2019 Summer HD Festival

In this 11th year, over ten nights performances from the Met’s Live in HD series will be shown starting with a screening of FUNNY FACE in a special co-presentation with Film at Lincoln Center.   Screenings run from August 23 through September 2.  There will be 3000 seats in the Plaza in front of the Opera House with an additional standing room area. Cancellations due to thunder/lighting or high wind will not be rescheduled. 

Aug
26
Mon
2019
ERNANI
Aug 26 @ 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM


ERNANI:Verdi
Original Air Date: 12/17/1983
Levine; Pavarotti, Mitchell, Milnes, Raimondi
MOD Audio SID.19350103
This is the audio that goes with the video available on DVD. I love Ernani, and Pavarotti and Mitchell are quite good. Milnes and Raimondi are not my usual choices in this music; I prefer by a lot MacNeil and Siepi. Levine is lively, and a week with Ernani always makes me feel better. I think Pavarotti may only have one other run in this role (Verona?)but unusually Domingo’s Ernani total at the Met is lower — one.

Aug
28
Wed
2019
ERNANI
Aug 28 @ 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM


ERNANI:Verdi
Original Air Date: 12/17/1983
Levine; Pavarotti, Mitchell, Milnes, Raimondi
MOD Audio SID.19350319
This is the audio that goes with the video available on DVD. I love Ernani, and Pavarotti and Mitchell are quite good. Milnes and Raimondi are not my usual choices in this music; I prefer by a lot MacNeil and Siepi. Levine is lively, and a week with Ernani always makes me feel better. I think Pavarotti may only have one other run in this role (Verona?)but unusually Domingo’s Ernani total at the Met is lower — one.

Sep
1
Sun
2019
ERNANI
Sep 1 @ 12:00 AM – 3:00 AM


ERNANI:Verdi
Original Air Date: 12/17/1983
Levine; Pavarotti, Mitchell, Milnes, Raimondi
MOD Audio SID.19350743
This is the audio that goes with the video available on DVD. I love Ernani, and Pavarotti and Mitchell are quite good. Milnes and Raimondi are not my usual choices in this music; I prefer by a lot MacNeil and Siepi. Levine is lively, and a week with Ernani always makes me feel better. I think Pavarotti may only have one other run in this role (Verona?)but unusually Domingo’s Ernani total at the Met is lower — one.

Oct
29
Tue
2019
ERNANI
Oct 29 @ 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM


ERNANI:Verdi
Mitropoulos; Del Monaco, Milanov, Warren, Siepi
Original Air Date: 12/29/1956
MOD Audio
SID.19440210
Elvira is definitely a bit late for Milanov, but the men are the best in the business for these roles in 1956, and all among the greatest ever in these roles. It is the first Met broadcast of Ernani, and although Del Monaco is slightly better in his Florence broadcast with Cerquetti, he is the Verdian bandit to the life. This is a bit late for Milanov, but Warren and Siepi are certainly top drawer as well. Mitropoulos brings his accustomed fire and a few odd choices in musical text. Mitropoulos and Del Monaco are better represented from Florence, and this part is simply too late for Milanov. This part is HARD– check Freni’s challenge at La Scala. Ernani involvami demands full blown coloratura mastery from the moment you open your mouth, and while the rest of the role is mostly ensembles, it’s challenging. Leona Mitchell is mostly very up to the challenges. Two good stabs at the part were NOT broadcast, Arroyo’s opening night with Bergonzi and Milnes, and Millo, (two in the house, four in the parks very early in her Met career). The good news on Ernani is the complete Met broadcast history is documented on Sirius.

Oct
31
Thu
2019
ERNANI
Oct 31 @ 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM


ERNANI:Verdi
Mitropoulos; Del Monaco, Milanov, Warren, Siepi
Original Air Date: 12/29/1956
MOD Audio
SID.19440426
Elvira is definitely a bit late for Milanov, but the men are the best in the business for these roles in 1956, and all among the greatest ever in these roles. It is the first Met broadcast of Ernani, and although Del Monaco is slightly better in his Florence broadcast with Cerquetti, he is the Verdian bandit to the life. This is a bit late for Milanov, but Warren and Siepi are certainly top drawer as well. Mitropoulos brings his accustomed fire and a few odd choices in musical text. Mitropoulos and Del Monaco are better represented from Florence, and this part is simply too late for Milanov. This part is HARD– check Freni’s challenge at La Scala. Ernani involvami demands full blown coloratura mastery from the moment you open your mouth, and while the rest of the role is mostly ensembles, it’s challenging. Leona Mitchell is mostly very up to the challenges. Two good stabs at the part were NOT broadcast, Arroyo’s opening night with Bergonzi and Milnes, and Millo, (two in the house, four in the parks very early in her Met career). The good news on Ernani is the complete Met broadcast history is documented on Sirius.

Nov
2
Sat
2019
ERNANI
Nov 2 @ 9:00 PM – 11:55 PM


ERNANI:Verdi
Mitropoulos; Del Monaco, Milanov, Warren, Siepi
Original Air Date: 12/29/1956
MOD Audio
SID.19440642
Elvira is definitely a bit late for Milanov, but the men are the best in the business for these roles in 1956, and all among the greatest ever in these roles. It is the first Met broadcast of Ernani, and although Del Monaco is slightly better in his Florence broadcast with Cerquetti, he is the Verdian bandit to the life. This is a bit late for Milanov, but Warren and Siepi are certainly top drawer as well. Mitropoulos brings his accustomed fire and a few odd choices in musical text. Mitropoulos and Del Monaco are better represented from Florence, and this part is simply too late for Milanov. This part is HARD– check Freni’s challenge at La Scala. Ernani involvami demands full blown coloratura mastery from the moment you open your mouth, and while the rest of the role is mostly ensembles, it’s challenging. Leona Mitchell is mostly very up to the challenges. Two good stabs at the part were NOT broadcast, Arroyo’s opening night with Bergonzi and Milnes, and Millo, (two in the house, four in the parks very early in her Met career). The good news on Ernani is the complete Met broadcast history is documented on Sirius.

Dec
24
Tue
2019
ERNANI
Dec 24 @ 12:00 AM – 3:00 AM


ERNANI:Verdi
Schippers; Bergonzi, Price, MacNeil, Tozzi, Ordassy, Nagy, Reitan
Original Air Date: 12/01/1962
MOD Audio
SID.19520208
This is one of the classic Met broadcasts, and on balance the best of the Ernani broadcasts. Corelli was more of an in-house Ernani, but for the broadcast mikes, Bergonzi is close to ideal. MacNeil, one of the Met mainstay baritones on this occasion delivers an absolutely historic performance with a seemingly unending upper register, but also a command of the style that surpassed any modern baritone at the Met. Price is not ideal as Elvira, but she has many superb moments, especially as captured by the mikes. Fortunately this performance as well as the 1965 with Corelli, Sereni, and Siepi joining Price are BOTH on MOoD, and both performances serve Verdi very well indeed. Available in a Sony historical CD and on MOoD. As much as I love Bergonzi, the most remarkable performance of the afternoon is MacNeil in one of his greatest if not greatest broadcast appearance. Do not miss.

Dec
26
Thu
2019
ERNANI
Dec 26 @ 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM


ERNANI:Verdi
Schippers; Bergonzi, Price, MacNeil, Tozzi, Ordassy, Nagy, Reitan
Original Air Date: 12/01/1962
MOD Audio
SID.19520424
This is one of the classic Met broadcasts, and on balance the best of the Ernani broadcasts. Corelli was more of an in-house Ernani, but for the broadcast mikes, Bergonzi is close to ideal. MacNeil, one of the Met mainstay baritones on this occasion delivers an absolutely historic performance with a seemingly unending upper register, but also a command of the style that surpassed any modern baritone at the Met. Price is not ideal as Elvira, but she has many superb moments, especially as captured by the mikes. Fortunately this performance as well as the 1965 with Corelli, Sereni, and Siepi joining Price are BOTH on MOoD, and both performances serve Verdi very well indeed. Available in a Sony historical CD and on MOoD. As much as I love Bergonzi, the most remarkable performance of the afternoon is MacNeil in one of his greatest if not greatest broadcast appearance. Do not miss.

Dec
28
Sat
2019
ERNANI
Dec 28 @ 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM


ERNANI:Verdi
Schippers; Bergonzi, Price, MacNeil, Tozzi, Ordassy, Nagy, Reitan
Original Air Date: 12/01/1962
MOD Audio
SID.19520641
This is one of the classic Met broadcasts, and on balance the best of the Ernani broadcasts. Corelli was more of an in-house Ernani, but for the broadcast mikes, Bergonzi is close to ideal. MacNeil, one of the Met mainstay baritones on this occasion delivers an absolutely historic performance with a seemingly unending upper register, but also a command of the style that surpassed any modern baritone at the Met. Price is not ideal as Elvira, but she has many superb moments, especially as captured by the mikes. Fortunately this performance as well as the 1965 with Corelli, Sereni, and Siepi joining Price are BOTH on MOoD, and both performances serve Verdi very well indeed. Available in a Sony historical CD and on MOoD. As much as I love Bergonzi, the most remarkable performance of the afternoon is MacNeil in one of his greatest if not greatest broadcast appearance. Do not miss.

Feb
18
Tue
2020
ERNANI
Feb 18 @ 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM


ERNANI:Verdi
Schippers; Corelli, Price, Sereni, Siepi
Original Air Date: 04/10/1965
MOD Audio
SID.20080212
The Met has two outstanding Ernani broadcasts from the mid 1960s, both with Schippers and Leontyne Price. The first is with Bergonzi and MacNeil, and the second features the special contributions of Corelli and Siepi. Luckily both are on MOoD, with the first also issued on Sony Historical CD. Both these performances belong in every Verdi lover’s playlist. Ernani was back later with Domingo in the baritone role; his only Met appearance in the title role was in 1971 (not broadcast).

Feb
20
Thu
2020
ERNANI
Feb 20 @ 9:00 PM – 12:00 AM


ERNANI:Verdi
Schippers; Corelli, Price, Sereni, Siepi
Original Air Date: 04/10/1965
MOD Audio
SID.20080428
The Met has two outstanding Ernani broadcasts from the mid 1960s, both with Schippers and Leontyne Price. The first is with Bergonzi and MacNeil, and the second features the special contributions of Corelli and Siepi. Luckily both are on MOoD, with the first also issued on Sony Historical CD. Both these performances belong in every Verdi lover’s playlist. Ernani was back later with Domingo in the baritone role; his only Met appearance in the title role was in 1971 (not broadcast).

Feb
21
Fri
2020
ERNANI
Feb 21 @ 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM


ERNANI:Verdi
Schippers; Corelli, Price, Sereni, Siepi
Original Air Date: 04/10/1965
MOD Audio
SID.20080532
The Met has two outstanding Ernani broadcasts from the mid 1960s, both with Schippers and Leontyne Price. The first is with Bergonzi and MacNeil, and the second features the special contributions of Corelli and Siepi. Luckily both are on MOoD, with the first also issued on Sony Historical CD. Both these performances belong in every Verdi lover’s playlist. Ernani was back later with Domingo in the baritone role; his only Met appearance in the title role was in 1971 (not broadcast).

Feb
23
Sun
2020
ERNANI
Feb 23 @ 6:00 AM – 9:00 AM


ERNANI:Verdi
Schippers; Corelli, Price, Sereni, Siepi
Original Air Date: 04/10/1965
MOD Audio
SID.20080744
The Met has two outstanding Ernani broadcasts from the mid 1960s, both with Schippers and Leontyne Price. The first is with Bergonzi and MacNeil, and the second features the special contributions of Corelli and Siepi. Luckily both are on MOoD, with the first also issued on Sony Historical CD. Both these performances belong in every Verdi lover’s playlist. Ernani was back later with Domingo in the baritone role; his only Met appearance in the title role was in 1971 (not broadcast).