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.
ALCESTE:Gluck
Panizza; Bamptom, Maison, Warren
Original Air Date: 03/08/1941
SID.19410213
This is one of the few 1940s broadcasts that gets to Sirius, but neither the 1952 with Flagstad, nor the 1961 with Farrell (both in English) have made it to Sirius. Again, it seems the translation is inhibiting their inclusion. Review of Pitts Sanborn in the World-Telegraph, Mme. Bampton Sings Role of Alceste – Following the present method of frequently changing the allotment of prominent roles, the Metropolitan management offered its third Alceste last evening with a new representative of the name part. After the fiery magnificence of Marjorie Lawrence as Alcestis came the lyric charm of Rose Bampton. Comely, tall and statuesque, Mme. Bampton showed in her carefully studied poses and gestures what pains she had taken to portray the self-sacrificing heroine persuasively to the eye. And in her singing tenderness and pathos found touching expression. Since this was only Mme. Bampton’s first assumption of an inexorably exacting role, we may look for further development later on of its more cogently dramatic aspects. Her voice seems now, under sympathetic guidance, to have found a congenial lyric field. Her tones were often of delightful quality last evening, her phrasing was marked by grace and fine taste and there was always the thought of the accomplished musician. Altogether, Mme. Bampton may be congratulated cordially on her present achievement, which holds the promise of even better things to come. Once more Rene Maison supplied an admirable Admetus. Francesco Valentino replaced the indisposed Leonard Warren as the High Priest of Apollo, singing well apart from an excessive vibrato. The beauty of the tableau at the end of Act II made up in part for the pinchbeck naiveties that met the eye.
ALCESTE:Gluck
Panizza; Bamptom, Maison, Warren
Original Air Date: 03/08/1941
SID.19410423
This is one of the few 1940s broadcasts that gets to Sirius, but neither the 1952 with Flagstad, nor the 1961 with Farrell (both in English) have made it to Sirius. Again, it seems the translation is inhibiting their inclusion. Review of Pitts Sanborn in the World-Telegraph, Mme. Bampton Sings Role of Alceste – Following the present method of frequently changing the allotment of prominent roles, the Metropolitan management offered its third Alceste last evening with a new representative of the name part. After the fiery magnificence of Marjorie Lawrence as Alcestis came the lyric charm of Rose Bampton. Comely, tall and statuesque, Mme. Bampton showed in her carefully studied poses and gestures what pains she had taken to portray the self-sacrificing heroine persuasively to the eye. And in her singing tenderness and pathos found touching expression. Since this was only Mme. Bampton’s first assumption of an inexorably exacting role, we may look for further development later on of its more cogently dramatic aspects. Her voice seems now, under sympathetic guidance, to have found a congenial lyric field. Her tones were often of delightful quality last evening, her phrasing was marked by grace and fine taste and there was always the thought of the accomplished musician. Altogether, Mme. Bampton may be congratulated cordially on her present achievement, which holds the promise of even better things to come. Once more Rene Maison supplied an admirable Admetus. Francesco Valentino replaced the indisposed Leonard Warren as the High Priest of Apollo, singing well apart from an excessive vibrato. The beauty of the tableau at the end of Act II made up in part for the pinchbeck naiveties that met the eye.
ALCESTE:Gluck
Panizza; Bamptom, Maison, Warren
Original Air Date: 03/08/1941
SID.19410641
This is one of the few 1940s broadcasts that gets to Sirius, but neither the 1952 with Flagstad, nor the 1961 with Farrell (both in English) have made it to Sirius. Again, it seems the translation is inhibiting their inclusion. Review of Pitts Sanborn in the World-Telegraph, Mme. Bampton Sings Role of Alceste – Following the present method of frequently changing the allotment of prominent roles, the Metropolitan management offered its third Alceste last evening with a new representative of the name part. After the fiery magnificence of Marjorie Lawrence as Alcestis came the lyric charm of Rose Bampton. Comely, tall and statuesque, Mme. Bampton showed in her carefully studied poses and gestures what pains she had taken to portray the self-sacrificing heroine persuasively to the eye. And in her singing tenderness and pathos found touching expression. Since this was only Mme. Bampton’s first assumption of an inexorably exacting role, we may look for further development later on of its more cogently dramatic aspects. Her voice seems now, under sympathetic guidance, to have found a congenial lyric field. Her tones were often of delightful quality last evening, her phrasing was marked by grace and fine taste and there was always the thought of the accomplished musician. Altogether, Mme. Bampton may be congratulated cordially on her present achievement, which holds the promise of even better things to come. Once more Rene Maison supplied an admirable Admetus. Francesco Valentino replaced the indisposed Leonard Warren as the High Priest of Apollo, singing well apart from an excessive vibrato. The beauty of the tableau at the end of Act II made up in part for the pinchbeck naiveties that met the eye.
ORFEO ED EURIDICE:Gluck
Wigglesworth; Hong, Park, Barton
Original Air Date: 10/24/2019
SID.19430428
Mark Morris’s spirited take on the ancient Orpheus myth stars mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton as Orfeo, the grieving lover on a quest through the underworld. Soprano Hei-Kyung Hong sings the plaintive Euridice. Mark Wigglesworth conducts Gluck’s elegant score, a pinnacle of the Baroque repertoire. Production a gift of Mr. and Mrs. Wilmer J. Thomas, Jr.
ORFEO ED EURIDICE:Gluck
Wigglesworth; Hong, Park, Barton
Original Air Date: 11/01/2019
SID.19440535
NYT Tommasini [10/21/2019] … The excellent British conductor Mark Wigglesworth, best known for his work with the English National Opera in London, drew out the warmth and refinement of Gluck’s score. But the Met Orchestra’s playing lacked precision and crispness, especially during the bustling overture, which sounded somewhat wan and limp. …. The veteran soprano Hei-Kyung Hong, who made her Met debut in 1984, was a winning Euridice. Though there were moments of patchy tone and shaky pitch in her singing, the radiance of her voice came through. She sang with a vigor and clarity that brought out the best from Ms. Barton. …During the final celebration of the reunion of Orfeo and Euridice, the Mark Morris ensemble took over the show with a suite of joyous dances. The orchestra responded with its most crisp and animated playing.once the god of love, Amore, here the bright-voiced soprano Hera Hyesang Park, arrived: Winged and wearing a peach-colored shirt, floppy pants and sneakers, she descended (on wires) from the heavens. In her vibrant singing and sassy manner, Ms. Park brought a touch of jaded exuberance to the proceedings: This Amore admits to being baffled by the romantic entanglements of mortals…..The veteran soprano Hei-Kyung Hong, who made her Met debut in 1984, was a winning Euridice. Though there were moments of patchy tone and shaky pitch in her singing, the radiance of her voice came through. She sang with a vigor and clarity that brought out the best from Ms. Barton. During the final celebration of the reunion of Orfeo and Euridice, the Mark Morris ensemble took over the show with a suite of joyous dances. The orchestra responded with its most crisp and animated playing.
ORFEO ED EURIDICE:Gluck
Monteux; Stevens, Güden, Hurley
Original Air Date: 04/09/1955
SID.19470422
Stevens has two runs at the Met in 1955 under Monteux and three seasons later with a broadcast now under Max Rudolf and with Amara the Euridice. For my money no one ever looked better as Orfeo, but the audio only record is not nearly as memorable. Monteux is a legendary conductor (world premieres of Rite of spring and Daphnis and Chloe in Paris), but not sure that Gluck finds him at his best. This Orfeo is from his penultimate Met season. Monteux who also recorded it with Stevens, is really part of history (he conducted the world premieres of Rite of spring and Daphnis and Chlore). Stevens is a much beloved Met figure, but I think there are better ways to experience Orfeo.
ORFEO ED EURIDICE:Gluck
Monteux; Stevens, Güden, Hurley
Original Air Date: 04/09/1955
SID.19470530
Stevens has two runs at the Met in 1955 under Monteux and three seasons later with a broadcast now under Max Rudolf and with Amara the Euridice. For my money no one ever looked better as Orfeo, but the audio only record is not nearly as memorable. Monteux is a legendary conductor (world premieres of Rite of spring and Daphnis and Chloe in Paris), but not sure that Gluck finds him at his best. This Orfeo is from his penultimate Met season. Monteux who also recorded it with Stevens, is really part of history (he conducted the world premieres of Rite of spring and Daphnis and Chlore). Stevens is a much beloved Met figure, but I think there are better ways to experience Orfeo.
ORFEO ED EURIDICE:Gluck
Monteux; Stevens, Güden, Hurley
Original Air Date: 04/09/1955
SID.19470745
Stevens has two runs at the Met in 1955 under Monteux and three seasons later with a broadcast now under Max Rudolf and with Amara the Euridice. For my money no one ever looked better as Orfeo, but the audio only record is not nearly as memorable. Monteux is a legendary conductor (world premieres of Rite of spring and Daphnis and Chloe in Paris), but not sure that Gluck finds him at his best. This Orfeo is from his penultimate Met season. Monteux who also recorded it with Stevens, is really part of history (he conducted the world premieres of Rite of spring and Daphnis and Chlore). Stevens is a much beloved Met figure, but I think there are better ways to experience Orfeo.
ORFEO ED EURIDICE:Gluck
Wigglesworth; Hong, Park, Barton
Original Air Date: 11/01/2019
SID.20140644
NYT Tommasini [10/21/2019] … The excellent British conductor Mark Wigglesworth, best known for his work with the English National Opera in London, drew out the warmth and refinement of Gluck’s score. But the Met Orchestra’s playing lacked precision and crispness, especially during the bustling overture, which sounded somewhat wan and limp. …. The veteran soprano Hei-Kyung Hong, who made her Met debut in 1984, was a winning Euridice. Though there were moments of patchy tone and shaky pitch in her singing, the radiance of her voice came through. She sang with a vigor and clarity that brought out the best from Ms. Barton. …During the final celebration of the reunion of Orfeo and Euridice, the Mark Morris ensemble took over the show with a suite of joyous dances. The orchestra responded with its most crisp and animated playing.once the god of love, Amore, here the bright-voiced soprano Hera Hyesang Park, arrived: Winged and wearing a peach-colored shirt, floppy pants and sneakers, she descended (on wires) from the heavens. In her vibrant singing and sassy manner, Ms. Park brought a touch of jaded exuberance to the proceedings: This Amore admits to being baffled by the romantic entanglements of mortals…..The veteran soprano Hei-Kyung Hong, who made her Met debut in 1984, was a winning Euridice. Though there were moments of patchy tone and shaky pitch in her singing, the radiance of her voice came through. She sang with a vigor and clarity that brought out the best from Ms. Barton. During the final celebration of the reunion of Orfeo and Euridice, the Mark Morris ensemble took over the show with a suite of joyous dances. The orchestra responded with its most crisp and animated playing.
ALCESTE:Gluck
Panizza; Bamptom, Maison, Warren
Original Air Date: 03/08/1941
SID.20150216
This is one of the few 1940s broadcasts that gets to Sirius, but neither the 1952 with Flagstad, nor the 1961 with Farrell (both in English) have made it to Sirius. Again, it seems the translation is inhibiting their inclusion. Review of Pitts Sanborn in the World-Telegraph, Mme. Bampton Sings Role of Alceste – Following the present method of frequently changing the allotment of prominent roles, the Metropolitan management offered its third Alceste last evening with a new representative of the name part. After the fiery magnificence of Marjorie Lawrence as Alcestis came the lyric charm of Rose Bampton. Comely, tall and statuesque, Mme. Bampton showed in her carefully studied poses and gestures what pains she had taken to portray the self-sacrificing heroine persuasively to the eye. And in her singing tenderness and pathos found touching expression. Since this was only Mme. Bampton’s first assumption of an inexorably exacting role, we may look for further development later on of its more cogently dramatic aspects. Her voice seems now, under sympathetic guidance, to have found a congenial lyric field. Her tones were often of delightful quality last evening, her phrasing was marked by grace and fine taste and there was always the thought of the accomplished musician. Altogether, Mme. Bampton may be congratulated cordially on her present achievement, which holds the promise of even better things to come. Once more Rene Maison supplied an admirable Admetus. Francesco Valentino replaced the indisposed Leonard Warren as the High Priest of Apollo, singing well apart from an excessive vibrato. The beauty of the tableau at the end of Act II made up in part for the pinchbeck naiveties that met the eye.
ALCESTE:Gluck
Panizza; Bamptom, Maison, Warren
Original Air Date: 03/08/1941
SID.20150426
This is one of the few 1940s broadcasts that gets to Sirius, but neither the 1952 with Flagstad, nor the 1961 with Farrell (both in English) have made it to Sirius. Again, it seems the translation is inhibiting their inclusion. Review of Pitts Sanborn in the World-Telegraph, Mme. Bampton Sings Role of Alceste – Following the present method of frequently changing the allotment of prominent roles, the Metropolitan management offered its third Alceste last evening with a new representative of the name part. After the fiery magnificence of Marjorie Lawrence as Alcestis came the lyric charm of Rose Bampton. Comely, tall and statuesque, Mme. Bampton showed in her carefully studied poses and gestures what pains she had taken to portray the self-sacrificing heroine persuasively to the eye. And in her singing tenderness and pathos found touching expression. Since this was only Mme. Bampton’s first assumption of an inexorably exacting role, we may look for further development later on of its more cogently dramatic aspects. Her voice seems now, under sympathetic guidance, to have found a congenial lyric field. Her tones were often of delightful quality last evening, her phrasing was marked by grace and fine taste and there was always the thought of the accomplished musician. Altogether, Mme. Bampton may be congratulated cordially on her present achievement, which holds the promise of even better things to come. Once more Rene Maison supplied an admirable Admetus. Francesco Valentino replaced the indisposed Leonard Warren as the High Priest of Apollo, singing well apart from an excessive vibrato. The beauty of the tableau at the end of Act II made up in part for the pinchbeck naiveties that met the eye.
ALCESTE:Gluck
Panizza; Bamptom, Maison, Warren
Original Air Date: 03/08/1941
SID.20150751
This is one of the few 1940s broadcasts that gets to Sirius, but neither the 1952 with Flagstad, nor the 1961 with Farrell (both in English) have made it to Sirius. Again, it seems the translation is inhibiting their inclusion. Review of Pitts Sanborn in the World-Telegraph, Mme. Bampton Sings Role of Alceste – Following the present method of frequently changing the allotment of prominent roles, the Metropolitan management offered its third Alceste last evening with a new representative of the name part. After the fiery magnificence of Marjorie Lawrence as Alcestis came the lyric charm of Rose Bampton. Comely, tall and statuesque, Mme. Bampton showed in her carefully studied poses and gestures what pains she had taken to portray the self-sacrificing heroine persuasively to the eye. And in her singing tenderness and pathos found touching expression. Since this was only Mme. Bampton’s first assumption of an inexorably exacting role, we may look for further development later on of its more cogently dramatic aspects. Her voice seems now, under sympathetic guidance, to have found a congenial lyric field. Her tones were often of delightful quality last evening, her phrasing was marked by grace and fine taste and there was always the thought of the accomplished musician. Altogether, Mme. Bampton may be congratulated cordially on her present achievement, which holds the promise of even better things to come. Once more Rene Maison supplied an admirable Admetus. Francesco Valentino replaced the indisposed Leonard Warren as the High Priest of Apollo, singing well apart from an excessive vibrato. The beauty of the tableau at the end of Act II made up in part for the pinchbeck naiveties that met the eye.
ORFEO ED EURIDICE:Gluck
Rudolf; Stevens, Amara, Cundari
Original Air Date: 01/18/1958
MOD Audio
SID.20160318
The strongest thing about this performance is Rudolf’s conducting. Stevens was definitely a star Orfeo, but she’s never an audio favorite of mine. A very great artist outstanding advocate for American artists , and the role of the arts in general. She had quite a following, but her audios alone do not make a career. She is still with us, and may she have many more years. 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. This performance has been on before and is on MOoD.
ORFEO ED EURIDICE:Gluck
Rudolf; Stevens, Amara, Cundari
Original Air Date: 01/18/1958
MOD Audio
SID.20160536
The strongest thing about this performance is Rudolf’s conducting. Stevens was definitely a star Orfeo, but she’s never an audio favorite of mine. A very great artist outstanding advocate for American artists , and the role of the arts in general. She had quite a following, but her audios alone do not make a career. She is still with us, and may she have many more years. 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. This performance has been on before and is on MOoD.
ORFEO ED EURIDICE:Gluck
Rudolf; Stevens, Amara, Cundari
Original Air Date: 01/18/1958
MOD Audio
SID.20170101
The strongest thing about this performance is Rudolf’s conducting. Stevens was definitely a star Orfeo, but she’s never an audio favorite of mine. A very great artist outstanding advocate for American artists , and the role of the arts in general. She had quite a following, but her audios alone do not make a career. She is still with us, and may she have many more years. 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. This performance has been on before and is on MOoD.