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.
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.
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.
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.
MACBETH:Verdi
Molinari-Pradelli; Milnes, Arroyo, Raimondi, Tagliavini
Original Air Date: 02/03/1973
SID.19440212
The Saturday night premiere of this revival was one of the most challenging performances to hustle a ticket ever. One of the great performances – Arroyo’s highly successful realization of Lady Macbeth’s music. No ugly voice here. Molinari-Pradelli provides strong idiomatic conducting. Milnes is well caught (his best is still from Vienna with Ludwig). The other two males are adequate, but for Banquo, turn to Giaiotti from the Met stable, or on airchecks/recordings either Ghiaurov or Christoff. Christoff did perform the aria in his Carnegie Hall orchestra concert, and that was indeed thrilling. Bergonzi premiered Macduff in the Met 1958 premiere and is still the gold standard, but Calleja in the recent Netrebko performance was also quite fine.
MACBETH:Verdi
Molinari-Pradelli; Milnes, Arroyo, Raimondi, Tagliavini
Original Air Date: 02/03/1973
SID.19440428
The Saturday night premiere of this revival was one of the most challenging performances to hustle a ticket ever. One of the great performances – Arroyo’s highly successful realization of Lady Macbeth’s music. No ugly voice here. Molinari-Pradelli provides strong idiomatic conducting. Milnes is well caught (his best is still from Vienna with Ludwig). The other two males are adequate, but for Banquo, turn to Giaiotti from the Met stable, or on airchecks/recordings either Ghiaurov or Christoff. Christoff did perform the aria in his Carnegie Hall orchestra concert, and that was indeed thrilling. Bergonzi premiered Macduff in the Met 1958 premiere and is still the gold standard, but Calleja in the recent Netrebko performance was also quite fine.
MACBETH:Verdi
Molinari-Pradelli; Milnes, Arroyo, Raimondi, Tagliavini
Original Air Date: 02/03/1973
SID.19440428
The Saturday night premiere of this revival was one of the most challenging performances to hustle a ticket ever. One of the great performances – Arroyo’s highly successful realization of Lady Macbeth’s music. No ugly voice here. Molinari-Pradelli provides strong idiomatic conducting. Milnes is well caught (his best is still from Vienna with Ludwig). The other two males are adequate, but for Banquo, turn to Giaiotti from the Met stable, or on airchecks/recordings either Ghiaurov or Christoff. Christoff did perform the aria in his Carnegie Hall orchestra concert, and that was indeed thrilling. Bergonzi premiered Macduff in the Met 1958 premiere and is still the gold standard, but Calleja in the recent Netrebko performance was also quite fine.
LA BOHÈME:Puccini
Cleva; Stratas, Raimondi, Bower, Sereni, Tozzi
Original Air Date: 02/04/1967
SID.19490102
This is early Stratas, and Raimondi, Sereni, and Tozzi are a very authentic group of supporting Bohemians. What is unusual is this has not been on Sirius in the last five years. Stratas has a famous video with Carreras from the premiere season of the Zeffirelli Boheme in 1982 20 years after her first Met Boheme as a 23 year old. From her debut in 1959 until 1964 she appears on the airwaves only in very small roles but with the new production of Last Savage she jumps to the big time and this Boheme is her first broadcast from the new house in Lincoln Center. Gianni Raimondi does not have a long Met career (1965-1968) but both of his broadcasts this Rodolfo and a later Tosca with Crespin are of fine quality. He was over 40 at his Met debut and died in 2008 at the age of 85. His Rodolfo is preserved on film as he originated the famous Zeffirelli Boheme at La Scala with Freni and Karajan. Beverly Bower has the distinction of singing the first performance in the new Lincoln Center Opera House, a student matinee of Fanciulla del West . She had also been an NYCO stalwart before joining the Met. Sereni and Tozzi were part of the normal Met Boheme ensemble.
LA BOHÈME:Puccini
Cleva; Stratas, Raimondi, Bower, Sereni, Tozzi
Original Air Date: 02/04/1967
SID.19490318
This is early Stratas, and Raimondi, Sereni, and Tozzi are a very authentic group of supporting Bohemians. What is unusual is this has not been on Sirius in the last five years. Stratas has a famous video with Carreras from the premiere season of the Zeffirelli Boheme in 1982 20 years after her first Met Boheme as a 23 year old. From her debut in 1959 until 1964 she appears on the airwaves only in very small roles but with the new production of Last Savage she jumps to the big time and this Boheme is her first broadcast from the new house in Lincoln Center. Gianni Raimondi does not have a long Met career (1965-1968) but both of his broadcasts this Rodolfo and a later Tosca with Crespin are of fine quality. He was over 40 at his Met debut and died in 2008 at the age of 85. His Rodolfo is preserved on film as he originated the famous Zeffirelli Boheme at La Scala with Freni and Karajan. Beverly Bower has the distinction of singing the first performance in the new Lincoln Center Opera House, a student matinee of Fanciulla del West . She had also been an NYCO stalwart before joining the Met. Sereni and Tozzi were part of the normal Met Boheme ensemble.
LA BOHÈME:Puccini
Cleva; Stratas, Raimondi, Bower, Sereni, Tozzi
Original Air Date: 02/04/1967
SID.19490534
This is early Stratas, and Raimondi, Sereni, and Tozzi are a very authentic group of supporting Bohemians. What is unusual is this has not been on Sirius in the last five years. Stratas has a famous video with Carreras from the premiere season of the Zeffirelli Boheme in 1982 20 years after her first Met Boheme as a 23 year old. From her debut in 1959 until 1964 she appears on the airwaves only in very small roles but with the new production of Last Savage she jumps to the big time and this Boheme is her first broadcast from the new house in Lincoln Center. Gianni Raimondi does not have a long Met career (1965-1968) but both of his broadcasts this Rodolfo and a later Tosca with Crespin are of fine quality. He was over 40 at his Met debut and died in 2008 at the age of 85. His Rodolfo is preserved on film as he originated the famous Zeffirelli Boheme at La Scala with Freni and Karajan. Beverly Bower has the distinction of singing the first performance in the new Lincoln Center Opera House, a student matinee of Fanciulla del West . She had also been an NYCO stalwart before joining the Met. Sereni and Tozzi were part of the normal Met Boheme ensemble.
Verdi
Levine; Shicoff, Price, Weikl, Troyanos, Raimondi, Rootering
Original Air Date: 02/11/1989
SID.20030103
The Price here is Margaret Price and her only other Met broadcast is Otello with Domingo and Milnes from her debut year in 1985 which has so far eluded the airwaves. Shicoff is also under-represented so this performance is especially welcomed — this is only the third rotation since its first Sirius rebroadcast in 2014. The rest of the male cast are not my favorites in this very favorite opera of mine.
I VESPRI SICILIANI:Verdi
Levine; Scotto, Ochman, Elvira, Raimondi
Original Air Date: 03/20/1982
MOD Audio
SID.20030208
Scotto could be an interesting singer in this music, but not by 1982–simply too much Lady Macbeth and Gioconda, among other things. I didn’t see her in 1974 which many people still rave about. 1974’s Arrigo was Domingo who had opened the season with Deutekom. Domingo never does the part after that 1974 run (he’s not in the spring 1975 broadcast)– it is among Verdi’s most challenging tenor assignments. Ochman is best described as earnest. Pablo Elvira was too little heard at the Met, and died prematurely. The broadcast mikes probably give him an extra volume boost, but he has nice Verdian style. Raimondi is never a favorite of mine, but Procida is one of the great Verdian bass roles– listen to Christoff with Callas (not from the Met). Siepi never did Procida at the Met and his omission from the Met premiere was part of his departure from the Met in April 1973.
Verdi
Levine; Shicoff, Price, Weikl, Troyanos, Raimondi, Rootering
Original Air Date: 02/11/1989
SID.20030422
The Price here is Margaret Price and her only other Met broadcast is Otello with Domingo and Milnes from her debut year in 1985 which has so far eluded the airwaves. Shicoff is also under-represented so this performance is especially welcomed — this is only the third rotation since its first Sirius rebroadcast in 2014. The rest of the male cast are not my favorites in this very favorite opera of mine.
I VESPRI SICILIANI:Verdi
Levine; Scotto, Ochman, Elvira, Raimondi
Original Air Date: 03/20/1982
MOD Audio
SID.20030424
Scotto could be an interesting singer in this music, but not by 1982–simply too much Lady Macbeth and Gioconda, among other things. I didn’t see her in 1974 which many people still rave about. 1974’s Arrigo was Domingo who had opened the season with Deutekom. Domingo never does the part after that 1974 run (he’s not in the spring 1975 broadcast)– it is among Verdi’s most challenging tenor assignments. Ochman is best described as earnest. Pablo Elvira was too little heard at the Met, and died prematurely. The broadcast mikes probably give him an extra volume boost, but he has nice Verdian style. Raimondi is never a favorite of mine, but Procida is one of the great Verdian bass roles– listen to Christoff with Callas (not from the Met). Siepi never did Procida at the Met and his omission from the Met premiere was part of his departure from the Met in April 1973.
Verdi
Levine; Shicoff, Price, Weikl, Troyanos, Raimondi, Rootering
Original Air Date: 02/11/1989
SID.20030534
The Price here is Margaret Price and her only other Met broadcast is Otello with Domingo and Milnes from her debut year in 1985 which has so far eluded the airwaves. Shicoff is also under-represented so this performance is especially welcomed — this is only the third rotation since its first Sirius rebroadcast in 2014. The rest of the male cast are not my favorites in this very favorite opera of mine.
I VESPRI SICILIANI:Verdi
Levine; Scotto, Ochman, Elvira, Raimondi
Original Air Date: 03/20/1982
MOD Audio
SID.20030746
Scotto could be an interesting singer in this music, but not by 1982–simply too much Lady Macbeth and Gioconda, among other things. I didn’t see her in 1974 which many people still rave about. 1974’s Arrigo was Domingo who had opened the season with Deutekom. Domingo never does the part after that 1974 run (he’s not in the spring 1975 broadcast)– it is among Verdi’s most challenging tenor assignments. Ochman is best described as earnest. Pablo Elvira was too little heard at the Met, and died prematurely. The broadcast mikes probably give him an extra volume boost, but he has nice Verdian style. Raimondi is never a favorite of mine, but Procida is one of the great Verdian bass roles– listen to Christoff with Callas (not from the Met). Siepi never did Procida at the Met and his omission from the Met premiere was part of his departure from the Met in April 1973.
TOSCA:Puccini
Mehta; Crespin, Raimondi, Bacquier
Original Air Date: 01/13/1968
SID.20170212
Crespin was the first prima donna to repeat Tosca on the airwaves during the Bing era. I generally prefer her supporting cast here, and will be eagerly listening to this. She could be an uneven singer, but you know it is she from the first note. Raimondi (Gianni, not Ruggero– no relation) has a brief Met career, but I prefer him to Konya, and Bacquier is astrong Scarpia.