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.
FAUST:Gounod
Rich; Domingo, Zylis-Gara, Tozzi, Sereni, von Stade
Original Air Date: 02/26/1972
MOD Audio
SID.19400209
This over-programmed Faust is on again, but there are so many better Fausts on the shelf. Domingo is better than expected in one of his early broadcasts, but Tozzi, a Met stalwart, is in poor form. Mercifully, the rotation has slowed down on this performance. There are a number of excellent Fausts, 2 with Bjorling (and Siepi) which Sirius has never played, and there are several much better Fausts in the Sirius rotation. This one does not deserve such airplay. Nicolai Gedda is third in all-time performances (42) as Faust surpassed only by Jean de Reszke at 71 and Giovanni Martinelli at 56, and yet is represented by only one Faust broadcast in MOoD and Sirius reports replay of the 1972, but neither his 1966 or 1969 with interesting casts have been heard on either. Gedda was a Met star tenor for two decades, and we mostly hear him in Vanessa (where he is remarkable), but he was the leading Faust in the world with the passing of Bjorling his Swedish countryman.
THE MERRY WIDOW:Lehár
Davis; von Stade, Domingo, Pulley, Groves
Original Air Date: 03/04/2000
SID.19400210
This is the first season with von Stade. She broadcasts again the following season with Hagegard as her Danilo. This Tim Albery production is no more successful than this year’s new production. Merry Widow has better melodies than Lulu, but not more nourishing.
FAUST:Gounod
Rich; Domingo, Zylis-Gara, Tozzi, Sereni, von Stade
Original Air Date: 02/26/1972
MOD Audio
SID.19400424
This over-programmed Faust is on again, but there are so many better Fausts on the shelf. Domingo is better than expected in one of his early broadcasts, but Tozzi, a Met stalwart, is in poor form. Mercifully, the rotation has slowed down on this performance. There are a number of excellent Fausts, 2 with Bjorling (and Siepi) which Sirius has never played, and there are several much better Fausts in the Sirius rotation. This one does not deserve such airplay. Nicolai Gedda is third in all-time performances (42) as Faust surpassed only by Jean de Reszke at 71 and Giovanni Martinelli at 56, and yet is represented by only one Faust broadcast in MOoD and Sirius reports replay of the 1972, but neither his 1966 or 1969 with interesting casts have been heard on either. Gedda was a Met star tenor for two decades, and we mostly hear him in Vanessa (where he is remarkable), but he was the leading Faust in the world with the passing of Bjorling his Swedish countryman.
THE MERRY WIDOW:Lehár
Davis; von Stade, Domingo, Pulley, Groves
Original Air Date: 03/04/2000
SID.19400428
This is the first season with von Stade. She broadcasts again the following season with Hagegard as her Danilo. This Tim Albery production is no more successful than this year’s new production. Merry Widow has better melodies than Lulu, but not more nourishing.
FAUST:Gounod
Rich; Domingo, Zylis-Gara, Tozzi, Sereni, von Stade
Original Air Date: 02/26/1972
MOD Audio
SID.19400639
This over-programmed Faust is on again, but there are so many better Fausts on the shelf. Domingo is better than expected in one of his early broadcasts, but Tozzi, a Met stalwart, is in poor form. Mercifully, the rotation has slowed down on this performance. There are a number of excellent Fausts, 2 with Bjorling (and Siepi) which Sirius has never played, and there are several much better Fausts in the Sirius rotation. This one does not deserve such airplay. Nicolai Gedda is third in all-time performances (42) as Faust surpassed only by Jean de Reszke at 71 and Giovanni Martinelli at 56, and yet is represented by only one Faust broadcast in MOoD and Sirius reports replay of the 1972, but neither his 1966 or 1969 with interesting casts have been heard on either. Gedda was a Met star tenor for two decades, and we mostly hear him in Vanessa (where he is remarkable), but he was the leading Faust in the world with the passing of Bjorling his Swedish countryman.
THE MERRY WIDOW:Lehár
Davis; von Stade, Domingo, Pulley, Groves
Original Air Date: 03/04/2000
SID.19400641
This is the first season with von Stade. She broadcasts again the following season with Hagegard as her Danilo. This Tim Albery production is no more successful than this year’s new production. Merry Widow has better melodies than Lulu, but not more nourishing.
IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA:Rossini
Weikert; Hampson, von Stade, Olsen, Quilico, Ramey
Original Air Date: 02/29/1992
MOD Audio
SID.19430103
Louis Quilico is not my ideal Bartolo. Von Stade’s first Rosina broadcast from 1976 with Stilwell, Corena, and Morris has been on Sirius, but not 1983 which features Pablo Elvira, Sesto Bruscantini (as Bartolo) and Paolo Montarsolo as Basilio. This 1992 performance is her last Met performance as Rosina. Appears almost as much as BOHEME
IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA:Rossini
Weikert; Hampson, von Stade, Olsen, Quilico, Ramey
Original Air Date: 02/29/1992
MOD Audio
SID.19430422
Louis Quilico is not my ideal Bartolo. Von Stade’s first Rosina broadcast from 1976 with Stilwell, Corena, and Morris has been on Sirius, but not 1983 which features Pablo Elvira, Sesto Bruscantini (as Bartolo) and Paolo Montarsolo as Basilio. This 1992 performance is her last Met performance as Rosina. Appears almost as much as BOHEME
IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA:Rossini
Weikert; Hampson, von Stade, Olsen, Quilico, Ramey
Original Air Date: 02/29/1992
MOD Audio
SID.19430639
Louis Quilico is not my ideal Bartolo. Von Stade’s first Rosina broadcast from 1976 with Stilwell, Corena, and Morris has been on Sirius, but not 1983 which features Pablo Elvira, Sesto Bruscantini (as Bartolo) and Paolo Montarsolo as Basilio. This 1992 performance is her last Met performance as Rosina. Appears almost as much as BOHEME
LE NOZZE DI FIGARO:Mozart
Levine; Raimondi, Battle, Vaness, Allen, von Stade
Original Air Date: 12/14/1985
MOD VideoMOD Audio
SID.20030210
This performance surfaced in its video format both on MOoD, and in the Levine 40th anniversary DVD box. This is a Ponnelle production, and has its usual pluses and minuses. Vaness misses just a bit of superstar quality (her Fiordiligi and Donna Anna are more distinctive). Raimondi is not my favorite singer, but Levine is at his best in Mozart and the ensemble is very strong. I’ve enjoyed re-acquainting myself with this performance over the last year and have played it several times. This is his first season of Figaro at the Met, an opera he would conduct more than 77 times in 3 new productions (Ponnelle, Jonathan Miller, Richard Eyre.). Amazingly 3 of the matinee broadcasts have not been done again. For the record: March 21, 1992 features Upshaw , Schuman, Von Stade, Furlanetto, Hampson, Moll December 5, 1998 features Bonney/Guyer, Lott, Mentzer, Croft, Terfel Feb. 12, 2005 features Rost, Watson, Perez, Relyea, Kwiecien. One run of Nozze with Levine was not broadcast and that featured Dorothea Roschmann and Anja Harteros in their Met debuts. I remember these performances very well, and in the current Gelb/Sirius era, we would have had at least one if not a couple of these on the radio, The 1992 would be especially welcome for the Furlanetto/Hampson combination (which is also on their complete DG recording).
LE NOZZE DI FIGARO:Mozart
Levine; Raimondi, Battle, Vaness, Allen, von Stade
Original Air Date: 12/14/1985
MOD VideoMOD Audio
SID.20030426
This performance surfaced in its video format both on MOoD, and in the Levine 40th anniversary DVD box. This is a Ponnelle production, and has its usual pluses and minuses. Vaness misses just a bit of superstar quality (her Fiordiligi and Donna Anna are more distinctive). Raimondi is not my favorite singer, but Levine is at his best in Mozart and the ensemble is very strong. I’ve enjoyed re-acquainting myself with this performance over the last year and have played it several times. This is his first season of Figaro at the Met, an opera he would conduct more than 77 times in 3 new productions (Ponnelle, Jonathan Miller, Richard Eyre.). Amazingly 3 of the matinee broadcasts have not been done again. For the record: March 21, 1992 features Upshaw , Schuman, Von Stade, Furlanetto, Hampson, Moll December 5, 1998 features Bonney/Guyer, Lott, Mentzer, Croft, Terfel Feb. 12, 2005 features Rost, Watson, Perez, Relyea, Kwiecien. One run of Nozze with Levine was not broadcast and that featured Dorothea Roschmann and Anja Harteros in their Met debuts. I remember these performances very well, and in the current Gelb/Sirius era, we would have had at least one if not a couple of these on the radio, The 1992 would be especially welcome for the Furlanetto/Hampson combination (which is also on their complete DG recording).
LE NOZZE DI FIGARO:Mozart
Levine; Raimondi, Battle, Vaness, Allen, von Stade
Original Air Date: 12/14/1985
MOD VideoMOD Audio
SID.20030640
This performance surfaced in its video format both on MOoD, and in the Levine 40th anniversary DVD box. This is a Ponnelle production, and has its usual pluses and minuses. Vaness misses just a bit of superstar quality (her Fiordiligi and Donna Anna are more distinctive). Raimondi is not my favorite singer, but Levine is at his best in Mozart and the ensemble is very strong. I’ve enjoyed re-acquainting myself with this performance over the last year and have played it several times. This is his first season of Figaro at the Met, an opera he would conduct more than 77 times in 3 new productions (Ponnelle, Jonathan Miller, Richard Eyre.). Amazingly 3 of the matinee broadcasts have not been done again. For the record: March 21, 1992 features Upshaw , Schuman, Von Stade, Furlanetto, Hampson, Moll December 5, 1998 features Bonney/Guyer, Lott, Mentzer, Croft, Terfel Feb. 12, 2005 features Rost, Watson, Perez, Relyea, Kwiecien. One run of Nozze with Levine was not broadcast and that featured Dorothea Roschmann and Anja Harteros in their Met debuts. I remember these performances very well, and in the current Gelb/Sirius era, we would have had at least one if not a couple of these on the radio, The 1992 would be especially welcome for the Furlanetto/Hampson combination (which is also on their complete DG recording).
IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA:Rossini
Nelson; Stilwell, von Stade, Davies, Corena, Morris, Munzer
Original Air Date: 01/31/1976
SID.20040105
To me the main interest here is Morris in his only season as Basilio (5 performances) and Corena’s last Bartolo broadcast (his 10th!). Corena’s successor in this role has still not appeared in my view, and he’s gone 37 years. He has 2 more years at the Met after this broadcast, and manages to be the Sacristan on the Verrett/Pavarotti/MacNeil Tosca video which is his last run except a farewell Don Pasquale with Sills on New Year’s Eve eve in 1978. This is a good enough cast for the opera, but the opera is overdone in regular Met repertory, and again on Sirius broadcasts. This is Corena’ss 10th and final broadcast of a role he owned. James Morris puts in an appearance as Basilio during his breakout year (he was in the new Puritani production). Barbiere is close to Boheme in number of performances in the most recent 10 years.
IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA:Rossini
Nelson; Stilwell, von Stade, Davies, Corena, Morris, Munzer
Original Air Date: 01/31/1976
SID.20040317
To me the main interest here is Morris in his only season as Basilio (5 performances) and Corena’s last Bartolo broadcast (his 10th!). Corena’s successor in this role has still not appeared in my view, and he’s gone 37 years. He has 2 more years at the Met after this broadcast, and manages to be the Sacristan on the Verrett/Pavarotti/MacNeil Tosca video which is his last run except a farewell Don Pasquale with Sills on New Year’s Eve eve in 1978. This is a good enough cast for the opera, but the opera is overdone in regular Met repertory, and again on Sirius broadcasts. This is Corena’ss 10th and final broadcast of a role he owned. James Morris puts in an appearance as Basilio during his breakout year (he was in the new Puritani production). Barbiere is close to Boheme in number of performances in the most recent 10 years.
IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA:Rossini
Nelson; Stilwell, von Stade, Davies, Corena, Morris, Munzer
Original Air Date: 01/31/1976
SID.20040535
To me the main interest here is Morris in his only season as Basilio (5 performances) and Corena’s last Bartolo broadcast (his 10th!). Corena’s successor in this role has still not appeared in my view, and he’s gone 37 years. He has 2 more years at the Met after this broadcast, and manages to be the Sacristan on the Verrett/Pavarotti/MacNeil Tosca video which is his last run except a farewell Don Pasquale with Sills on New Year’s Eve eve in 1978. This is a good enough cast for the opera, but the opera is overdone in regular Met repertory, and again on Sirius broadcasts. This is Corena’ss 10th and final broadcast of a role he owned. James Morris puts in an appearance as Basilio during his breakout year (he was in the new Puritani production). Barbiere is close to Boheme in number of performances in the most recent 10 years.
LES CONTES D’HOFFMANN:Offenbach
Baudo; Gedda, Bacquier, Boky, Crespin, Amara, von Stade
Original Air Date: 04/10/1971
MOD Audio
SID.20050211
The fall performances went unbroadcast. This 1970/71 Hoffmann was divided between a fall group with Grist, Elias, and Lorengar in the three ladies and the spring offering was Boky, Crespin, and Amara. The excellent Gedda and Bacquier were in both parts of the revival. In the fall performances Grist and Lorengar were excellent. The broadcast does not come until spring, Crespin’s Giulietta while visually dazzling was one rocky ride on the Venetian canal. Amara sang a solid Antonia, but her tone never had the luster of a Lorengar. Boky is similarly lacking compared to Grist. Baudo is no Julius Rudel (among the best conductors I’ve ever heard for Hoffmann) or Chailly, let alone Monteux who originated the production in 1955. What should be mentioned is the strong supporting cast including von Stade as Nicklausse , Velis in the four comic tenor parts, and Paul Franke as an inimitable Spalanzani.
LES CONTES D’HOFFMANN:Offenbach
Baudo; Gedda, Bacquier, Boky, Crespin, Amara, von Stade
Original Air Date: 04/10/1971
MOD Audio
SID.20050530
The fall performances went unbroadcast. This 1970/71 Hoffmann was divided between a fall group with Grist, Elias, and Lorengar in the three ladies and the spring offering was Boky, Crespin, and Amara. The excellent Gedda and Bacquier were in both parts of the revival. In the fall performances Grist and Lorengar were excellent. The broadcast does not come until spring, Crespin’s Giulietta while visually dazzling was one rocky ride on the Venetian canal. Amara sang a solid Antonia, but her tone never had the luster of a Lorengar. Boky is similarly lacking compared to Grist. Baudo is no Julius Rudel (among the best conductors I’ve ever heard for Hoffmann) or Chailly, let alone Monteux who originated the production in 1955. What should be mentioned is the strong supporting cast including von Stade as Nicklausse , Velis in the four comic tenor parts, and Paul Franke as an inimitable Spalanzani.
LES CONTES D’HOFFMANN:Offenbach
Baudo; Gedda, Bacquier, Boky, Crespin, Amara, von Stade
Original Air Date: 04/10/1971
MOD Audio
SID.20060101
The fall performances went unbroadcast. This 1970/71 Hoffmann was divided between a fall group with Grist, Elias, and Lorengar in the three ladies and the spring offering was Boky, Crespin, and Amara. The excellent Gedda and Bacquier were in both parts of the revival. In the fall performances Grist and Lorengar were excellent. The broadcast does not come until spring, Crespin’s Giulietta while visually dazzling was one rocky ride on the Venetian canal. Amara sang a solid Antonia, but her tone never had the luster of a Lorengar. Boky is similarly lacking compared to Grist. Baudo is no Julius Rudel (among the best conductors I’ve ever heard for Hoffmann) or Chailly, let alone Monteux who originated the production in 1955. What should be mentioned is the strong supporting cast including von Stade as Nicklausse , Velis in the four comic tenor parts, and Paul Franke as an inimitable Spalanzani.
LES CONTES D’HOFFMANN:Offenbach
Baudo; Gedda, Bacquier, Boky, Crespin, Amara, von Stade
Original Air Date: 04/10/1971
MOD Audio
SID.20060102
The fall performances went unbroadcast. This 1970/71 Hoffmann was divided between a fall group with Grist, Elias, and Lorengar in the three ladies and the spring offering was Boky, Crespin, and Amara. The excellent Gedda and Bacquier were in both parts of the revival. In the fall performances Grist and Lorengar were excellent. The broadcast does not come until spring, Crespin’s Giulietta while visually dazzling was one rocky ride on the Venetian canal. Amara sang a solid Antonia, but her tone never had the luster of a Lorengar. Boky is similarly lacking compared to Grist. Baudo is no Julius Rudel (among the best conductors I’ve ever heard for Hoffmann) or Chailly, let alone Monteux who originated the production in 1955. What should be mentioned is the strong supporting cast including von Stade as Nicklausse , Velis in the four comic tenor parts, and Paul Franke as an inimitable Spalanzani.
LES CONTES D’HOFFMANN:Offenbach
Baudo; Gedda, Bacquier, Boky, Crespin, Amara, von Stade
Original Air Date: 04/10/1971
MOD Audio
SID.20060318
The fall performances went unbroadcast. This 1970/71 Hoffmann was divided between a fall group with Grist, Elias, and Lorengar in the three ladies and the spring offering was Boky, Crespin, and Amara. The excellent Gedda and Bacquier were in both parts of the revival. In the fall performances Grist and Lorengar were excellent. The broadcast does not come until spring, Crespin’s Giulietta while visually dazzling was one rocky ride on the Venetian canal. Amara sang a solid Antonia, but her tone never had the luster of a Lorengar. Boky is similarly lacking compared to Grist. Baudo is no Julius Rudel (among the best conductors I’ve ever heard for Hoffmann) or Chailly, let alone Monteux who originated the production in 1955. What should be mentioned is the strong supporting cast including von Stade as Nicklausse , Velis in the four comic tenor parts, and Paul Franke as an inimitable Spalanzani.
LES CONTES D’HOFFMANN:Offenbach
Baudo; Gedda, Bacquier, Boky, Crespin, Amara, von Stade
Original Air Date: 04/10/1971
MOD Audio
SID.20060534
The fall performances went unbroadcast. This 1970/71 Hoffmann was divided between a fall group with Grist, Elias, and Lorengar in the three ladies and the spring offering was Boky, Crespin, and Amara. The excellent Gedda and Bacquier were in both parts of the revival. In the fall performances Grist and Lorengar were excellent. The broadcast does not come until spring, Crespin’s Giulietta while visually dazzling was one rocky ride on the Venetian canal. Amara sang a solid Antonia, but her tone never had the luster of a Lorengar. Boky is similarly lacking compared to Grist. Baudo is no Julius Rudel (among the best conductors I’ve ever heard for Hoffmann) or Chailly, let alone Monteux who originated the production in 1955. What should be mentioned is the strong supporting cast including von Stade as Nicklausse , Velis in the four comic tenor parts, and Paul Franke as an inimitable Spalanzani.
THE MERRY WIDOW:Lehár
Fisch; von Stade, Hagegård, Welch-Babidge, Groves
Original Air Date: 12/23/2000
SID.20080316
This is the second year of the production originally mounted for Von Stade with Domingo. The production is by Tim Albery who was also responsible for Midsummer Night’s Dream for the Britten centenary. It’s not often that anything in English translation is on Sirius, but this is. Now if only they could have some of much worthier English translation evenings like Arabella and Cosi fan tutte with Steber and some of the great Boris Godunovs of the 1950s and 60s.
THE MERRY WIDOW:Lehár
Fisch; von Stade, Hagegård, Welch-Babidge, Groves
Original Air Date: 12/23/2000
SID.20080529
This is the second year of the production originally mounted for Von Stade with Domingo. The production is by Tim Albery who was also responsible for Midsummer Night’s Dream for the Britten centenary. It’s not often that anything in English translation is on Sirius, but this is. Now if only they could have some of much worthier English translation evenings like Arabella and Cosi fan tutte with Steber and some of the great Boris Godunovs of the 1950s and 60s.
THE MERRY WIDOW:Lehár
Fisch; von Stade, Hagegård, Welch-Babidge, Groves
Original Air Date: 12/23/2000
SID.20080638
This is the second year of the production originally mounted for Von Stade with Domingo. The production is by Tim Albery who was also responsible for Midsummer Night’s Dream for the Britten centenary. It’s not often that anything in English translation is on Sirius, but this is. Now if only they could have some of much worthier English translation evenings like Arabella and Cosi fan tutte with Steber and some of the great Boris Godunovs of the 1950s and 60s.
LE NOZZE DI FIGARO:Mozart
Levine; Van Dam, Battle, Söderström, Hynninen, von Stade
Original Air Date: 02/07/1987
SID.20110104
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.
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.
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.
IDOMENEO:Mozart
Levine; Lewis, Valente, Behrens, von Stade, Alexander
Original Air Date: 01/15/1983
SID.20130216
RWW: This is the first of two Valente Ilia broadcasts, and she is excellent. Behrens’ Elettra is not to my taste. Both Vaness and Studer are much more to my liking. Levine does very fine work here and deserves credit for solidly putting this work in the Met repertory. Valente is under-represented on MOoD (only Nanetta in Falstaff) and still catches the ensemble in its first year of the new production.RWW: This is the first of two Valente Ilia broadcasts, and she is excellent. Behrens’ Elettra is not to my taste. Both Vaness and Studer are much more to my liking. Levine does very fine work here and deserves credit for solidly putting this work in the Met repertory. Valente is under-represented on MOoD (only Nanetta in Falstaff) and still catches the ensemble in its first year of the new production.
IDOMENEO:Mozart
Levine; Lewis, Valente, Behrens, von Stade, Alexander
Original Air Date: 01/15/1983
SID.20130426
RWW: This is the first of two Valente Ilia broadcasts, and she is excellent. Behrens’ Elettra is not to my taste. Both Vaness and Studer are much more to my liking. Levine does very fine work here and deserves credit for solidly putting this work in the Met repertory. Valente is under-represented on MOoD (only Nanetta in Falstaff) and still catches the ensemble in its first year of the new production.RWW: This is the first of two Valente Ilia broadcasts, and she is excellent. Behrens’ Elettra is not to my taste. Both Vaness and Studer are much more to my liking. Levine does very fine work here and deserves credit for solidly putting this work in the Met repertory. Valente is under-represented on MOoD (only Nanetta in Falstaff) and still catches the ensemble in its first year of the new production.
IDOMENEO:Mozart
Levine; Lewis, Valente, Behrens, von Stade, Alexander
Original Air Date: 01/15/1983
SID.20130753
RWW: This is the first of two Valente Ilia broadcasts, and she is excellent. Behrens’ Elettra is not to my taste. Both Vaness and Studer are much more to my liking. Levine does very fine work here and deserves credit for solidly putting this work in the Met repertory. Valente is under-represented on MOoD (only Nanetta in Falstaff) and still catches the ensemble in its first year of the new production.RWW: This is the first of two Valente Ilia broadcasts, and she is excellent. Behrens’ Elettra is not to my taste. Both Vaness and Studer are much more to my liking. Levine does very fine work here and deserves credit for solidly putting this work in the Met repertory. Valente is under-represented on MOoD (only Nanetta in Falstaff) and still catches the ensemble in its first year of the new production.
