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 BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA:Rossini
Original Air Date: 03/09/1963
Strasfogel; Guarrera, D’Angelo, Shirley, Corena, Tozzi
SID.19340533
The only known I will vouch for in advance is Corena, one of his very best roles. Tozzi becomes more variable in this period, so I don’t want to praise a performance I have not recently heard. This performance could be anything from a train wreck to a secret gem. What I am sure about is that it is not the Zedda critical edition (not yet published).
MANON LESCAUT:Puccini
Original Air Date: 03/23/1968
Molinari-Pradelli; Tebaldi, Alexander, Guarrera, Michalski
SID.19350104
I am always happy to hear Manon Lescaut, and Alexander is an under-appreciated singer so happy to have him here, BUT Tebaldi’s greatness in the role is in the 1959 broadcast with Tucker (not yet broadcast on Sirius). Also on Met Player . Although this performance is available on Met Player, for some reason the Met keeps avoiding the 1959 performance with Tucker– he is represented with Kabaiwanska in a very decent performance from 1966. Once again I would call on the Met to restore to broadcast availability one of the remarkable unions of two Met legends of Tebaldi and Tucker. This 1968 performance captures Tebaldi after two long runs in Gioconda, and the voice was simply not the same. I yield to no one in my admiration of John Alexander, but it is still inexplicable to me that the 1959 broadcast with Tebaldi and Tucker remains un-rebroadcast, and this performance is in MOoD and regularly on Sirius. For Tebaldi, the 9 year span makes a huge difference. By the time of this broadcast she is well on her way through her Gioconda marathon after a vocal crisis in the early 60s. She has many wonderful moments, but surely Met listeners deserve to hear the Tucker/Tebaldi/Puccini combination one more time (I’ve written on the 1956 Tosca many times).
MANON LESCAUT:Puccini
Original Air Date: 03/23/1968
Molinari-Pradelli; Tebaldi, Alexander, Guarrera, Michalski
SID.19350320
I am always happy to hear Manon Lescaut, and Alexander is an under-appreciated singer so happy to have him here, BUT Tebaldi’s greatness in the role is in the 1959 broadcast with Tucker (not yet broadcast on Sirius). Also on Met Player . Although this performance is available on Met Player, for some reason the Met keeps avoiding the 1959 performance with Tucker– he is represented with Kabaiwanska in a very decent performance from 1966. Once again I would call on the Met to restore to broadcast availability one of the remarkable unions of two Met legends of Tebaldi and Tucker. This 1968 performance captures Tebaldi after two long runs in Gioconda, and the voice was simply not the same. I yield to no one in my admiration of John Alexander, but it is still inexplicable to me that the 1959 broadcast with Tebaldi and Tucker remains un-rebroadcast, and this performance is in MOoD and regularly on Sirius. For Tebaldi, the 9 year span makes a huge difference. By the time of this broadcast she is well on her way through her Gioconda marathon after a vocal crisis in the early 60s. She has many wonderful moments, but surely Met listeners deserve to hear the Tucker/Tebaldi/Puccini combination one more time (I’ve written on the 1956 Tosca many times).
MANON LESCAUT:Puccini
Original Air Date: 03/23/1968
Molinari-Pradelli; Tebaldi, Alexander, Guarrera, Michalski
SID.19350530
I am always happy to hear Manon Lescaut, and Alexander is an under-appreciated singer so happy to have him here, BUT Tebaldi’s greatness in the role is in the 1959 broadcast with Tucker (not yet broadcast on Sirius). Also on Met Player . Although this performance is available on Met Player, for some reason the Met keeps avoiding the 1959 performance with Tucker– he is represented with Kabaiwanska in a very decent performance from 1966. Once again I would call on the Met to restore to broadcast availability one of the remarkable unions of two Met legends of Tebaldi and Tucker. This 1968 performance captures Tebaldi after two long runs in Gioconda, and the voice was simply not the same. I yield to no one in my admiration of John Alexander, but it is still inexplicable to me that the 1959 broadcast with Tebaldi and Tucker remains un-rebroadcast, and this performance is in MOoD and regularly on Sirius. For Tebaldi, the 9 year span makes a huge difference. By the time of this broadcast she is well on her way through her Gioconda marathon after a vocal crisis in the early 60s. She has many wonderful moments, but surely Met listeners deserve to hear the Tucker/Tebaldi/Puccini combination one more time (I’ve written on the 1956 Tosca many times).
MANON LESCAUT:Puccini
Original Air Date: 03/23/1968
Molinari-Pradelli; Tebaldi, Alexander, Guarrera, Michalski
SID.19350749
I am always happy to hear Manon Lescaut, and Alexander is an under-appreciated singer so happy to have him here, BUT Tebaldi’s greatness in the role is in the 1959 broadcast with Tucker (not yet broadcast on Sirius). Also on Met Player . Although this performance is available on Met Player, for some reason the Met keeps avoiding the 1959 performance with Tucker– he is represented with Kabaiwanska in a very decent performance from 1966. Once again I would call on the Met to restore to broadcast availability one of the remarkable unions of two Met legends of Tebaldi and Tucker. This 1968 performance captures Tebaldi after two long runs in Gioconda, and the voice was simply not the same. I yield to no one in my admiration of John Alexander, but it is still inexplicable to me that the 1959 broadcast with Tebaldi and Tucker remains un-rebroadcast, and this performance is in MOoD and regularly on Sirius. For Tebaldi, the 9 year span makes a huge difference. By the time of this broadcast she is well on her way through her Gioconda marathon after a vocal crisis in the early 60s. She has many wonderful moments, but surely Met listeners deserve to hear the Tucker/Tebaldi/Puccini combination one more time (I’ve written on the 1956 Tosca many times).
L’ELISIR D’AMORE:Donizetti
Original Air Date: 12/24/1960
Cleva; Formichini, Söderström, Corena, Guarrera
SID.19360208
This is the premiere year of the new production, where most notably Corena arrived in a balloon, and also ushered in a fine series of productions designed by Robert O’Hearn and directed by Nathaniel Merrill. One might almost call them anti-Regie, but very solid design and production values. Formichini was a replacement for Valletti, but the afternoon is Corena’s, still unsurpassed in this role. Check out the Bergonzi and Kraus afternoons with him as well; both are on Met Player. The key figure in the MET L’Elisirs is the nonpareil Fernando Corena in his first season as Dulcamara. He holds the house record at 53, but I was surprised to see how close Plishka is at 47 Formichini is a substitution for Valletti.
L’ELISIR D’AMORE:Donizetti
Original Air Date: 12/24/1960
Cleva; Formichini, Söderström, Corena, Guarrera
SID.19360424
This is the premiere year of the new production, where most notably Corena arrived in a balloon, and also ushered in a fine series of productions designed by Robert O’Hearn and directed by Nathaniel Merrill. One might almost call them anti-Regie, but very solid design and production values. Formichini was a replacement for Valletti, but the afternoon is Corena’s, still unsurpassed in this role. Check out the Bergonzi and Kraus afternoons with him as well; both are on Met Player. The key figure in the MET L’Elisirs is the nonpareil Fernando Corena in his first season as Dulcamara. He holds the house record at 53, but I was surprised to see how close Plishka is at 47 Formichini is a substitution for Valletti.
L’ELISIR D’AMORE:Donizetti
Original Air Date: 12/24/1960
Cleva; Formichini, Söderström, Corena, Guarrera
SID.19360640
This is the premiere year of the new production, where most notably Corena arrived in a balloon, and also ushered in a fine series of productions designed by Robert O’Hearn and directed by Nathaniel Merrill. One might almost call them anti-Regie, but very solid design and production values. Formichini was a replacement for Valletti, but the afternoon is Corena’s, still unsurpassed in this role. Check out the Bergonzi and Kraus afternoons with him as well; both are on Met Player. The key figure in the MET L’Elisirs is the nonpareil Fernando Corena in his first season as Dulcamara. He holds the house record at 53, but I was surprised to see how close Plishka is at 47 Formichini is a substitution for Valletti.
Donizetti
Varviso; Sutherland, Tucker, Guarrera, Moscona
Original Air Date: 12/09/1961
SID.19520105
This was played around the time of Sutherland’s death in October 2010, but has not been in the rotation often. Sutherland and Tucker are quite a team in her debut role and season. I saw her in Dallas as Lucia about a month before the first Met appearance ( I think she also did San Francisco and Chicago in a jampacked American fall). The size of her voice in the early years still had the remnants of her dramatic soprano beginnings. Zeffirelli had taught her well in terms of movement, and the coloratura — to steal the Italians’ description for her– stupendous. Don’t miss this. Luckily all four of Sutherland’s broadcast seasons are in MOoD. She has her points in all of them. She has Tucker in two of the broadcasts, and Kraus in the telecast. The quality over a 21 period (1961-1983) from her is really remarkable.
Donizetti
Varviso; Sutherland, Tucker, Guarrera, Moscona
Original Air Date: 12/09/1961
SID.19520315
This was played around the time of Sutherland’s death in October 2010, but has not been in the rotation often. Sutherland and Tucker are quite a team in her debut role and season. I saw her in Dallas as Lucia about a month before the first Met appearance ( I think she also did San Francisco and Chicago in a jampacked American fall). The size of her voice in the early years still had the remnants of her dramatic soprano beginnings. Zeffirelli had taught her well in terms of movement, and the coloratura — to steal the Italians’ description for her– stupendous. Don’t miss this. Luckily all four of Sutherland’s broadcast seasons are in MOoD. She has her points in all of them. She has Tucker in two of the broadcasts, and Kraus in the telecast. The quality over a 21 period (1961-1983) from her is really remarkable.
Donizetti
Varviso; Sutherland, Tucker, Guarrera, Moscona
Original Air Date: 12/09/1961
SID.19520423
This was played around the time of Sutherland’s death in October 2010, but has not been in the rotation often. Sutherland and Tucker are quite a team in her debut role and season. I saw her in Dallas as Lucia about a month before the first Met appearance ( I think she also did San Francisco and Chicago in a jampacked American fall). The size of her voice in the early years still had the remnants of her dramatic soprano beginnings. Zeffirelli had taught her well in terms of movement, and the coloratura — to steal the Italians’ description for her– stupendous. Don’t miss this. Luckily all four of Sutherland’s broadcast seasons are in MOoD. She has her points in all of them. She has Tucker in two of the broadcasts, and Kraus in the telecast. The quality over a 21 period (1961-1983) from her is really remarkable.
Donizetti
Varviso; Sutherland, Tucker, Guarrera, Moscona
Original Air Date: 12/09/1961
SID.19520749
This was played around the time of Sutherland’s death in October 2010, but has not been in the rotation often. Sutherland and Tucker are quite a team in her debut role and season. I saw her in Dallas as Lucia about a month before the first Met appearance ( I think she also did San Francisco and Chicago in a jampacked American fall). The size of her voice in the early years still had the remnants of her dramatic soprano beginnings. Zeffirelli had taught her well in terms of movement, and the coloratura — to steal the Italians’ description for her– stupendous. Don’t miss this. Luckily all four of Sutherland’s broadcast seasons are in MOoD. She has her points in all of them. She has Tucker in two of the broadcasts, and Kraus in the telecast. The quality over a 21 period (1961-1983) from her is really remarkable.
FALSTAFF:Verdi
Amaducci; Flagello, Curtin, Guarrera, Barbieri, Raskin, Alva
Original Air Date: 12/16/1967
MOD Audio
SID.20130106
RWW: Barbieri, Guarrera, and Alva are veterans of many Falstaffs, and Flagello features a lot of voice for a bass Falstaff. Amaducci, by memory, didn’t have much sparkle. High praise for Alva and Barbieri; she is a characterful Quickly, and he a perfect Fenton, but Amaducci is possibly the weakest Falstaff conductor in Met history(certainly on broadcasts). The 1964 Bernstein has never been on Sirius, and though the Met Database records the 1972 as having been on Sirius with Gobbi, Tebaldi, and Paskalis under von Dohnanyi, it has not been on more than once, and should be heard again. Both of these performances belong in MOoD not this performance. Flagello who had one of the great voices in a time when the Met’s bass cabinet was chock full sings the part very well, but for this work, you must have a conductor to work with you, and that he doesn’t have. Alas, Falstaff is about ensemble, not individual efforts.
Puccini
Erede; Albanese, Di Stefano, Güden, Guarrera, Siepi
Original Air Date: 03/15/1952
MOD Audio
SID.20130212
RWW: This is really quite a strong Italianate cast (Guden excepted) with Albanese, Di Stefano, and Siepi all justly famous.
DON PASQUALE:Donizetti
Varviso; Corena, Peters, Alva, Guarrera
Original Air Date: 01/09/1965
MOD Audio
SID.20130317
RWW: For me the stars of this broadcast are the matchless Corena and Peruvian tenor Luigi Alva. Alva is still with us and remains much beloved in his home country as well. In terms of style and stage presence, Alva yielded nothing to his more famous successors as Ernesto Alfredo Kraus and fellow Peruvian Juan Diego Florez. Corena shows up again five years later with Reri Grist and Kraus under Carlo Franci. Luckily both performances are in MOoD.
FALSTAFF:Verdi
Amaducci; Flagello, Curtin, Guarrera, Barbieri, Raskin, Alva
Original Air Date: 12/16/1967
MOD Audio
SID.20130425
RWW: Barbieri, Guarrera, and Alva are veterans of many Falstaffs, and Flagello features a lot of voice for a bass Falstaff. Amaducci, by memory, didn’t have much sparkle. High praise for Alva and Barbieri; she is a characterful Quickly, and he a perfect Fenton, but Amaducci is possibly the weakest Falstaff conductor in Met history(certainly on broadcasts). The 1964 Bernstein has never been on Sirius, and though the Met Database records the 1972 as having been on Sirius with Gobbi, Tebaldi, and Paskalis under von Dohnanyi, it has not been on more than once, and should be heard again. Both of these performances belong in MOoD not this performance. Flagello who had one of the great voices in a time when the Met’s bass cabinet was chock full sings the part very well, but for this work, you must have a conductor to work with you, and that he doesn’t have. Alas, Falstaff is about ensemble, not individual efforts.
Puccini
Erede; Albanese, Di Stefano, Güden, Guarrera, Siepi
Original Air Date: 03/15/1952
MOD Audio
SID.20130430
RWW: This is really quite a strong Italianate cast (Guden excepted) with Albanese, Di Stefano, and Siepi all justly famous.
DON PASQUALE:Donizetti
Varviso; Corena, Peters, Alva, Guarrera
Original Air Date: 01/09/1965
MOD Audio
SID.20130536
RWW: For me the stars of this broadcast are the matchless Corena and Peruvian tenor Luigi Alva. Alva is still with us and remains much beloved in his home country as well. In terms of style and stage presence, Alva yielded nothing to his more famous successors as Ernesto Alfredo Kraus and fellow Peruvian Juan Diego Florez. Corena shows up again five years later with Reri Grist and Kraus under Carlo Franci. Luckily both performances are in MOoD.
Puccini
Erede; Albanese, Di Stefano, Güden, Guarrera, Siepi
Original Air Date: 03/15/1952
MOD Audio
SID.20130644
RWW: This is really quite a strong Italianate cast (Guden excepted) with Albanese, Di Stefano, and Siepi all justly famous.
DON PASQUALE:Donizetti
Varviso; Corena, Peters, Alva, Guarrera
Original Air Date: 01/09/1965
MOD Audio
SID.20130754
RWW: For me the stars of this broadcast are the matchless Corena and Peruvian tenor Luigi Alva. Alva is still with us and remains much beloved in his home country as well. In terms of style and stage presence, Alva yielded nothing to his more famous successors as Ernesto Alfredo Kraus and fellow Peruvian Juan Diego Florez. Corena shows up again five years later with Reri Grist and Kraus under Carlo Franci. Luckily both performances are in MOoD.
FALSTAFF:Verdi
Amaducci; Flagello, Curtin, Guarrera, Barbieri, Raskin, Alva
Original Air Date: 12/16/1967
MOD Audio
SID.20130757
RWW: Barbieri, Guarrera, and Alva are veterans of many Falstaffs, and Flagello features a lot of voice for a bass Falstaff. Amaducci, by memory, didn’t have much sparkle. High praise for Alva and Barbieri; she is a characterful Quickly, and he a perfect Fenton, but Amaducci is possibly the weakest Falstaff conductor in Met history(certainly on broadcasts). The 1964 Bernstein has never been on Sirius, and though the Met Database records the 1972 as having been on Sirius with Gobbi, Tebaldi, and Paskalis under von Dohnanyi, it has not been on more than once, and should be heard again. Both of these performances belong in MOoD not this performance. Flagello who had one of the great voices in a time when the Met’s bass cabinet was chock full sings the part very well, but for this work, you must have a conductor to work with you, and that he doesn’t have. Alas, Falstaff is about ensemble, not individual efforts.
L’ELISIR D’AMORE:Donizetti
Schippers; Bergonzi, Peters, Corena, Guarrera
Original Air Date: 03/05/1966
MOD Audio
SID.20140212
This performance has been issued in Sony’s Historic Met CD series. Also on MOoD is Bergonzi and Corena partnered by Scotto and Sereni who I think are better matches in this opera.One cannot lose with Bergonzi and Corena.
L’ELISIR D’AMORE:Donizetti
Schippers; Bergonzi, Peters, Corena, Guarrera
Original Air Date: 03/05/1966
MOD Audio
SID.20140431
This performance has been issued in Sony’s Historic Met CD series. Also on MOoD is Bergonzi and Corena partnered by Scotto and Sereni who I think are better matches in this opera.One cannot lose with Bergonzi and Corena.
L’ELISIR D’AMORE:Donizetti
Schippers; Bergonzi, Peters, Corena, Guarrera
Original Air Date: 03/05/1966
MOD Audio
SID.20140749
This performance has been issued in Sony’s Historic Met CD series. Also on MOoD is Bergonzi and Corena partnered by Scotto and Sereni who I think are better matches in this opera.One cannot lose with Bergonzi and Corena.
LE NOZZE DI FIGARO:Mozart
Rudolf, Siepi, Conner, de los Angeles, Guarrera, Miller
Original Air Date: 04/07/1956
MOD Audio
SID.20160106
I don’t remember this performance specifcally, but Siepi and de los Angeles are among my favorite Figaro and Countess. What is so critical in a FIgaro is the conductor and Max Rudolf was starting to fill in some of the assignments Stiedry had regularly commanded. I’ll be checking this performance out to see if it merits the many positive comments from Jackson. I’m not as taken with Conner and Guarrera as Jackson is, but the overall performance is worthwhile.
LE NOZZE DI FIGARO:Mozart
Rudolf, Siepi, Conner, de los Angeles, Guarrera, Miller
Original Air Date: 04/07/1956
MOD Audio
SID.20160533
I don’t remember this performance specifcally, but Siepi and de los Angeles are among my favorite Figaro and Countess. What is so critical in a FIgaro is the conductor and Max Rudolf was starting to fill in some of the assignments Stiedry had regularly commanded. I’ll be checking this performance out to see if it merits the many positive comments from Jackson. I’m not as taken with Conner and Guarrera as Jackson is, but the overall performance is worthwhile.
LE NOZZE DI FIGARO:Mozart
Rudolf, Siepi, Conner, de los Angeles, Guarrera, Miller
Original Air Date: 04/07/1956
MOD Audio
SID.20160751
I don’t remember this performance specifcally, but Siepi and de los Angeles are among my favorite Figaro and Countess. What is so critical in a FIgaro is the conductor and Max Rudolf was starting to fill in some of the assignments Stiedry had regularly commanded. I’ll be checking this performance out to see if it merits the many positive comments from Jackson. I’m not as taken with Conner and Guarrera as Jackson is, but the overall performance is worthwhile.