AKHNATEN:Glass
Kamensek; Larusdottir, Bridges, Costanzo, Blake, Liverman, Bernstein, James
Original Air Date: 12/07/2019
SID.19490639
First Intermission
Mary Jo Heath interviews General Manager Peter Gelb about the 2019-20120 season.
Philip Glass Feature
Mary Jo Heath interviews Maestro Karen Kamensek
Second Intermission
Backstage Pass #1 – Loren Toolajian interviews Anthony Roth Costanzo
Backstage Pass #2 – Loren Toolajian interviews Dísella Lárusdóttir, J’Nai Bridges, and Zachery James
Lise Davidsen Feature
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TRISTAN UND ISOLDE:Wagner
Leindsorf; Thomas, Nilsson, Dalis, Tozzi, Doole
Original Air Date: 12/18/1971
MOD Audio
SID.19510103
This performance is not often rebroadcast, and is as distinctive for Leinsdorf’s sleek conducting as for Nilsson’s continued mastery of Isolde. I find Jess Thomas less ingratiating than most, but this is one of his better performances.
Various:Various
Various Artists
Original Air Date: 01/01/9999
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UN BALLO IN MASCHERA:Verdi
Panizza; Björling, Milanov, Sved, Andreva, Castagna
Original Air Date: 12/14/1940
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Neither Milanov nor Bjorling recorded these roles complete, let alone together (Bjorling scheduled for two–Toscanini and Solti). Panizza, Milanov, and Bjorling all outstanding. It was widely available in various private pressings. This is still 1940s sound and this week is only the second appearance on Sirius. My guess is that this will appear in the MOoD offerings shortly [ well we’re two years later it still is not in MOoD], as almost all the big box reissues on CD make their way into MOoD.
ELEKTRA:Strauss
Levine; Schnaut, Voigt, Schwarz, Pape, Jerusalem
Original Air Date: 12/21/2002
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The same 3 ladies also have a 1999 broadcast with Levine which is regularly alternated on Sirius. For my taste, this is far too much Schnaut. Schwarz whom I remember fondly for her work on the Chereau Ring at Bayreuth (an outstanding Fricka) makes her last Met appearance with this broadcast, but though gone 12 years, the database does not yet mark it as a final Met appearance [still true in 2015]. I prefer Varnay, Borkh, and Nilsson. Eva Marton did not do her Elektra at the Met, a great loss, and Gwyneth Jones did not broadcast any of her 4 Met Elektras– one of her best roles. Marton does have a fantastic Chrysothemis with Mastilovic under Leinsdorf which has been on Sirius and well worth a listen.
TANNHÄUSER:Wagner
Levine; McCracken, Kubiak, Bumbry, Weikl, Macurdy
Original Air Date: 01/21/1978
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This is McCracken’s only broadcast outing as Tannhauser, and he is really very fine. Weikl and Bumbry are tops in these roles and Kubiak is a very decent Elisabeth. Levine is at his very best. What is inexplicable to me is why this performance has not made its way to MOoD. McCracken has 597 Met appearances, more than 300 of them after his return as Otello in March 1963. Bumbry, to my mind is the most important American mezzo of the 20th century. Venus was a breakthrough role for her in 1960 at the Bayreuth Festival. This is her only broadcast from the Met of Venus. This performance does great honor to all of the cast and I am grateful that it has been regularly on Sirius, but the better sound afforded in MOoD would definitely benefit Tannhauser.
ESCLARMONDE:Massenet
Bonynge; Sutherland, Aragall, Tourangeau, Grant
Original Air Date: 12/11/1976
MOD Audio
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This is the Met’s only broadcast of Esclarmonde, and the performance in addition to the predictable glitter from Sutherland, captures Aragall in one of his best performances. For many, his material was the best of absolute best, and the new generation of tenors in the 1970s, but it never quite all came together. Here is the exception. Enjoy.
Puccini
Rudel; Mitchell, Mauro, Schexnayder, Tajo
Original Air Date: 01/31/1987
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Mitchell is quite a good Manon, and Mauro is acceptable. I’ve heard this performance several times on Sirius, and it is a decent repertory performance. 10/17/11-Manon Lescaut is at the top of my Puccini list, and it is nice to hear Mitchell’s lush voice in the music, while still showing off attractive high notes. Mauro is less to my taste, but this performance is not overly rotated. I’ll catch again during the week.
DER ROSENKAVALIER:Strauss
Kout; Mentzer, Studer, Halfvarson, Norberg-Schulz, Opie
Original Air Date: 01/29/2000
MOD Audio
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This is Cheryl Studer’s penultimate Met performance in her 39 performance Met career. The Met has cast Rosenkavalier more strongly, but Studer still has major Strauss credentials.
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DON PASQUALE:Donizetti
Papi; Baccaloni, Sayão, Martini, Valentino
Original Air Date: 12/21/1940
MOD Audio
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This is one of the older Met broadcasts to appear in the Sirius rebroadcast series. It’s also one of the best, with Baccaloni and Sayao in very top form. This is also available in MOoD. Sayao and Baccaloni have a lot of charm in our only broadcast from the 40s this week This is also on Met Player, and it’s good to hear why Baccaloni and Sayao were so beloved. What personality even in 1940 AM sound.
IDOMENEO:Mozart
Levine; Heppner, Upshaw, Vaness, Mentzer, Kazaras
Original Air Date: 12/21/1991
MOD Audio
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This is a solid performance, and especially so for the young Heppner, and Vaness, who is probably the best Electra the Met has seen.
DON CARLO:Verdi
Stiedry; Tucker, Rigal, Silveri, Barbieri, Hines, Hotter
Original Air Date: 04/05/1952
MOD Audio
SID.19510214
This is most distinctive for being Tucker’s first Don Carlo broadcast and one of Hotter’s few. This is the first of Tucker’s three Don Carlo broadcasts, and I find his 1955 preferable. What I’ve never heard, but also from 1952 (but next season) is his second which has a better supporting cast with Merrill for Silveri, and Siepi for Hines as Filippo; Erede is in the pit for his only Don Carlo broadcast. Also unusual is that though Tucker went on to sing the opera for 15 more years after his 1955 broadcast with Steber, he never went to the airwaves for it again. At 26 performances, he is by far the Don Carlo champion– I saw him in it three times. most notably at a fall 1968 matinee not broadcast with (Orlandi, Verrett, Merrill, Ghiaurov, and Talvela under Abbado). Bing did not see Hotter in leading roles and in Walkure he was cast as Hunding, not Wotan. What has not been rebroadcast on Sirius is Hotter’s farewell which is a 1954 Parsifal with Svanholm, Varnay, and London, and Hotter as Gurnemanz under Stiedry.
MADAMA BUTTERFLY:Puccini
Armiliato; Dessì, Armiliato, Bunnell, Shimell, Fracker
Original Air Date: 03/30/2002
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Dessi has focused her career primarily in Europe so she could regularly sing with her husband, Fabio Armiliato. She has only 20 Met performances covering a span of 15 years, and this is her final Met broadcast to date. Her brother-in-law is in the pit, who has 10 x the number of Met appearances. I relistened to the first act of this yesterday, and what a pleasure to two native Italians in the leads. Fabio’s absence from the Met tenor roster has been much felt in the last decade, and conductor Mario seemed much more detailed and involved than has been the norm from some of his recent Met outings. What IS missing us and MOOd are two broadcasts featuring native Italian speakers in the lead roles– Stella and Fernandi in 1958 and Tucci and Bergonzi from 1962.
Wagner
Levine; Domingo, Tomowa-Sintow, Marton, McIntyre, Macurdy
Original Air Date: 02/16/1985
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This performance is also available in MOoD. Domingo sings very well, but for me the special excitement of this performance comes from the two ladies. Marton had not yet started her heavy round of Elektra performances, and her singing is commanding without ever being less than very feminine. Lohengrin is one of Levine’s best efforts, and here’s the cast for it. The ladies are simply splendid, among the best exponents of their roles in the last 3 decades. Lohengrin is one of Levine’s best Wagner efforts.
Wagner
Levine; Domingo, Tomowa-Sintow, Marton, McIntyre, Macurdy
Original Air Date: 02/16/1985
SID.19520104
This performance is also available in MOoD. Domingo sings very well, but for me the special excitement of this performance comes from the two ladies. Marton had not yet started her heavy round of Elektra performances, and her singing is commanding without ever being less than very feminine. Lohengrin is one of Levine’s best efforts, and here’s the cast for it. The ladies are simply splendid, among the best exponents of their roles in the last 3 decades. Lohengrin is one of Levine’s best Wagner efforts.