DON CARLO:Verdi
Original Air Date: 03/05/1955
Adler; Tucker, Steber, Bastianini, Thebom, Hines, Moscona
SID.19290422
Surprisingly, Stiedry is not in the pit for this, and Adler is a rung lower and it counts in this opera. Steber lets the end of ‘Tu che le vanita’ get away from her, and the part is lower than ideal, but this is a very good house Don Carlo, Tucker a bit better than that and well matching Bastianini’s rich tones. Hines sings well enough but he is some distance from the Siepi/Ghiaurov/Christoff (not at Met) standard. You don’t want to hear Bastianini in his final two Met broadcasts (both 1965) of Forza del Destino and Don Carlo. Though his prime at the Met (1953-1960) was short most of the 70+ performances at the Met including five broadcasts are worth hearing for sampling one of the premiere post-WW2 Italian baritone voices. I’ve never heard his Traviata with Albanese from 1955, and career listers speak with reverence about his Carlo Gerard from 1960; certainly his CG with Tebaldi and Del Monaco in the studio is a classic. This performance is also available in MOoD and a good way to experience it.
LA GIOCONDA:Ponchielli
Original Air Date: 01/03/1953
Cleva; Milanov, Baum, Warren, Barbieri, Siepi
MOD Audio SID.19290423
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.
MADAMA BUTTERFLY:Puccini
Original Air Date: 02/10/1979
Woitach; Zylis-Gara, Alexander, Love, Monk, Velis
SID.19290424
A very solid Butterfly from Zylis-Gara, the second of three broadcast efforts in this role. Alexander, Monk, and Velis are top quality. The continuing omission of Stella and Tucci and Gorchakova (with Gatti conducting) are missing three of the more distinctive Cio-Cio Sans.
CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA / PAGLIACCI:Mascagni / Leoncavallo
Original Air Date: 01/22/2000
Crawford; Zajick, Armiliato, Jospheson / Villarroel, O’Neill, Pons
SID.19290425
Zajick is in tremendous form. Armiliato still appears in Italy, but has not been at the Met in 10 years. Always room for his conducting brother, Mario, but a loss to the house in major roles like Manrico, Ernani, and Radames. Now 59, I think he’s not coming back.
DIE ENTFÜHRUNG AUS DEM SERAIL:Mozart
Original Air Date: 02/01/2003
Levine; Deshorties, Groves, Moll, Welch-Babidge, Banks
SID.19290426
This is Moll’s antepenultimate Met broadcast (Landgrave in Tannhauser and Sarastro in Zauberflote were to follow). Osmin was long a signature role for him, but I think better experienced 13 years earlier and with a better supporting cast in a performance available in MOoD.
RUSALKA:Dvorak
Original Air Date: 02/08/2014
Nézet-Séguin; Fleming, Beczala, Magee, Zajick, Relyea
Live in HD SID.19290427
THE FIRST EMPEROR:Dun
Original Air Date: 01/13/2007
Dun; Domingo, Futral, Groves, Tian, DeYoung
Live in HDMOD Video SID.19290428
This is Domingo’s vehicle and the broadcast and HD performance from its premiere season. Sony issued a commercial DVD. Better to watch than listen to. I enjoyed seeing the production, and while it’s not on my weekly rotation, it held my interest more than Glass’ The Voyage. The simultaneous broadcast/HD moviecast is available on commercial DVD and MOoD (Metropolitan Opera on Demand).
COSÌ FAN TUTTE:Mozart
Original Air Date: 04/09/1988
Epstein; TeKanawa, Rendall, Montague, Hagegård, Hong, Cheek
MOD Audio SID.19290529
While the Met casting for Zauberflote may not always leave a memorable result, the broadcast annals have a number of fine Cosis, and this is one. Max Epstein, who was Levine’s chief assistant for several years before dying much too young (the Walkure studio recording is dedicated to him as he did the major musical preparation). Te Kanawa always found Fiordiligi one of her most congenial assignments (and other Met Fiordiligis include such fine exponents as Steber (only available in the Sony studio recording because all her broadcasts are in translation), Vaness, Fleming (not on the airwaves, but a great studio recording, and a fine run at the Met), Lorengar (who followed TeKanawa in the new production and did the broadcast).
CAPRICCIO:Strauss
Original Air Date: 01/31/1998
Davis; Te Kanawa, Rootering, Kuebler, Keenlyside, Brendel, Harries
MOD Audio SID.19290530
The Met has only had two matinee broadcasts for Strauss’ final work: this one with Te Kanawa and Fleming in 2012. Andrew Davis conducted both revivals. Clairon was a famous role for Troyanos and luckily it is captured on a San Francisco telecast with Te Kanawa, but she died in 1993, which I guess is one reason for the more lightweight casting. Te Kanawa is definitely worth hearing.
EUGENE ONEGIN:Tchaikovsky
Original Air Date: 04/19/1997
Pappano; Chernov, Gorchakova, Farina, Tarassova, Ognovenko
MOD Audio SID.19290531
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.
Various:Various
Original Air Date: 01/01/9999
Various Artists
SID.19290534
Various selections between scheduled operas. Siriusxm Radio and web player will show the Composer and Title.
PARSIFAL:Wagner
Original Air Date: 04/09/1960
Leinsdorf; Liebl, Harshaw, Uhde, Hines, Pechner
SID.19290636
This broadcast was from a three performance run that mark Leinsdorf’s only postwar Parsifals at the Met. Modl made her farewell at the previous performance, and Liebl, a name not especially well known, has several fine Met performances to his credit. The performance is not uncut, per the review attached to the Database listing for the premiere.
RUSALKA:Dvorak
Original Air Date: 02/08/2014
Nézet-Séguin; Fleming, Beczala, Magee, Zajick, Relyea
Live in HD SID.19290637
IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA:Rossini
Original Air Date: 03/06/1954
Erede; Merrill, Peters, Valletti, Corena, Siepi
MOD Audio SID.19290638
This broadcast, a month after the production’s premiere is among the most vocally potent Barbieres in the history of the Met, and the RCA recording under Leinsdorf only substitutes Tozzi for Siepi for the main cast. This is Peters at ther best, and I find the male contingent very satisfying indeed. No Cessa di piu resistere though Valletti did include it on the RCA recording. Don’t miss. This production was recorded by RCA with Leinsdorf for Erede, and Tozzi for Siepi, but the rest of the cast intact. Merrill and Peters are both very fine, but it is the three Italians who give performances to savor. Corena was never in second tier with his Bartolo, and the recitatives with Siepi absolutely magical. A spirited ensemble and you can hear it in uncompressed sound on MOoD any time you want. Highly recommended.
DON CARLO:Verdi
Original Air Date: 03/05/1955
Adler; Tucker, Steber, Bastianini, Thebom, Hines, Moscona
SID.19290639
Surprisingly, Stiedry is not in the pit for this, and Adler is a rung lower and it counts in this opera. Steber lets the end of ‘Tu che le vanita’ get away from her, and the part is lower than ideal, but this is a very good house Don Carlo, Tucker a bit better than that and well matching Bastianini’s rich tones. Hines sings well enough but he is some distance from the Siepi/Ghiaurov/Christoff (not at Met) standard. You don’t want to hear Bastianini in his final two Met broadcasts (both 1965) of Forza del Destino and Don Carlo. Though his prime at the Met (1953-1960) was short most of the 70+ performances at the Met including five broadcasts are worth hearing for sampling one of the premiere post-WW2 Italian baritone voices. I’ve never heard his Traviata with Albanese from 1955, and career listers speak with reverence about his Carlo Gerard from 1960; certainly his CG with Tebaldi and Del Monaco in the studio is a classic. This performance is also available in MOoD and a good way to experience it.
MADAMA BUTTERFLY:Puccini
Original Air Date: 02/10/1979
Woitach; Zylis-Gara, Alexander, Love, Monk, Velis
SID.19290640
A very solid Butterfly from Zylis-Gara, the second of three broadcast efforts in this role. Alexander, Monk, and Velis are top quality. The continuing omission of Stella and Tucci and Gorchakova (with Gatti conducting) are missing three of the more distinctive Cio-Cio Sans.
CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA / PAGLIACCI:Mascagni / Leoncavallo
Original Air Date: 01/22/2000
Crawford; Zajick, Armiliato, Jospheson / Villarroel, O’Neill, Pons
SID.19290641
Zajick is in tremendous form. Armiliato still appears in Italy, but has not been at the Met in 10 years. Always room for his conducting brother, Mario, but a loss to the house in major roles like Manrico, Ernani, and Radames. Now 59, I think he’s not coming back.
DIE ENTFÜHRUNG AUS DEM SERAIL:Mozart
Original Air Date: 02/01/2003
Levine; Deshorties, Groves, Moll, Welch-Babidge, Banks
SID.19290642
This is Moll’s antepenultimate Met broadcast (Landgrave in Tannhauser and Sarastro in Zauberflote were to follow). Osmin was long a signature role for him, but I think better experienced 13 years earlier and with a better supporting cast in a performance available in MOoD.
ROMÉO ET JULIETTE:Gounod
Original Air Date: 03/31/1973
Rich; Corelli, Boky, Macurdy, Forst, Cossa
SID.19290743
Corelli made quite a splash when he did it with Freni, but by 1973 he is near the end of his Met career. He actually has another Romeo broadcast a year later with Judith Blegen which is on Met Player. She is much better than Boky, but I’m afraid Corelli is past it on both. Listen to the Price Tosca this week and hear what glory he could offer. For Romeo, listen to Sayao and Bjorling. Also on Met Player and Sony CD. Corelli is not especially good on any of his broadcast Romeos the last two done close to the end of his Met career. The last one with Blegen is in MOoD, but nothing like the Bjorling Sayao from 1947 or Gedda Freni from 1968 and other fine ones from Gheorgiu Alagna and Netrebko Alagna.
THE FIRST EMPEROR:Dun
Original Air Date: 01/13/2007
Dun; Domingo, Futral, Groves, Tian, DeYoung
Live in HDMOD Video SID.19290744
This is Domingo’s vehicle and the broadcast and HD performance from its premiere season. Sony issued a commercial DVD. Better to watch than listen to. I enjoyed seeing the production, and while it’s not on my weekly rotation, it held my interest more than Glass’ The Voyage. The simultaneous broadcast/HD moviecast is available on commercial DVD and MOoD (Metropolitan Opera on Demand).
COSÌ FAN TUTTE:Mozart
Original Air Date: 04/09/1988
Epstein; TeKanawa, Rendall, Montague, Hagegård, Hong, Cheek
MOD Audio SID.19290745
While the Met casting for Zauberflote may not always leave a memorable result, the broadcast annals have a number of fine Cosis, and this is one. Max Epstein, who was Levine’s chief assistant for several years before dying much too young (the Walkure studio recording is dedicated to him as he did the major musical preparation). Te Kanawa always found Fiordiligi one of her most congenial assignments (and other Met Fiordiligis include such fine exponents as Steber (only available in the Sony studio recording because all her broadcasts are in translation), Vaness, Fleming (not on the airwaves, but a great studio recording, and a fine run at the Met), Lorengar (who followed TeKanawa in the new production and did the broadcast).
LA GIOCONDA:Ponchielli
Original Air Date: 01/03/1953
Cleva; Milanov, Baum, Warren, Barbieri, Siepi
MOD Audio SID.19290746
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
Pappano; Chernov, Gorchakova, Farina, Tarassova, Ognovenko
MOD Audio SID.19290747
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.
PARSIFAL:Wagner
Original Air Date: 04/09/1960
Leinsdorf; Liebl, Harshaw, Uhde, Hines, Pechner
SID.19290748
This broadcast was from a three performance run that mark Leinsdorf’s only postwar Parsifals at the Met. Modl made her farewell at the previous performance, and Liebl, a name not especially well known, has several fine Met performances to his credit. The performance is not uncut, per the review attached to the Database listing for the premiere.
TBA:TBA
Original Air Date: 01/01/9999
TBA
SID.19300101
Various selections between scheduled operas. Siriusxm Radio and web player will show the Composer and Title.
TBA:TBA
Original Air Date: 01/01/9999
TBA
SID.19300102
Various selections between scheduled operas. Siriusxm Radio and web player will show the Composer and Title.
TBA:TBA
Original Air Date: 01/01/9999
TBA
SID.19300103
Various selections between scheduled operas. Siriusxm Radio and web player will show the Composer and Title.
TOSCA:Puccini
Original Air Date: 12/05/1981
Patanè; Neblett, Carreras, Milnes
SID.19300104
Carreras had a very small Met career with only 73 performances; he only has four broadcast roles, Maurizio in Adriana, Cavaradossi in Tosca, Rodolfo in Boheme, and Don Jose in Carmen. Both the Carmen and Boheme were also telecast and are available on commercial DVD. The weakness of the Tosca is that Neblett is simply not in the same league as Tebaldi, Price, Nilsson, Crespin, Steber; Milnes is not on the level of Gobbi, Bacquier, or MacNeil in this role.
TBA:TBA
Original Air Date: 01/01/9999
TBA
SID.19300105
Various selections between scheduled operas. Siriusxm Radio and web player will show the Composer and Title.