FIDELIO:Beethoven
Schneider; Meier, Botha, Fink, Salminen, Hong, Clarke
Original Air Date: 12/07/2002
MOD Audio
SID.20110318
Botha sings well enough, as does Fink with Meier and Schneider. 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
LE NOZZE DI FIGARO:Mozart
Levine; Van Dam, Battle, Söderström, Hynninen, von Stade
Original Air Date: 02/07/1987
SID.20110320
This is the second year of the Ponnelle production, and plenty of interesting casting with Battle and von Stade the only holdovers. This is Montarsolo’s farewell, the real star is Levine welding the whole ensemble together.
UN BALLO IN MASCHERA:Verdi
Levine; Pavarotti, Voigt, Pons, Shin, Dever
Original Air Date: 02/15/1997
SID.20110321
Except for Pavarotti, there is nothing of special distinction. Both of Pavarotti’s Met videos (1980 and 1991) of Ballo have more interest and they are both on MOoD. Levine only has three matinee broadcasts, 1991 (with Millo and Pavarotti), this broadcast, and a 2015 with Radvanovsky, Tamura (replacing Beczala) and Hvorostovsky. Better to add that one to the rotation.
BILLY BUDD:Britten
Leppard; Stilwell, Pears, Morris, Glossop, Ward
Original Air Date: 03/31/1979
MOD Audio
SID.20110422
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.
DEATH IN VENICE:Britten
Bedford; Pears, Shirley Quirk, Velis
Original Air Date: 12/14/1974
MOD Audio
SID.20110423
The Met saw the USA premiere of Britten’s Death in Venice and for the Met debut of Peter Pears. His only other role at the Met was Captain Vere in Billy Budd four years later; fortunately both of Pears’ roles are on MOoD. Death in Venice can be a hard sit despite all the talent involved.
LA TRAVIATA:Verdi
Armiliato; Gheorghiu, Kaufmann, Michaels-Moore
Original Air Date: 02/11/2006
MOD Audio
SID.20110424
This is Kaufmann’s debut year, and Michaels-Moore is below the standard of Gheorghiu. Kaufmann is still a bit green at this point interesting to compare vocally to his current very high performance standard. AG was still the star; it’s one of her best roles.
DIE MEISTERSINGER VON NÜRNBERG:Wagner
Ehrling; Stewart, Saunders, Cox, Leib, Macurdy, Riegel
Original Air Date: 04/17/1976
SID.20110425
Jackson in his execrably edited third volume of Met broadcast history makes Ehrling into a Swiss conductor, when of course he was a native Swede through and through. Stewart has a notable recording of Sachs for Bavarian Radio under Kubelik with Janowitz and Konya that can still be located on specialty labels (Fischer-Dieskau’s effort with Jochum on DG effectively blocked this from what would normally have been the logical label. Jean Cox recently passed on, and was the infamous Siegfried at my 1978 Chereau performance at Bayreuth– Kollo mimed and Cox sang from offstage as he did not know the complex staging. Arlene Saunders long a NYCO favorite finally gets to the Met towards the end of her career, but per Jackson is still quite a successful Eva. So lots of curiosity for this performance.
DIE MEISTERSINGER VON NÜRNBERG:Wagner
Ehrling; Stewart, Saunders, Cox, Leib, Macurdy, Riegel
Original Air Date: 04/17/1976
SID.20110426
Jackson in his execrably edited third volume of Met broadcast history makes Ehrling into a Swiss conductor, when of course he was a native Swede through and through. Stewart has a notable recording of Sachs for Bavarian Radio under Kubelik with Janowitz and Konya that can still be located on specialty labels (Fischer-Dieskau’s effort with Jochum on DG effectively blocked this from what would normally have been the logical label. Jean Cox recently passed on, and was the infamous Siegfried at my 1978 Chereau performance at Bayreuth– Kollo mimed and Cox sang from offstage as he did not know the complex staging. Arlene Saunders long a NYCO favorite finally gets to the Met towards the end of her career, but per Jackson is still quite a successful Eva. So lots of curiosity for this performance.
VARIOUS:Various
Various Artists
Original Air Date: 01/01/9999
SID.20110427
CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA / PAGLIACCI:Mascagni / Leoncavallo
Cleva; Milanov, Tucker, Valentino / Amara, Baum, Merrill
Original Air Date: 04/13/1957
SID.20110529
The main feature here is Merrill’s Tonio which he only broadcast twice in his long Met career, this performance and in 1960 with a weaker Cavalleria cast. The Pagliacci is the same cast on both broadcasts. Warren really dominated Tonio during his lifetime, and MacNeil and Milnes in the latter part of Merrill’s career. Merrill is the voice for the prologue, and he also has an excellent commercial with Lorengar and McCracken.
LE NOZZE DI FIGARO:Mozart
Levine; Van Dam, Battle, Söderström, Hynninen, von Stade
Original Air Date: 02/07/1987
SID.20110530
This is the second year of the Ponnelle production, and plenty of interesting casting with Battle and von Stade the only holdovers. This is Montarsolo’s farewell, the real star is Levine welding the whole ensemble together.
UN BALLO IN MASCHERA:Verdi
Levine; Pavarotti, Voigt, Pons, Shin, Dever
Original Air Date: 02/15/1997
SID.20110531
Except for Pavarotti, there is nothing of special distinction. Both of Pavarotti’s Met videos (1980 and 1991) of Ballo have more interest and they are both on MOoD. Levine only has three matinee broadcasts, 1991 (with Millo and Pavarotti), this broadcast, and a 2015 with Radvanovsky, Tamura (replacing Beczala) and Hvorostovsky. Better to add that one to the rotation.
ARABELLA:Strauss
Leinsdorf; Te Kanawa, Weikl, Battle, Rendall, Dunn, Gramm
Original Air Date: 03/05/1983
MOD Audio
SID.20110532
This new production was the first time in German at the Met. Te Kanawa sings beautifully but for anyone who has heard the prior broadcasts from Steber and Della Casa, it’s just not in the same league. Battle and Weikl are strong vocal support.
RIGOLETTO:Verdi
Stivender; MacNeil, Blegen, Alexander, Hines, Jones
Original Air Date: 03/03/1979
SID.20110533
This is MacNeil’s final Met broadcast of the title role– he has the house record at 102 (5 broadcasts); Sirius should roll out MacNeil’s first Rigoletto broadcast from 1960, when he is really in super-baritone form or even 1964 with Bergonzi’s first Duke broadcast. Blegen is tied for fourth after Peters (88!!!!!! one for every piano key), Pons, and Swenson who are tied for second. Blegen’s earlier broadcast is on Met Opera on Demand (MOoD) and she is one of my favorite Gildas. Alexander is a dependable Duke, but he has some stiff competition . He was a fine musician, marvelous colleague, and sustained among the most-wide ranging Met repertoire (and without need of transpositions). A very favored colleague of Sutherland, Caballe, Sills, and Levine.
FIDELIO:Beethoven
Schneider; Meier, Botha, Fink, Salminen, Hong, Clarke
Original Air Date: 12/07/2002
MOD Audio
SID.20110534
Botha sings well enough, as does Fink with Meier and Schneider. 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
THE GHOSTS OF VERSAILLES:Corigliano
Levine; Stratas, Hagegård, Quilico, Horne, Clark, Fleming
Original Air Date: 01/04/1992
MOD Video
SID.20110535
This was a basically successful Met commission and beautifully cast and prepared. Best experienced with the video from a telecast the next week), which is available from Levine’s 40th anniversary DVD package and in MOoD. The video really helps the work along. . Commissioned by the Met and with a libretto by William M. Hoffman, the work imagines an opera put on by the ghost of Beaumarchais for the ghost of Marie Antoinette and the other spectral residents of Versailles. The sold-out, seven-performance premiere run featured an all-star cast that included Teresa Stratas, Håkan Hagegård, Renée Fleming, Graham Clark, Gino Quilico, and Marilyn Horne.
BILLY BUDD:Britten
Leppard; Stilwell, Pears, Morris, Glossop, Ward
Original Air Date: 03/31/1979
MOD Audio
SID.20110637
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.
VARIOUS:Various
Various Artists
Original Air Date: 01/01/9999
SID.20110639
LA TRAVIATA:Verdi
Armiliato; Gheorghiu, Kaufmann, Michaels-Moore
Original Air Date: 02/11/2006
MOD Audio
SID.20110641
This is Kaufmann’s debut year, and Michaels-Moore is below the standard of Gheorghiu. Kaufmann is still a bit green at this point interesting to compare vocally to his current very high performance standard. AG was still the star; it’s one of her best roles.
DIE MEISTERSINGER VON NÜRNBERG:Wagner
Ehrling; Stewart, Saunders, Cox, Leib, Macurdy, Riegel
Original Air Date: 04/17/1976
SID.20110642
Jackson in his execrably edited third volume of Met broadcast history makes Ehrling into a Swiss conductor, when of course he was a native Swede through and through. Stewart has a notable recording of Sachs for Bavarian Radio under Kubelik with Janowitz and Konya that can still be located on specialty labels (Fischer-Dieskau’s effort with Jochum on DG effectively blocked this from what would normally have been the logical label. Jean Cox recently passed on, and was the infamous Siegfried at my 1978 Chereau performance at Bayreuth– Kollo mimed and Cox sang from offstage as he did not know the complex staging. Arlene Saunders long a NYCO favorite finally gets to the Met towards the end of her career, but per Jackson is still quite a successful Eva. So lots of curiosity for this performance.
DIE MEISTERSINGER VON NÜRNBERG:Wagner
Ehrling; Stewart, Saunders, Cox, Leib, Macurdy, Riegel
Original Air Date: 04/17/1976
SID.20110743
Jackson in his execrably edited third volume of Met broadcast history makes Ehrling into a Swiss conductor, when of course he was a native Swede through and through. Stewart has a notable recording of Sachs for Bavarian Radio under Kubelik with Janowitz and Konya that can still be located on specialty labels (Fischer-Dieskau’s effort with Jochum on DG effectively blocked this from what would normally have been the logical label. Jean Cox recently passed on, and was the infamous Siegfried at my 1978 Chereau performance at Bayreuth– Kollo mimed and Cox sang from offstage as he did not know the complex staging. Arlene Saunders long a NYCO favorite finally gets to the Met towards the end of her career, but per Jackson is still quite a successful Eva. So lots of curiosity for this performance.
UN BALLO IN MASCHERA:Verdi
Levine; Pavarotti, Voigt, Pons, Shin, Dever
Original Air Date: 02/15/1997
SID.20110744
Except for Pavarotti, there is nothing of special distinction. Both of Pavarotti’s Met videos (1980 and 1991) of Ballo have more interest and they are both on MOoD. Levine only has three matinee broadcasts, 1991 (with Millo and Pavarotti), this broadcast, and a 2015 with Radvanovsky, Tamura (replacing Beczala) and Hvorostovsky. Better to add that one to the rotation.
THE GHOSTS OF VERSAILLES:Corigliano
Levine; Stratas, Hagegård, Quilico, Horne, Clark, Fleming
Original Air Date: 01/04/1992
MOD Video
SID.20110745
This was a basically successful Met commission and beautifully cast and prepared. Best experienced with the video from a telecast the next week), which is available from Levine’s 40th anniversary DVD package and in MOoD. The video really helps the work along. . Commissioned by the Met and with a libretto by William M. Hoffman, the work imagines an opera put on by the ghost of Beaumarchais for the ghost of Marie Antoinette and the other spectral residents of Versailles. The sold-out, seven-performance premiere run featured an all-star cast that included Teresa Stratas, Håkan Hagegård, Renée Fleming, Graham Clark, Gino Quilico, and Marilyn Horne.
ARABELLA:Strauss
Leinsdorf; Te Kanawa, Weikl, Battle, Rendall, Dunn, Gramm
Original Air Date: 03/05/1983
MOD Audio
SID.20110747
This new production was the first time in German at the Met. Te Kanawa sings beautifully but for anyone who has heard the prior broadcasts from Steber and Della Casa, it’s just not in the same league. Battle and Weikl are strong vocal support.
L’ITALIANA IN ALGERI:Rossini
Levine; Horne, Ahlstedt, Montarsolo, Monk
Original Air Date: 01/04/1986
MOD Video
SID.20110748
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.
CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA / PAGLIACCI:Mascagni / Leoncavallo
Cleva; Milanov, Tucker, Valentino / Amara, Baum, Merrill
Original Air Date: 04/13/1957
SID.20110749
The main feature here is Merrill’s Tonio which he only broadcast twice in his long Met career, this performance and in 1960 with a weaker Cavalleria cast. The Pagliacci is the same cast on both broadcasts. Warren really dominated Tonio during his lifetime, and MacNeil and Milnes in the latter part of Merrill’s career. Merrill is the voice for the prologue, and he also has an excellent commercial with Lorengar and McCracken.
RIGOLETTO:Verdi
Stivender; MacNeil, Blegen, Alexander, Hines, Jones
Original Air Date: 03/03/1979
SID.20120101
This is MacNeil’s final Met broadcast of the title role– he has the house record at 102 (5 broadcasts); Sirius should roll out MacNeil’s first Rigoletto broadcast from 1960, when he is really in super-baritone form or even 1964 with Bergonzi’s first Duke broadcast. Blegen is tied for fourth after Peters (88!!!!!! one for every piano key), Pons, and Swenson who are tied for second. Blegen’s earlier broadcast is on Met Opera on Demand (MOoD) and she is one of my favorite Gildas. Alexander is a dependable Duke, but he has some stiff competition . He was a fine musician, marvelous colleague, and sustained among the most-wide ranging Met repertoire (and without need of transpositions). A very favored colleague of Sutherland, Caballe, Sills, and Levine.
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RUSALKA:Dvorak
Nézet-Séguin; Fleming, Beczala, Magee, Zajick, Relyea
Original Air Date: 02/08/2014
Live in HD
SID.20120102
Read RWW’s Review of the Live in HD broadcast of this cast.
AIDA:Verdi
Schippers; Price, Bergonzi, Bumbry, Merrill, Hines
Original Air Date: 02/25/1967
MOD Audio
SID.20120103
On paper this performance looks like the dream cast. It is not. Price who sang possibly her very best performance ever in the opening night Antony and Cleopatra six months earlier, sings much too much on “principal” with a particularly vulgar opening of Ritorna vincitor. What is most sad is that her first two Aida broadcasts, the first with Gorr, Bergonzi, Sereni, Siepi, and Macurdy under Solti from 1963, the second from 1965 with Dalis, Tucker, Merrill, Ghiuselev, Michalski under Mehta have not been on Sirius. The first I remember vividly , and has been on private European pressings; it is one of the very best Met Aidas. Bergonzi is substantially stronger in 1963; The 1965 performance simply has Mehta as a better Aida conductor than Schippers. Richard Tucker, whose career is not overlooked by the Sirius folk, has not managed to have his Radames on Sirius despite having broadcast the role with Nilsson, Price, and Arroyo. Bumbry is here in the first of her 3 broadcast Amnerises, and she is better with Arroyo which has been on Sirius. Merrill is in remarkable voice 21 years after his debut (a few too many woofs, but still the most mellifluous Amonasro ever (though plenty of testosterone if not real anger). So here are 4 relatively recent Aidas (post 1960) which somehow can’t get to the airwaves. This 1967 is on Met Opera on Demand (MOoD) and also appears in the 2013 Verdi at the Met bicentennial box, but it still does not rank as one of Price’s best efforts, or one of the best modern Met Aidas. Available in MOoD. This is also in the new Verdi box , but the missing AIda should be the 1963 with Solti conducting Price, Gorr, Bergonzi, Siepi, Macurdy. Bergonzi cracks in the Celeste AIda and neither Price nor Bumbry are at their best.
DIE WALKÜRE:Wagner
Szell; Traubel, Janssen, Bampton, Melchior, Thorborg, Kipnis
Original Air Date: 12/02/1944
MOD Audio
SID.20120104
Who cares about 1944 sound? Janssen is a bit lightweight as Wotan, but then there is Szell, Traubel, Melchior, Kipnis and Thorborg. Szell does not linger and the Met is not a great Wagner orchestra at this point. Traubel’s Todesverkundigung is nobility itself, but the cuts are wearying.