“ANDREA CHÉNIER : Giordano
Original Air Date: 12/28/1957
Cast: Cleva; Tucker, Milanov, Warren, Elias, Lipton, Amparan
Media: MOD Audio SID.18060423 Tags: Archive; 2018
As I noted in 2012, I prefer Corelli to Tucker, Tebaldi to Milanov, and Bastianini to Warren in these Chenier roles, but the last four decades have rarely brought one let alone three singers for these roles. So enjoy this 1957 cast with 1966 (which Sirius still hasn’t rebroadcast) with Tebaldi, Corelli, and Colzani probably the last one with such authentic style. I love Chenier, but we definitely don’t have the singers for it. I’m afraid the Met’s 2013-2014 revival confirmed the current state of Chenier singing.”
“IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA : Rossini
Original Air Date: 12/21/1957
Cast: Rudolf; Guarrera, Peters, Valletti, Corena, Hines
Media: MOD Audio SID.18060424 Tags: Archive; 2018
Guarrera is an alert if not so suave Figaro. Rudolf leads an experienced ensemble. One should listen to Corena here to hear why he’s remains so missed. The Met should release the Berganza 1968 video if for no other reason to preserve his Bartolo.”
“ORFEO ED EURIDICE : Gluck
Original Air Date: 01/18/1958
Cast: Rudolf; Stevens, Amara, Cundari
Media: MOD Audio SID.18060428 Tags: Archive; 2018
For me this is much too late for Stevens (She retires in 1960). I did check Paul Jackson’s authoritative volume on Met broadcasts– and he’s at his best in the 40s and 50s, but has nothing to say about this performance.”
“L’ITALIANA IN ALGERI : Rossini
Original Air Date: 02/17/2001
Cast: Campanella; Larmore, Polenzani, Ramey, Corbelli
Media: MOD Audio SID.18060532 Tags: Archive; 2018
This is Ramey’s only Mustafa broadcast, and early appearances by Polenzani and Kwiecien who are Met regulars in star parts these days. My own favorite Isabella is Borodina whose performance with Florez and Furlanetto is also on MOoD.”
“I PURITANI : Bellini
Original Air Date: 03/30/1991
Cast: Bonynge; Gruberova, Merritt, Gavanelli, Plishka
Media: MOD Audio SID.18060534 Tags: Archive; 2018
This is primarily for Gruberova fans. She doesn’t sing in USA much so just as well since she only has two Met broadcasts, this Puritani and Zerbinetta in Ariadne auf Naxos. Of greater interest would be her Queen of the Night (Met debut) and the new production of Traviata with Kleiber and Shicoff (neither broadcast; in today’s world of live Sirius, we would likely be hearing both)”
“IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA : Rossini
Original Air Date: 12/21/1957
Cast: Rudolf; Guarrera, Peters, Valletti, Corena, Hines
Media: MOD Audio SID.18060636 Tags: Archive; 2018
Guarrera is an alert if not so suave Figaro. Rudolf leads an experienced ensemble. One should listen to Corena here to hear why he’s remains so missed. The Met should release the Berganza 1968 video if for no other reason to preserve his Bartolo.”
“ORFEO ED EURIDICE : Gluck
Original Air Date: 01/18/1958
Cast: Rudolf; Stevens, Amara, Cundari
Media: MOD Audio SID.18060638 Tags: Archive; 2018
For me this is much too late for Stevens (She retires in 1960). I did check Paul Jackson’s authoritative volume on Met broadcasts– and he’s at his best in the 40s and 50s, but has nothing to say about this performance.”
“ANDREA CHÉNIER : Giordano
Original Air Date: 12/28/1957
Cast: Cleva; Tucker, Milanov, Warren, Elias, Lipton, Amparan
Media: MOD Audio SID.18060745 Tags: Archive; 2018
As I noted in 2012, I prefer Corelli to Tucker, Tebaldi to Milanov, and Bastianini to Warren in these Chenier roles, but the last four decades have rarely brought one let alone three singers for these roles. So enjoy this 1957 cast with 1966 (which Sirius still hasn’t rebroadcast) with Tebaldi, Corelli, and Colzani probably the last one with such authentic style. I love Chenier, but we definitely don’t have the singers for it. I’m afraid the Met’s 2013-2014 revival confirmed the current state of Chenier singing.”
“I PURITANI : Bellini
Original Air Date: 03/30/1991
Cast: Bonynge; Gruberova, Merritt, Gavanelli, Plishka
Media: MOD Audio SID.18060748 Tags: Archive; 2018
This is primarily for Gruberova fans. She doesn’t sing in USA much so just as well since she only has two Met broadcasts, this Puritani and Zerbinetta in Ariadne auf Naxos. Of greater interest would be her Queen of the Night (Met debut) and the new production of Traviata with Kleiber and Shicoff (neither broadcast; in today’s world of live Sirius, we would likely be hearing both)”
“L’ITALIANA IN ALGERI : Rossini
Original Air Date: 02/17/2001
Cast: Campanella; Larmore, Polenzani, Ramey, Corbelli
Media: MOD Audio SID.18070101 Tags: Archive; 2018
This is Ramey’s only Mustafa broadcast, and early appearances by Polenzani and Kwiecien who are Met regulars in star parts these days. My own favorite Isabella is Borodina whose performance with Florez and Furlanetto is also on MOoD.”
“MADAMA BUTTERFLY : Puccini
Original Air Date: 01/01/1966
Cast: Schick; Scotto, Alexander, Grillo, Dunlap, Schmorr
Media: MOD Audio SID.18070102 Tags: Archive; 2018, Puccini
This is *Scotto*’s first broadcast, after debuting the previous October.
This EVENING broadcast had one of the more infamous Singers Roundtables as I remember (Milanov and Gedda come to mind) remember but alas we never get the interrmission features. I don’t much care for *Dunlap* as Sharpless, but *Scotto* is a major *Butterfly*.”
“FIDELIO : Beethoven
Original Air Date: 12/07/2002
Cast: Schneider; Meier, Botha, Fink, Salminen, Hong, Clarke
Media: MOD Audio SID.18070208 Tags: Archive; 2018
Botha sings well enough, as does Fink. Maybe I will be more impressed by Meier and Schneider this time around.
Salminen does not appear often outside the Wagner repertory at the Met and this is a particularly congenial role for him.
Schneider is not famous as an inspiring conductor. It’s not a weak cast.
Available in MOoD”
“VANESSA : Barber
Original Air Date: 04/03/1965
Cast: Steinberg; Costa, Alexander, Elias, Thebom, Tozzi
Media: MOD Audio SID.18070212 Tags: Archive; 2018
The Met does well by Samuel Barber, and regularly programs on Sirius the Steber world premiere season broadcast from 1958. Elias and Tozzi remain from the original cast under William Steinberg. The skating aria for Vanessa is gone by this revival, another reason to check out the Steber broadcast in MOoD.”
“RODELINDA : Handel
Original Air Date: 01/01/2005
Cast: Bicket; Fleming, Daniels, van Rensburg, Blythe, Mehta, Relyea
Media: MOD Audio SID.18070213 Tags: Archive; 2018
Fleming is the star in all three seasons of Rodelinda at the Met, and the first two broadcasts from 2005 (this one) and 2006 have a major shift with Bicket handing over to Patrick Summers, and the lead countertenor role from David Daniels to Andreas Scholl. The telecast/moviecast is on Decca DVD and in MOoD comes five years later in 2011 and returns Bicket to the podium, but for my money finds Scholl in considerably diminished form compared to his excellent effort in 2006. I’m not a big fan of Handel, and while several of the individual arias are notable, the absence of ensembles (except for the glorious duet for Blythe with the lead countertenor) and the ABA aria style make for a long afternoon or evening of listening or watching. The comings and goings of Rodelinda at the Met are well documented in MOoD, and this first broadcast is a good place to start.”
“MADAMA BUTTERFLY : Puccini
Original Air Date: 01/01/1966
Cast: Schick; Scotto, Alexander, Grillo, Dunlap, Schmorr
Media: MOD Audio SID.18070318 Tags: Archive; 2018, Puccini
This is *Scotto*’s first broadcast, after debuting the previous October.
This EVENING broadcast had one of the more infamous Singers Roundtables as I remember (Milanov and Gedda come to mind) remember but alas we never get the interrmission features. I don’t much care for *Dunlap* as Sharpless, but *Scotto* is a major *Butterfly*.”
“FIDELIO : Beethoven
Original Air Date: 12/07/2002
Cast: Schneider; Meier, Botha, Fink, Salminen, Hong, Clarke
Media: MOD Audio SID.18070423 Tags: Archive; 2018
Botha sings well enough, as does Fink. Maybe I will be more impressed by Meier and Schneider this time around.
Salminen does not appear often outside the Wagner repertory at the Met and this is a particularly congenial role for him.
Schneider is not famous as an inspiring conductor. It’s not a weak cast.
Available in MOoD”
“VANESSA : Barber
Original Air Date: 04/03/1965
Cast: Steinberg; Costa, Alexander, Elias, Thebom, Tozzi
Media: MOD Audio SID.18070428 Tags: Archive; 2018
The Met does well by Samuel Barber, and regularly programs on Sirius the Steber world premiere season broadcast from 1958. Elias and Tozzi remain from the original cast under William Steinberg. The skating aria for Vanessa is gone by this revival, another reason to check out the Steber broadcast in MOoD.”
“RODELINDA : Handel
Original Air Date: 01/01/2005
Cast: Bicket; Fleming, Daniels, van Rensburg, Blythe, Mehta, Relyea
Media: MOD Audio SID.18070529 Tags: Archive; 2018
Fleming is the star in all three seasons of Rodelinda at the Met, and the first two broadcasts from 2005 (this one) and 2006 have a major shift with Bicket handing over to Patrick Summers, and the lead countertenor role from David Daniels to Andreas Scholl. The telecast/moviecast is on Decca DVD and in MOoD comes five years later in 2011 and returns Bicket to the podium, but for my money finds Scholl in considerably diminished form compared to his excellent effort in 2006. I’m not a big fan of Handel, and while several of the individual arias are notable, the absence of ensembles (except for the glorious duet for Blythe with the lead countertenor) and the ABA aria style make for a long afternoon or evening of listening or watching. The comings and goings of Rodelinda at the Met are well documented in MOoD, and this first broadcast is a good place to start.”
“MADAMA BUTTERFLY : Puccini
Original Air Date: 01/01/1966
Cast: Schick; Scotto, Alexander, Grillo, Dunlap, Schmorr
Media: MOD Audio SID.18070534 Tags: Archive; 2018, Puccini
This is *Scotto*’s first broadcast, after debuting the previous October.
This EVENING broadcast had one of the more infamous Singers Roundtables as I remember (Milanov and Gedda come to mind) remember but alas we never get the interrmission features. I don’t much care for *Dunlap* as Sharpless, but *Scotto* is a major *Butterfly*.”
“VANESSA : Barber
Original Air Date: 04/03/1965
Cast: Steinberg; Costa, Alexander, Elias, Thebom, Tozzi
Media: MOD Audio SID.18070638 Tags: Archive; 2018
The Met does well by Samuel Barber, and regularly programs on Sirius the Steber world premiere season broadcast from 1958. Elias and Tozzi remain from the original cast under William Steinberg. The skating aria for Vanessa is gone by this revival, another reason to check out the Steber broadcast in MOoD.”
“RODELINDA : Handel
Original Air Date: 01/01/2005
Cast: Bicket; Fleming, Daniels, van Rensburg, Blythe, Mehta, Relyea
Media: MOD Audio SID.18070744 Tags: Archive; 2018
Fleming is the star in all three seasons of Rodelinda at the Met, and the first two broadcasts from 2005 (this one) and 2006 have a major shift with Bicket handing over to Patrick Summers, and the lead countertenor role from David Daniels to Andreas Scholl. The telecast/moviecast is on Decca DVD and in MOoD comes five years later in 2011 and returns Bicket to the podium, but for my money finds Scholl in considerably diminished form compared to his excellent effort in 2006. I’m not a big fan of Handel, and while several of the individual arias are notable, the absence of ensembles (except for the glorious duet for Blythe with the lead countertenor) and the ABA aria style make for a long afternoon or evening of listening or watching. The comings and goings of Rodelinda at the Met are well documented in MOoD, and this first broadcast is a good place to start.”
“FIDELIO : Beethoven
Original Air Date: 12/07/2002
Cast: Schneider; Meier, Botha, Fink, Salminen, Hong, Clarke
Media: MOD Audio SID.18070745 Tags: Archive; 2018
Botha sings well enough, as does Fink. Maybe I will be more impressed by Meier and Schneider this time around.
Salminen does not appear often outside the Wagner repertory at the Met and this is a particularly congenial role for him.
Schneider is not famous as an inspiring conductor. It’s not a weak cast.
Available in MOoD”
“MADAMA BUTTERFLY : Puccini
Original Air Date: 01/01/1966
Cast: Schick; Scotto, Alexander, Grillo, Dunlap, Schmorr
Media: MOD Audio SID.18070748 Tags: Archive; 2018, Puccini
This is *Scotto*’s first broadcast, after debuting the previous October.
This EVENING broadcast had one of the more infamous Singers Roundtables as I remember (Milanov and Gedda come to mind) remember but alas we never get the interrmission features. I don’t much care for *Dunlap* as Sharpless, but *Scotto* is a major *Butterfly*.”
“GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG : Wagner
Original Air Date: 01/11/1936
Cast: Bodanzky; Lawrence, Melchior, Hofmann, Schorr, Manski, Meisle
Media: MOD Audio SID.18080102 Tags: Archive; 2018, Wagner
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
Cast: Bodanzky; Lawrence, Melchior, Hofmann, Schorr, Manski, Meisle
Media: MOD Audio SID.18080103 Tags: Archive; 2018, Wagner
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.”
“DON GIOVANNI : Mozart
Original Air Date: 02/14/1959
Cast: Böhm; London, Steber, Flagello, Della Casa, Valletti, Hurley
Media: MOD Audio SID.18080104 Tags: Archive; 2018, Mozart
This is a fine performance; my only cavil is I would have preferred a Siepi broadcast which is available (though not yet on Sirius) from 1957 with the original cast which includes Corena as Leporello. Still, this is one of Steber’s best parts in a treasurable performance and Della Casa is a major Elvira. Flagello is an excellent Leporello. And while I am mentioning lacunae. Bohm’s 1967 broadcast with Sutherland and Lorengar also with Siepi is still missing from the Sirius broadcast stable as well.”
“ERNANI : Verdi
Original Air Date: 03/09/1985
Cast: Fulton; Mauro, Mitchell, Elvira, Plishka
Media: MOD Audio SID.18080208 Tags: Archive; 2018, Verdi
This first revival retains only Leona Mitchell from the production premiere. Particular attention should be paid to Pablo Elvira, a little light for his character, but a most agreeable voice. Mauro is no Pavarotti, but this is a well prepared performance of one of my favorite Verdi operas.”
“GIULIO CESARE : Handel
Original Air Date: 04/21/2007
Cast: Bicket; Daniels, Swenson, Coote, Bardon, Zazzo
Media: MOD Audio SID.18080209 Tags: Archive; 2018
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”
“GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG : Wagner
Original Air Date: 01/11/1936
Cast: Bodanzky; Lawrence, Melchior, Hofmann, Schorr, Manski, Meisle
Media: MOD Audio SID.18080318 Tags: Archive; 2018, Wagner
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
Cast: Bodanzky; Lawrence, Melchior, Hofmann, Schorr, Manski, Meisle
Media: MOD Audio SID.18080319 Tags: Archive; 2018, Wagner
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.”