SALOME:Strauss
Original Air Date: 01/05/1974
Levine; Bumbry, Ulfung, Resnik, Shadur, Lewis
SID.19270746
This is Levine’s only Met run of Salome. Bumbry is in luscious voice, but Shadur is below major house standard for Jokanaan.
SAMSON ET DALILA:Saint-Saëns
Original Air Date: 04/16/1977
Ehrling; Chauvet, Cossotto, Walker
SID.19270747
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.
DIE WALKÜRE:Wagner
Original Air Date: 03/01/1969
von Karajan; Nilsson, Adam, Crespin, Vickers, Veasey, Talvela
MOD Audio SID.19270748
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.19270749
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.
JENUFA:Janácek
Original Air Date: 12/26/1992
Conlon; Benacková, Rysanek, Heppner, Trussel, Christin
SID.19280101
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.
GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG:Wagner
Original Air Date: 01/27/1962
Leinsdorf; Nilsson, Hopf, Frick, Mittelmann, Kuchta, Dalis
MOD Audio SID.19280102
This is a magnificent performance with Nilsson and Frick among the best ever in two of the most challenging roles in the repertoire. The rest of the cast are seasoned performers who certainly bring something special. This was possibly the first uncut broadcast Gotterdammerung, though that now seems commonplace.
FIDELIO:Beethoven
Original Air Date: 02/22/1941
Walter; Flagstad, Maison, Huehn, Kipnis, Farell, Laufkötter
SID.19280104
This performance is important on several counts: 1) it comes only a week after Walter’s Met debut and marked his first appearances in the USA as an opera conductor—he had led symphonic ensembles for close to a decade. Flagstad was concluding her pre-war Met career (9 performances, half of them on tour and she was to be gone for a decade). The supporting cast is of high quality, but the real hallmarks are Walter’s conducting and her luminous Leonore. They can be sampled in MOoD in Flagstad’s return in 1951. Having a voice with the quality of Kipnis is another recommendation for including this performance in MOoD as well.
DER ROSENKAVALIER:Strauss
Original Air Date: 02/08/1969
Böhm; Ludwig, Rysanek, Berry, Grist, Knoll
MOD Audio SID.19280105
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.
LA BOHÈME:Puccini
Original Air Date: 03/17/2001
Crawford; Gauci, Lopardo, Arteta, Finley, Bernstein
SID.19280106
Verdi
Original Air Date: 02/06/1965
Santi; Tucci, Corelli, Bastianini, Tozzi, Grillo, Esparza
SID.19280107
The broadcast is a mixed bag, with Tucci coping surprisingly well for a part that benefits from the splendor of a Ponselle or the luster of Tebaldi or Milanov. Corelli is shown to much better effect 3 years later when he reprises his Alvaro with Leontyne Price. Bastianini is returning for his final year (overlapping the 1964-65 and 1965-66 seasons) This is not the voice that departed 5 years earlier with triumphant Gerards in Andrea Chenier NOTHING of these on Sirius ;( . He was to die of cancer in 1967 less than two years after his final 1965 Met appearances. Tozzi is not the settled bass of Siepi or Hines (some of this audible on the Price studio recording from the same period) and Esparza is no replacement for either Corena or Baccaloni. A strong conductor can sometimes make this sprawling opera work, but Santi is not that maestro. In addition to the various Met performances, I do want to remind readers that Corelli and Bastianini are caught in top form at the opening of the 1958 Naples season along with Tebaldi and Christoff at their respective best as well under Molinari-Pradelli in a Hardy Video.
CARMEN:Bizet
Original Air Date: 01/12/1974
Lewis; Horne, McCracken, Amara, Reardon
MOD Audio SID.19280208
I’m rather down on this performance from its most recent rebroadcast. Lewis’conducting lacks snap or allure, and Horne without Bernstein to challenge her seems too wayward for me. If you want to sample Horne and McCracken, listen to the studio based on the first performances of the production from the previous season; the March 1973 broadcast (same cast except Krause for Reardon) is only slightly better. Check the DG recording with Lenny.
L’ITALIANA IN ALGERI:Rossini
Original Air Date: 01/04/1986
Levine; Horne, Ahlstedt, Montarsolo, Monk
MOD Video SID.19280209
This performance precedes the telecast by one week and that telecast is available in MOoD. For me, the distinction of the performance is mostly Montarsolo. Isabella is Horne’s second most performed role at 37 (Carmen unsurprisingly is first at 49) Her 3d is Adalgisa in Norma (all with Sutherland). MOD is 1/11/86 performance with same cast.
AIDA:Verdi
Original Air Date: 02/20/1954
Cleva; Milanov, Baum, Barbieri, Warren, Hines
MOD Audio SID.19280210
Milanov, Barbieri, Warren and Hines are major Aida players any way you look at it. I used to have some cavils about Warren’s lack of equalization, but after the Verdi baritone singing I’ve endured the last quarter century, I am always grateful to encounter him in one of his signature roles.
SIMON BOCCANEGRA:Verdi
Original Air Date: 03/03/2007
Luisi; Hampson, Gheorghiu, Giordani, Furlanetto, Gerello
MOD Audio SID.19280212
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.
L’ELISIR D’AMORE:Donizetti
Original Air Date: 03/18/1978
Caldwell; Pavarotti, Blegen, Corena, Sereni
SID.19280213
My memory of Caldwell’s conducting (her Met farewell) is not so positive; this is the second of three Blegen/Pavarotti Elisirs. For me Sereni and Corena, especially Corena have never been replaced in these roles. Corena’s near monopoly of Dr. Dulcamara is totally deserved. It is just a shame that there are not more video representations of his very considerable art. A particular word of praise for Sereni, whose recent passing reminds us of what a reliable artist he was. The best Elisir for my money is the all Italian one from 1972 with Scotto, Bergonzi, Sereni, and Corena (on MOoD); there is an earlier broadcast (1966) which is on MOoD and Sony CD which substitutes Peters and Guarrera under Schippers for Scotto and Sereni. MOoD covers all this ground plus a fine broadcast with Peters and Kraus from 1968 with again Sereni and Corena.
LE NOZZE DI FIGARO:Mozart
Original Air Date: 01/11/1958
Leinsdorf; Tozzi, Güden, Della Casa, London, Miller
SID.19280214
Sirius honors Giorgio Tozzi who died May 30, 2011 at the age of 88. Leinsdorf and three members of this cast moved on to Vienna to record Figaro (Peters for Guden, and Elias for Miller on the recording are new) A used copy on Amazon was asking $172. This performance has been on before , but my memory of Della Casa, Guden and London are mostly from other broadcasts, so I’ll definitely take a listen. Bing did a lot of Nozze — this round of performances comes just before a new production two seasons later also with Leinsdorf. The other four performances feature cast changes in every part . A nice cast, but make sure this is the chemistry you want.
MAZEPPA:Tchaikovsky
Original Air Date: 03/18/2006
Gergiev; Putilin, Guryakova, Balashov, Burchuladze, Diadkova
SID.19280315
This is the only Met broadcast of Tchaikovsky’s powerful work. This performance is notable for Tchaikovsky’s powerful music, Gergiev’s assured conducting, and Putilin giving his considerable all to the title role. This is offbeat repertory that I’m glad we’ve had. Gergiev and Putilin make a strong case for hearing the work more often. It should really be on MOoD.
LES CONTES D’HOFFMANN:Offenbach
Original Air Date: 01/02/1988
Dutoit; Shicoff, Morris, Bradley, Troyanos, Alexander, Quittmeyer
SID.19280316
This is the broadcast that comes six days before the Met telecast performance with the same cast. The video is available in MOoD. Dutoit in his Met debut season has just the right Gallic snap for this sprawling work, and Shicoff , Morris, and Laciura hold up the male side splendidly. The women are all sufficient to their task, and thanks to the conductor, it is an outstanding Hoffmann.
Verdi
Original Air Date: 02/06/1965
Santi; Tucci, Corelli, Bastianini, Tozzi, Grillo, Esparza
SID.19280317
The broadcast is a mixed bag, with Tucci coping surprisingly well for a part that benefits from the splendor of a Ponselle or the luster of Tebaldi or Milanov. Corelli is shown to much better effect 3 years later when he reprises his Alvaro with Leontyne Price. Bastianini is returning for his final year (overlapping the 1964-65 and 1965-66 seasons) This is not the voice that departed 5 years earlier with triumphant Gerards in Andrea Chenier NOTHING of these on Sirius ;( . He was to die of cancer in 1967 less than two years after his final 1965 Met appearances. Tozzi is not the settled bass of Siepi or Hines (some of this audible on the Price studio recording from the same period) and Esparza is no replacement for either Corena or Baccaloni. A strong conductor can sometimes make this sprawling opera work, but Santi is not that maestro. In addition to the various Met performances, I do want to remind readers that Corelli and Bastianini are caught in top form at the opening of the 1958 Naples season along with Tebaldi and Christoff at their respective best as well under Molinari-Pradelli in a Hardy Video.
GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG:Wagner
Original Air Date: 01/27/1962
Leinsdorf; Nilsson, Hopf, Frick, Mittelmann, Kuchta, Dalis
MOD Audio SID.19280318
This is a magnificent performance with Nilsson and Frick among the best ever in two of the most challenging roles in the repertoire. The rest of the cast are seasoned performers who certainly bring something special. This was possibly the first uncut broadcast Gotterdammerung, though that now seems commonplace.
GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG:Wagner
Original Air Date: 01/27/1962
Leinsdorf; Nilsson, Hopf, Frick, Mittelmann, Kuchta, Dalis
MOD Audio SID.19280319
This is a magnificent performance with Nilsson and Frick among the best ever in two of the most challenging roles in the repertoire. The rest of the cast are seasoned performers who certainly bring something special. This was possibly the first uncut broadcast Gotterdammerung, though that now seems commonplace.
FIDELIO:Beethoven
Original Air Date: 02/22/1941
Walter; Flagstad, Maison, Huehn, Kipnis, Farell, Laufkötter
SID.19280320
This performance is important on several counts: 1) it comes only a week after Walter’s Met debut and marked his first appearances in the USA as an opera conductor—he had led symphonic ensembles for close to a decade. Flagstad was concluding her pre-war Met career (9 performances, half of them on tour and she was to be gone for a decade). The supporting cast is of high quality, but the real hallmarks are Walter’s conducting and her luminous Leonore. They can be sampled in MOoD in Flagstad’s return in 1951. Having a voice with the quality of Kipnis is another recommendation for including this performance in MOoD as well.
DER ROSENKAVALIER:Strauss
Original Air Date: 02/08/1969
Böhm; Ludwig, Rysanek, Berry, Grist, Knoll
MOD Audio SID.19280321
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.
LA BOHÈME:Puccini
Original Air Date: 03/17/2001
Crawford; Gauci, Lopardo, Arteta, Finley, Bernstein
SID.19280422
Verdi
Original Air Date: 02/06/1965
Santi; Tucci, Corelli, Bastianini, Tozzi, Grillo, Esparza
SID.19280423
The broadcast is a mixed bag, with Tucci coping surprisingly well for a part that benefits from the splendor of a Ponselle or the luster of Tebaldi or Milanov. Corelli is shown to much better effect 3 years later when he reprises his Alvaro with Leontyne Price. Bastianini is returning for his final year (overlapping the 1964-65 and 1965-66 seasons) This is not the voice that departed 5 years earlier with triumphant Gerards in Andrea Chenier NOTHING of these on Sirius ;( . He was to die of cancer in 1967 less than two years after his final 1965 Met appearances. Tozzi is not the settled bass of Siepi or Hines (some of this audible on the Price studio recording from the same period) and Esparza is no replacement for either Corena or Baccaloni. A strong conductor can sometimes make this sprawling opera work, but Santi is not that maestro. In addition to the various Met performances, I do want to remind readers that Corelli and Bastianini are caught in top form at the opening of the 1958 Naples season along with Tebaldi and Christoff at their respective best as well under Molinari-Pradelli in a Hardy Video.
CARMEN:Bizet
Original Air Date: 01/12/1974
Lewis; Horne, McCracken, Amara, Reardon
MOD Audio SID.19280424
I’m rather down on this performance from its most recent rebroadcast. Lewis’conducting lacks snap or allure, and Horne without Bernstein to challenge her seems too wayward for me. If you want to sample Horne and McCracken, listen to the studio based on the first performances of the production from the previous season; the March 1973 broadcast (same cast except Krause for Reardon) is only slightly better. Check the DG recording with Lenny.
L’ITALIANA IN ALGERI:Rossini
Original Air Date: 01/04/1986
Levine; Horne, Ahlstedt, Montarsolo, Monk
MOD Video SID.19280425
This performance precedes the telecast by one week and that telecast is available in MOoD. For me, the distinction of the performance is mostly Montarsolo. Isabella is Horne’s second most performed role at 37 (Carmen unsurprisingly is first at 49) Her 3d is Adalgisa in Norma (all with Sutherland). MOD is 1/11/86 performance with same cast.
AIDA:Verdi
Original Air Date: 02/20/1954
Cleva; Milanov, Baum, Barbieri, Warren, Hines
MOD Audio SID.19280426
Milanov, Barbieri, Warren and Hines are major Aida players any way you look at it. I used to have some cavils about Warren’s lack of equalization, but after the Verdi baritone singing I’ve endured the last quarter century, I am always grateful to encounter him in one of his signature roles.
