in that prime.
I VESPRI SICILIANI:Verdi
Original Air Date: 03/20/1982
Levine; Scotto, Ochman, Elvira, Raimondi
MOD Audio SID.19210422
Scotto could be an interesting singer in this music, but not by 1982–simply too much Lady Macbeth and Gioconda, among other things. I didn’t see her in 1974 which many people still rave about. 1974’s Arrigo was Domingo who had opened the season with Deutekom. Domingo never does the part after that 1974 run (he’s not in the spring 1975 broadcast)– it is among Verdi’s most challenging tenor assignments. Ochman is best described as earnest. Pablo Elvira was too little heard at the Met, and died prematurely. The broadcast mikes probably give him an extra volume boost, but he has nice Verdian style. Raimondi is never a favorite of mine, but Procida is one of the great Verdian bass roles– listen to Christoff with Callas (not from the Met). Siepi never did Procida at the Met and his omission from the Met premiere was part of his departure from the Met in April 1973.
GIULIO CESARE:Handel
Original Air Date: 04/21/2007
Bicket; Daniels, Swenson, Coote, Bardon, Zazzo
MOD Audio SID.19210423
Bicket knows this turf well, but a countertenor Caesar doesn’t work for me, but the whole of the work is tough going for me. I leave it for others to comment. I’m not good with Caesar in the hands of a countertenor. The cast is solid, but I’m not a Handelian so caveat auditor. Handel is not my specialty, but Bicket gets consistently good notices for his handling of Baroque operas. Cesare is notable for a number of lovely arias for Cleopatra (and one of Sills’ calling card roles.)
PARSIFAL:Wagner
Original Air Date: 04/12/2003
Gergiev; Domingo, Urmana, Struckmann, Pape, Putilin
MOD Audio SID.19210425
The main attraction here is Pape’s first Gurnemanz. I was not much taken with Gergiev’s work, but the part is a good one for Domingo, and the rest of the cast are top tier. It’s certainly a change from Levine, and one of Domingo’s better German offerings. Because of the contributions of Pape and Gergiev, MOoD should have this performance as well. Pape is represented in the new production on video on MOoD and on DVD. There are a number of Parsifals that have not made it to either Sirius rebroadcast or MOoD. Broadcasts featuring Crespin (under Pretre, 1966) Varnay with Hotter, 1954, Dalis with Siepi and Stewart, 1971 and several interesting casts under Levine including Gwyneth Jones are all unrepresented.