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.
IL TROVATORE:Verdi
Original Air Date: 04/09/1977
Veltri; McCracken, Scotto, Verrett, Quilico, Smith
SID.19380107
Azucena is one of Verrett’s best roles, and she has three excellent broadcasts, 1971, this one, and a 1987 performance which is Sutherland’s farewell. Scotto understands the style, but a smoother, more velvety voice is called for. McCracken who is 3d in Met Manricos (only Martinelli’s 69 and Baum’s 60 are higher has only one other Trovatore broadcast from 1969 which is Bumbry’s only Met broadcast Azucena. Could we get that rebroadcast on Sirius sometime? Bumbry is severely underrepresented on Met Opera on Demand with only one Amneris, one Carmen, and one Salome. She’s a Kennedy Center honoree, and has many distinguished broadcasts. McCracken only has 4 performances in MOoD, the same as Baum.
IL TROVATORE:Verdi
Original Air Date: 04/09/1977
Veltri; McCracken, Scotto, Verrett, Quilico, Smith
SID.19380317
Azucena is one of Verrett’s best roles, and she has three excellent broadcasts, 1971, this one, and a 1987 performance which is Sutherland’s farewell. Scotto understands the style, but a smoother, more velvety voice is called for. McCracken who is 3d in Met Manricos (only Martinelli’s 69 and Baum’s 60 are higher has only one other Trovatore broadcast from 1969 which is Bumbry’s only Met broadcast Azucena. Could we get that rebroadcast on Sirius sometime? Bumbry is severely underrepresented on Met Opera on Demand with only one Amneris, one Carmen, and one Salome. She’s a Kennedy Center honoree, and has many distinguished broadcasts. McCracken only has 4 performances in MOoD, the same as Baum.
IL TROVATORE:Verdi
Original Air Date: 04/09/1977
Veltri; McCracken, Scotto, Verrett, Quilico, Smith
SID.19380533
Azucena is one of Verrett’s best roles, and she has three excellent broadcasts, 1971, this one, and a 1987 performance which is Sutherland’s farewell. Scotto understands the style, but a smoother, more velvety voice is called for. McCracken who is 3d in Met Manricos (only Martinelli’s 69 and Baum’s 60 are higher has only one other Trovatore broadcast from 1969 which is Bumbry’s only Met broadcast Azucena. Could we get that rebroadcast on Sirius sometime? Bumbry is severely underrepresented on Met Opera on Demand with only one Amneris, one Carmen, and one Salome. She’s a Kennedy Center honoree, and has many distinguished broadcasts. McCracken only has 4 performances in MOoD, the same as Baum.
MANON LESCAUT:Puccini
Levine; Scotto, Domingo, Elvira, Capecchi
Original Air Date: 03/29/1980
SID.19400102
This performance is also available on video in MOoD. As an audio only performance, it ranks behind the two Bjorling broadcasts (1949 with Kirsten and 1956 with Albanese– the latter one of the great Met broadcasts thanks to the additional force of Mitropoulos in the pit). Though Tebaldi and Tucker were both great exponents of these roles, their 1959 broadcast together still seems to elude the Sirius programmers. Great shame, especially for her, as it’s one of her great afternoons. This 1980 broadcast is well worth listening to, but recent reactions to Scotto’s 1967 Butterfly and her 1982 Lady Macbeth found her tone even harder than remembered. Her style is impeccable, but her 45 year old Manon is pretty hard-edged.
LUISA MILLER:Verdi
Levine; Scotto, Domingo, Milnes, Giaiotti, Morris, Kraft
Original Air Date: 01/27/1979
SID.19400103
MOoD also features the telecast from a week before with the same cast (and was issued on DVD as well.) Scotto and Domingo understand the style very well, and if every note is not ideal, they rise to great heights in the final act (which is among Verdi’s greatest music for any of his operas).
LUISA MILLER:Verdi
Levine; Scotto, Domingo, Milnes, Giaiotti, Morris, Kraft
Original Air Date: 01/27/1979
SID.19400320
MOoD also features the telecast from a week before with the same cast (and was issued on DVD as well.) Scotto and Domingo understand the style very well, and if every note is not ideal, they rise to great heights in the final act (which is among Verdi’s greatest music for any of his operas).
MANON LESCAUT:Puccini
Levine; Scotto, Domingo, Elvira, Capecchi
Original Air Date: 03/29/1980
SID.19400423
This performance is also available on video in MOoD. As an audio only performance, it ranks behind the two Bjorling broadcasts (1949 with Kirsten and 1956 with Albanese– the latter one of the great Met broadcasts thanks to the additional force of Mitropoulos in the pit). Though Tebaldi and Tucker were both great exponents of these roles, their 1959 broadcast together still seems to elude the Sirius programmers. Great shame, especially for her, as it’s one of her great afternoons. This 1980 broadcast is well worth listening to, but recent reactions to Scotto’s 1967 Butterfly and her 1982 Lady Macbeth found her tone even harder than remembered. Her style is impeccable, but her 45 year old Manon is pretty hard-edged.
LUISA MILLER:Verdi
Levine; Scotto, Domingo, Milnes, Giaiotti, Morris, Kraft
Original Air Date: 01/27/1979
SID.19400637
MOoD also features the telecast from a week before with the same cast (and was issued on DVD as well.) Scotto and Domingo understand the style very well, and if every note is not ideal, they rise to great heights in the final act (which is among Verdi’s greatest music for any of his operas).
MANON LESCAUT:Puccini
Levine; Scotto, Domingo, Elvira, Capecchi
Original Air Date: 03/29/1980
SID.19400746
This performance is also available on video in MOoD. As an audio only performance, it ranks behind the two Bjorling broadcasts (1949 with Kirsten and 1956 with Albanese– the latter one of the great Met broadcasts thanks to the additional force of Mitropoulos in the pit). Though Tebaldi and Tucker were both great exponents of these roles, their 1959 broadcast together still seems to elude the Sirius programmers. Great shame, especially for her, as it’s one of her great afternoons. This 1980 broadcast is well worth listening to, but recent reactions to Scotto’s 1967 Butterfly and her 1982 Lady Macbeth found her tone even harder than remembered. Her style is impeccable, but her 45 year old Manon is pretty hard-edged.
MACBETH:Verdi
Levine; Milnes, Scotto, Plishka, Jenkins
Original Air Date: 12/18/1982
MOD Audio
SID.19410208
This is the first year of the new production by Peter Hall, which was heavily booed (deservedly– i was there) on its opening night. There is a second year of the production with the cast repeating except with Ciannella for Jenkins. Scotto never had the right voice for the part, and though Deutekom was a very successful Lady Macbeth (not at the Met) she had a knife edge upper register which was not Scotto’s. Milnes is almost two decades into his Met career, and he is better heard earlier with Arroyo (one of the most securely vocalized of Lady Macbeths in Met history; she was not especially memorable dramatically, but Verdi’s notes are well honored.) Met Macbeths with Netrebko , Rysanek (first season especially), and Dalis (despite a very wayward D flat) are all to be preferred to Scotto’s effort.This is the first year of the new production by Peter Hall, which was heavily booed on its opening night. There is a second year of the production with the cast repeating except with Ciannella for Jenkins. Scotto never had the right voice for the part, and though Deutekom was a very successful Lady Macbeth (not at the Met) she had a knife edge upper register which was not Scotto’s. Milnes is almost two decades into his Met career, and he is better heard earlier with Arroyo (one of the most securely vocalized of Lady Macbeths in Met history; she was not especially memorable dramatically, but Verdi’s notes are well honored.) Met Macbeths with Netrebko , Rysanek (first season especially), and Dalis (despite a very wayward D flat) are all to be preferred to Scotto’s effort.
MACBETH:Verdi
Levine; Milnes, Scotto, Plishka, Jenkins
Original Air Date: 12/18/1982
MOD Audio
SID.19410425
This is the first year of the new production by Peter Hall, which was heavily booed (deservedly– i was there) on its opening night. There is a second year of the production with the cast repeating except with Ciannella for Jenkins. Scotto never had the right voice for the part, and though Deutekom was a very successful Lady Macbeth (not at the Met) she had a knife edge upper register which was not Scotto’s. Milnes is almost two decades into his Met career, and he is better heard earlier with Arroyo (one of the most securely vocalized of Lady Macbeths in Met history; she was not especially memorable dramatically, but Verdi’s notes are well honored.) Met Macbeths with Netrebko , Rysanek (first season especially), and Dalis (despite a very wayward D flat) are all to be preferred to Scotto’s effort.This is the first year of the new production by Peter Hall, which was heavily booed on its opening night. There is a second year of the production with the cast repeating except with Ciannella for Jenkins. Scotto never had the right voice for the part, and though Deutekom was a very successful Lady Macbeth (not at the Met) she had a knife edge upper register which was not Scotto’s. Milnes is almost two decades into his Met career, and he is better heard earlier with Arroyo (one of the most securely vocalized of Lady Macbeths in Met history; she was not especially memorable dramatically, but Verdi’s notes are well honored.) Met Macbeths with Netrebko , Rysanek (first season especially), and Dalis (despite a very wayward D flat) are all to be preferred to Scotto’s effort.
MACBETH:Verdi
Levine; Milnes, Scotto, Plishka, Jenkins
Original Air Date: 12/18/1982
MOD Audio
SID.19410535
This is the first year of the new production by Peter Hall, which was heavily booed (deservedly– i was there) on its opening night. There is a second year of the production with the cast repeating except with Ciannella for Jenkins. Scotto never had the right voice for the part, and though Deutekom was a very successful Lady Macbeth (not at the Met) she had a knife edge upper register which was not Scotto’s. Milnes is almost two decades into his Met career, and he is better heard earlier with Arroyo (one of the most securely vocalized of Lady Macbeths in Met history; she was not especially memorable dramatically, but Verdi’s notes are well honored.) Met Macbeths with Netrebko , Rysanek (first season especially), and Dalis (despite a very wayward D flat) are all to be preferred to Scotto’s effort.This is the first year of the new production by Peter Hall, which was heavily booed on its opening night. There is a second year of the production with the cast repeating except with Ciannella for Jenkins. Scotto never had the right voice for the part, and though Deutekom was a very successful Lady Macbeth (not at the Met) she had a knife edge upper register which was not Scotto’s. Milnes is almost two decades into his Met career, and he is better heard earlier with Arroyo (one of the most securely vocalized of Lady Macbeths in Met history; she was not especially memorable dramatically, but Verdi’s notes are well honored.) Met Macbeths with Netrebko , Rysanek (first season especially), and Dalis (despite a very wayward D flat) are all to be preferred to Scotto’s effort.
LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR:Donizetti
Molinari-Pradelli; Scotto, Alexander, Sereni, Plishka
Original Air Date: 04/21/1973
SID.19430315
This is Scotto’s only Met broadcast of Lucia, even though she has two 39th street (old house) performances. Alexander is well suited to Edgardo and his Lucias include Sutherland, Moffo, Sills, Robinson, and Negri (his last in a Bronx Parks assignment). Sereni was a regular Enrico and Molinari-Pradelli is a solid maestro. Scotto the previous performance she cancelled after Act 1, and this broadcast is her final New York Lucia. She does do five tour Lucias after this broadcast. The male contingent is fairly standard B+ casting from the Met, not more, not less. This is the first Met broadcast of Lucia since the Moffo, Gedda performance (debut of Franci and Bruson) of 2/1/69 which is a performance not yet on Sirius, but Jackson spends some time on it (and I remember it like yesterday). This was a bad period at the Met for the Bride of Lammermoor.
LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR:Donizetti
Molinari-Pradelli; Scotto, Alexander, Sereni, Plishka
Original Air Date: 04/21/1973
SID.19430320
This is Scotto’s only Met broadcast of Lucia, even though she has two 39th street (old house) performances. Alexander is well suited to Edgardo and his Lucias include Sutherland, Moffo, Sills, Robinson, and Negri (his last in a Bronx Parks assignment). Sereni was a regular Enrico and Molinari-Pradelli is a solid maestro. Scotto the previous performance she cancelled after Act 1, and this broadcast is her final New York Lucia. She does do five tour Lucias after this broadcast. The male contingent is fairly standard B+ casting from the Met, not more, not less. This is the first Met broadcast of Lucia since the Moffo, Gedda performance (debut of Franci and Bruson) of 2/1/69 which is a performance not yet on Sirius, but Jackson spends some time on it (and I remember it like yesterday). This was a bad period at the Met for the Bride of Lammermoor.
FRANCESCA DA RIMINI:Zandonai
Santi; Scotto, Mauro, MacNeil, Lewis
Original Air Date: 02/22/1986
SID.19450316
This performance is Kabaivanska’s Met farewell. Well cast and well conducted, there are two broadcasts of Onegin in 1979 (but different seasons),both with Mazurok and Plishka the only repeats from one to another. This is slightly better. For those who have never encountered Mazurok, his voice is as velvety as Hvorostovsky, and an upper register that definitely has squillo. Wish the Met would transfer one of these Mazurok Onegins to MOoD. Glad that it at least gets a regular Sirius re-hearing. The highlights of this opera are very exciting indeed, and if there is filler along the way, the Met put out one of its most sumptuous productions. Domingo did the first year broadcast and appears on the Met Player video (also on DVD). MacNeil gives a quite over the top performance that could not be replicated– think of Rigoletto on steroids. It’s a small part but you will notice him.
FRANCESCA DA RIMINI:Zandonai
Santi; Scotto, Mauro, MacNeil, Lewis
Original Air Date: 02/22/1986
SID.19450636
This performance is Kabaivanska’s Met farewell. Well cast and well conducted, there are two broadcasts of Onegin in 1979 (but different seasons),both with Mazurok and Plishka the only repeats from one to another. This is slightly better. For those who have never encountered Mazurok, his voice is as velvety as Hvorostovsky, and an upper register that definitely has squillo. Wish the Met would transfer one of these Mazurok Onegins to MOoD. Glad that it at least gets a regular Sirius re-hearing. The highlights of this opera are very exciting indeed, and if there is filler along the way, the Met put out one of its most sumptuous productions. Domingo did the first year broadcast and appears on the Met Player video (also on DVD). MacNeil gives a quite over the top performance that could not be replicated– think of Rigoletto on steroids. It’s a small part but you will notice him.
FRANCESCA DA RIMINI:Zandonai
Santi; Scotto, Mauro, MacNeil, Lewis
Original Air Date: 02/22/1986
SID.19450638
This performance is Kabaivanska’s Met farewell. Well cast and well conducted, there are two broadcasts of Onegin in 1979 (but different seasons),both with Mazurok and Plishka the only repeats from one to another. This is slightly better. For those who have never encountered Mazurok, his voice is as velvety as Hvorostovsky, and an upper register that definitely has squillo. Wish the Met would transfer one of these Mazurok Onegins to MOoD. Glad that it at least gets a regular Sirius re-hearing. The highlights of this opera are very exciting indeed, and if there is filler along the way, the Met put out one of its most sumptuous productions. Domingo did the first year broadcast and appears on the Met Player video (also on DVD). MacNeil gives a quite over the top performance that could not be replicated– think of Rigoletto on steroids. It’s a small part but you will notice him.
LE PROPHÈTE:Meyerbeer
Lewis; McCracken, Scotto, Horne, Hines
Original Air Date: 01/29/1977
SID.19480102
Though this is the only broadcast of Prophete from the Met, I find the work of little interest. The big name singers work hard, but Lewis is not the man to make the work seem better than it is. The second season is in the opening weeks under Charles Mackerras (typically a much higher profile conductor), but not broadcast. In the current environment we would have had one and possibly two offerings with new casting of both Berthe (Rita Shane) and Jean (Guy Chauvet).
LE PROPHÈTE:Meyerbeer
Lewis; McCracken, Scotto, Horne, Hines
Original Air Date: 01/29/1977
SID.19480425
Though this is the only broadcast of Prophete from the Met, I find the work of little interest. The big name singers work hard, but Lewis is not the man to make the work seem better than it is. The second season is in the opening weeks under Charles Mackerras (typically a much higher profile conductor), but not broadcast. In the current environment we would have had one and possibly two offerings with new casting of both Berthe (Rita Shane) and Jean (Guy Chauvet).
MACBETH:Verdi
Levine; Milnes, Scotto, Plishka, Ciannella
Original Air Date: 01/28/1984
SID.20010105
This is the second season of the infamous Peter Hall Macbeth. The first season broadcast also with Levine, Scotto, Milnes and Plishka is available on (MOoD). Generally with Scotto, earlier is better. This part, despite many insightful line readings, is simply not for her.
MACBETH:Verdi
Levine; Milnes, Scotto, Plishka, Ciannella
Original Air Date: 01/28/1984
SID.20010321
This is the second season of the infamous Peter Hall Macbeth. The first season broadcast also with Levine, Scotto, Milnes and Plishka is available on (MOoD). Generally with Scotto, earlier is better. This part, despite many insightful line readings, is simply not for her.
MACBETH:Verdi
Levine; Milnes, Scotto, Plishka, Ciannella
Original Air Date: 01/28/1984
SID.20010637
This is the second season of the infamous Peter Hall Macbeth. The first season broadcast also with Levine, Scotto, Milnes and Plishka is available on (MOoD). Generally with Scotto, earlier is better. This part, despite many insightful line readings, is simply not for her.
Levine; Norden, Mitchell, Scotto, Horne, Giacomini, Ghiaurov, Milnes, Morris
Original Air Date: 02/24/1979
SID.20070103
DON CARLO:Verdi
Levine; Norden, Mitchell, Scotto, Horne, Giacomini, Ghiaurov, Milnes, Morris
Original Air Date: 02/24/1979
SID.20070319
This is Levine’s first year conducting Don Carlo, and in its full five act format. I don’t think Horne works very well at all, and some of the phrases press Scotto very hard. The men are solid, though it’s not my favorite Posa. Ghiaurov is caught well past his best, Horne is miscast, Scotto is overparted, and Giacomini rather monochrone in his first Met season. Morris is one of the younger Inquisitors, and certainly gala casting for the Celestial Voice from Leona Mitchell. What is a surprise is that Don Carlo which is one of Levine’s most frequent assignments (60 performances) and a Met record for the opera, but the only Levine performances listed in MOoD is the atreamed audio from 2006 with Racette and Botha, and neither of the videos — the first with Freni, the second with Scotto (with Moldoveanu and Troyanos) which have been available on DVD have made it to MOoD. Whatever the limitations of individual performers, this is a full voiced line-up.
DON CARLO:Verdi
Levine; Norden, Mitchell, Scotto, Horne, Giacomini, Ghiaurov, Milnes, Morris
Original Air Date: 02/24/1979
SID.20070535
This is Levine’s first year conducting Don Carlo, and in its full five act format. I don’t think Horne works very well at all, and some of the phrases press Scotto very hard. The men are solid, though it’s not my favorite Posa. Ghiaurov is caught well past his best, Horne is miscast, Scotto is overparted, and Giacomini rather monochrone in his first Met season. Morris is one of the younger Inquisitors, and certainly gala casting for the Celestial Voice from Leona Mitchell. What is a surprise is that Don Carlo which is one of Levine’s most frequent assignments (60 performances) and a Met record for the opera, but the only Levine performances listed in MOoD is the atreamed audio from 2006 with Racette and Botha, and neither of the videos — the first with Freni, the second with Scotto (with Moldoveanu and Troyanos) which have been available on DVD have made it to MOoD. Whatever the limitations of individual performers, this is a full voiced line-up.
MADAMA BUTTERFLY:Puccini
Patanè; Scotto, Aragall, Love, Edwards, Atherton
Original Air Date: 12/17/1977
SID.20080106
Aragall only has 38 Met performances in his nine season tenure. His two broadcasts are Esclarmonde with Sutherland and this Butterfly with Scotto in close to her very best voice. Few tenor voices had such unforced beauty. His Met farewell comes in Boheme two days after this broadcast Aragall suffered from severe nervousness which could affect his pitch. Luckily his two Met broadcasts capture mostly just the remarkable voice, one much respected by his peers– Carreras, Domingo, and Pavarotti. Patane lamentably died much too young at 54 while conducting at the Bavarian State Opera, Munich. He was an excellent maestro in the Met’s Italian wing, and is the conductor for Pavarotti and Ricciarelli’s Ballo in Maschera telecast/DVD. He also is number four in Gioconda performances at 25 (Cleva at 65 (Milanov and Tebaldi); Serafin at 55, Toscanini at 29 surpass him).
MADAMA BUTTERFLY:Puccini
Patanè; Scotto, Aragall, Love, Edwards, Atherton
Original Air Date: 12/17/1977
SID.20080530
Aragall only has 38 Met performances in his nine season tenure. His two broadcasts are Esclarmonde with Sutherland and this Butterfly with Scotto in close to her very best voice. Few tenor voices had such unforced beauty. His Met farewell comes in Boheme two days after this broadcast Aragall suffered from severe nervousness which could affect his pitch. Luckily his two Met broadcasts capture mostly just the remarkable voice, one much respected by his peers– Carreras, Domingo, and Pavarotti. Patane lamentably died much too young at 54 while conducting at the Bavarian State Opera, Munich. He was an excellent maestro in the Met’s Italian wing, and is the conductor for Pavarotti and Ricciarelli’s Ballo in Maschera telecast/DVD. He also is number four in Gioconda performances at 25 (Cleva at 65 (Milanov and Tebaldi); Serafin at 55, Toscanini at 29 surpass him).
MADAMA BUTTERFLY:Puccini
Patanè; Scotto, Aragall, Love, Edwards, Atherton
Original Air Date: 12/17/1977
SID.20080747
Aragall only has 38 Met performances in his nine season tenure. His two broadcasts are Esclarmonde with Sutherland and this Butterfly with Scotto in close to her very best voice. Few tenor voices had such unforced beauty. His Met farewell comes in Boheme two days after this broadcast Aragall suffered from severe nervousness which could affect his pitch. Luckily his two Met broadcasts capture mostly just the remarkable voice, one much respected by his peers– Carreras, Domingo, and Pavarotti. Patane lamentably died much too young at 54 while conducting at the Bavarian State Opera, Munich. He was an excellent maestro in the Met’s Italian wing, and is the conductor for Pavarotti and Ricciarelli’s Ballo in Maschera telecast/DVD. He also is number four in Gioconda performances at 25 (Cleva at 65 (Milanov and Tebaldi); Serafin at 55, Toscanini at 29 surpass him).
FRANCESCA DA RIMINI:Zandonai
Levine; Scotto, Domingo, MacNeil, Lewis
Original Air Date: 04/07/1984
MOD AudioMOD Video
SID.20130209
RWW: A bit late for Scotto, but MacNeil makes quite a meal of his Giovanni. MacNeil’s role is no cameo. Very committed performances from all. Best experienced in the video version available on DVD and Met Player.
FRANCESCA DA RIMINI:Zandonai
Levine; Scotto, Domingo, MacNeil, Lewis
Original Air Date: 04/07/1984
MOD AudioMOD Video
SID.20130427
RWW: A bit late for Scotto, but MacNeil makes quite a meal of his Giovanni. MacNeil’s role is no cameo. Very committed performances from all. Best experienced in the video version available on DVD and Met Player.