2019 Summer HD Festival

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. 

Nov
25
Mon
2019
L’ELISIR D’AMORE
Nov 25 @ 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Donizetti
Müller; Olsen, Battle, Dara, Oswald
Original Air Date: 12/05/1992

SID.19480103
The opera is not of such depth to deserve what seems like a a weekly rotation. There were a number of evening performances broadcast live of the Florez Damrau cast. They don’t exactly overplay the Bergonzi or Kraus performances, CB has 2, and AK has 1. But better to give the opera a rest, because we’ll have plenty of L’elisir come September. This is Battle’s last Elisir broadcast, and the supporting cast is not especially distinguished.Dara was always a rather colorless Dulcamara for me, and I want a bit more Italian sunshine than Olsen. Battle has 30 (!!!) Met Adinas, the champion. She is not the first Adina I think of. Both Freni and Scotto are more to my taste for very different reasons. Once again this ordinary L’elisir is trotted out. The opera itself (not just this performance) seems overplayed in rotation. It does feature very good orchestra playing and excellent sound. This performance has had some rest, but there are several other Battle Elisirs with Pavarotti that also appear so it seems to repeat her assumption a bit too frequently.

Nov
28
Thu
2019
L’ELISIR D’AMORE
Nov 28 @ 12:00 AM – 3:00 AM

Donizetti
Müller; Olsen, Battle, Dara, Oswald
Original Air Date: 12/05/1992

SID.19480422
The opera is not of such depth to deserve what seems like a a weekly rotation. There were a number of evening performances broadcast live of the Florez Damrau cast. They don’t exactly overplay the Bergonzi or Kraus performances, CB has 2, and AK has 1. But better to give the opera a rest, because we’ll have plenty of L’elisir come September. This is Battle’s last Elisir broadcast, and the supporting cast is not especially distinguished.Dara was always a rather colorless Dulcamara for me, and I want a bit more Italian sunshine than Olsen. Battle has 30 (!!!) Met Adinas, the champion. She is not the first Adina I think of. Both Freni and Scotto are more to my taste for very different reasons. Once again this ordinary L’elisir is trotted out. The opera itself (not just this performance) seems overplayed in rotation. It does feature very good orchestra playing and excellent sound. This performance has had some rest, but there are several other Battle Elisirs with Pavarotti that also appear so it seems to repeat her assumption a bit too frequently.

Nov
30
Sat
2019
L’ELISIR D’AMORE
Nov 30 @ 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM

Donizetti
Müller; Olsen, Battle, Dara, Oswald
Original Air Date: 12/05/1992

SID.19480639
The opera is not of such depth to deserve what seems like a a weekly rotation. There were a number of evening performances broadcast live of the Florez Damrau cast. They don’t exactly overplay the Bergonzi or Kraus performances, CB has 2, and AK has 1. But better to give the opera a rest, because we’ll have plenty of L’elisir come September. This is Battle’s last Elisir broadcast, and the supporting cast is not especially distinguished.Dara was always a rather colorless Dulcamara for me, and I want a bit more Italian sunshine than Olsen. Battle has 30 (!!!) Met Adinas, the champion. She is not the first Adina I think of. Both Freni and Scotto are more to my taste for very different reasons. Once again this ordinary L’elisir is trotted out. The opera itself (not just this performance) seems overplayed in rotation. It does feature very good orchestra playing and excellent sound. This performance has had some rest, but there are several other Battle Elisirs with Pavarotti that also appear so it seems to repeat her assumption a bit too frequently.

Jan
28
Tue
2020
ARIADNE AUF NAXOS
Jan 28 @ 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM


ARIADNE AUF NAXOS:Strauss
Levine; Voigt, Schmidt, Dahl, Stratas, Prey, Oswald
Original Air Date: 04/23/1994

SID.20050210
Voigt is in very fresh voice here, but Schmidt and Dahl are not to my taste, and I think Stratas over sings the part of Composer. Better to hear the 1979 performance with one of Gruberova’s only 2 Met broadcasts with Kollo, Troyanos, and Johanna Meier in the title role.

Jan
30
Thu
2020
ARIADNE AUF NAXOS
Jan 30 @ 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM


ARIADNE AUF NAXOS:Strauss
Levine; Voigt, Schmidt, Dahl, Stratas, Prey, Oswald
Original Air Date: 04/23/1994

SID.20050426
Voigt is in very fresh voice here, but Schmidt and Dahl are not to my taste, and I think Stratas over sings the part of Composer. Better to hear the 1979 performance with one of Gruberova’s only 2 Met broadcasts with Kollo, Troyanos, and Johanna Meier in the title role.

Feb
1
Sat
2020
ARIADNE AUF NAXOS
Feb 1 @ 9:00 PM – 11:55 PM


ARIADNE AUF NAXOS:Strauss
Levine; Voigt, Schmidt, Dahl, Stratas, Prey, Oswald
Original Air Date: 04/23/1994

SID.20050642
Voigt is in very fresh voice here, but Schmidt and Dahl are not to my taste, and I think Stratas over sings the part of Composer. Better to hear the 1979 performance with one of Gruberova’s only 2 Met broadcasts with Kollo, Troyanos, and Johanna Meier in the title role.

Feb
5
Wed
2020
IDOMENEO
Feb 5 @ 9:00 PM – 11:55 PM


IDOMENEO:Mozart
Levine; Domingo, Hong, Deshorties, von Otter, Oswald
Original Air Date: 01/26/2002

SID.20060321
This is Levine’s next to last run of Idomeneo at the Met which is 2006 [last]. This 2002 cast whose main feature is Domingo is surpassed by the 1995 version with a stronger supporting cast, and Levine’s 2006 broadcast which features Roschmann and Kozena both excellent as Ilia and Idamante. Deshorties has had not one, but two Elettras, and the part calls for a Vaness (two excellent broadcasts) or Studer (never broadcast from the Met but in a fall series of performances.) Levine’s Mozart is among his very best operatic work. This is Domingo’s and Von Otter’s second Idomeneo broadcast. Domingo made a strong stab at Idomeno, but I think he’s better on the studio version. The 1995 broadcast also has Carol Vaness’s outstanding Elettra, a much more settled affair than Deshorties. Hong is an excellent Ilia in this 2002 outing. Deshorties had a big success at Glimmerglass this summer as Medea, but her Met work doesn’t always succeed.

Feb
7
Fri
2020
IDOMENEO
Feb 7 @ 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM


IDOMENEO:Mozart
Levine; Domingo, Hong, Deshorties, von Otter, Oswald
Original Air Date: 01/26/2002

SID.20060532
This is Levine’s next to last run of Idomeneo at the Met which is 2006 [last]. This 2002 cast whose main feature is Domingo is surpassed by the 1995 version with a stronger supporting cast, and Levine’s 2006 broadcast which features Roschmann and Kozena both excellent as Ilia and Idamante. Deshorties has had not one, but two Elettras, and the part calls for a Vaness (two excellent broadcasts) or Studer (never broadcast from the Met but in a fall series of performances.) Levine’s Mozart is among his very best operatic work. This is Domingo’s and Von Otter’s second Idomeneo broadcast. Domingo made a strong stab at Idomeno, but I think he’s better on the studio version. The 1995 broadcast also has Carol Vaness’s outstanding Elettra, a much more settled affair than Deshorties. Hong is an excellent Ilia in this 2002 outing. Deshorties had a big success at Glimmerglass this summer as Medea, but her Met work doesn’t always succeed.

Feb
9
Sun
2020
IDOMENEO
Feb 9 @ 6:00 AM – 9:00 AM


IDOMENEO:Mozart
Levine; Domingo, Hong, Deshorties, von Otter, Oswald
Original Air Date: 01/26/2002

SID.20060744
This is Levine’s next to last run of Idomeneo at the Met which is 2006 [last]. This 2002 cast whose main feature is Domingo is surpassed by the 1995 version with a stronger supporting cast, and Levine’s 2006 broadcast which features Roschmann and Kozena both excellent as Ilia and Idamante. Deshorties has had not one, but two Elettras, and the part calls for a Vaness (two excellent broadcasts) or Studer (never broadcast from the Met but in a fall series of performances.) Levine’s Mozart is among his very best operatic work. This is Domingo’s and Von Otter’s second Idomeneo broadcast. Domingo made a strong stab at Idomeno, but I think he’s better on the studio version. The 1995 broadcast also has Carol Vaness’s outstanding Elettra, a much more settled affair than Deshorties. Hong is an excellent Ilia in this 2002 outing. Deshorties had a big success at Glimmerglass this summer as Medea, but her Met work doesn’t always succeed.