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.
RUSALKA:Dvorák
Fiore; Benacková, Heppner, Martin, Toczyska, Koptchak
Original Air Date: 12/11/1993
MOD Audio
SID.19440208
This is from the first Met season for Rusalka and Benackova is a worthy heroine. For the broadcast a young Ben Heppner is the Prince replacing Neil Rosenshein. Zajick did the Jezibaba premiere but ceded the broadcast to Toczyska who is a very fine artist. This is quite a wonderful performance with Benackova, Heppner, and Koptchak especially strong. This premiere Met season of it, the ensemble is of high quality. This is a performance that belongs in MOoD. This is its only broadcast until Fleming’s 2009 run where three performances were on Sirius, and one of them was in the matinee series on the Met International network. Benackova was the first broadcast Rusalka at the Met, and this performance captures her very well. Heppner early in his Met career is on fine form as is the lesser known Koptchak as the Water Sprite. Martin is a bit tested as the Foreign Princess– a very difficult part, no one makes it sound easy. Still, a lovely opera in a fine performance, and this is well deserving being added to the Met Player repertory besides its visibility on Sirius.
RUSALKA:Dvorák
Fiore; Benacková, Heppner, Martin, Toczyska, Koptchak
Original Air Date: 12/11/1993
MOD Audio
SID.19440424
This is from the first Met season for Rusalka and Benackova is a worthy heroine. For the broadcast a young Ben Heppner is the Prince replacing Neil Rosenshein. Zajick did the Jezibaba premiere but ceded the broadcast to Toczyska who is a very fine artist. This is quite a wonderful performance with Benackova, Heppner, and Koptchak especially strong. This premiere Met season of it, the ensemble is of high quality. This is a performance that belongs in MOoD. This is its only broadcast until Fleming’s 2009 run where three performances were on Sirius, and one of them was in the matinee series on the Met International network. Benackova was the first broadcast Rusalka at the Met, and this performance captures her very well. Heppner early in his Met career is on fine form as is the lesser known Koptchak as the Water Sprite. Martin is a bit tested as the Foreign Princess– a very difficult part, no one makes it sound easy. Still, a lovely opera in a fine performance, and this is well deserving being added to the Met Player repertory besides its visibility on Sirius.
RUSALKA:Dvorák
Fiore; Benacková, Heppner, Martin, Toczyska, Koptchak
Original Air Date: 12/11/1993
MOD Audio
SID.19440424
This is from the first Met season for Rusalka and Benackova is a worthy heroine. For the broadcast a young Ben Heppner is the Prince replacing Neil Rosenshein. Zajick did the Jezibaba premiere but ceded the broadcast to Toczyska who is a very fine artist. This is quite a wonderful performance with Benackova, Heppner, and Koptchak especially strong. This premiere Met season of it, the ensemble is of high quality. This is a performance that belongs in MOoD. This is its only broadcast until Fleming’s 2009 run where three performances were on Sirius, and one of them was in the matinee series on the Met International network. Benackova was the first broadcast Rusalka at the Met, and this performance captures her very well. Heppner early in his Met career is on fine form as is the lesser known Koptchak as the Water Sprite. Martin is a bit tested as the Foreign Princess– a very difficult part, no one makes it sound easy. Still, a lovely opera in a fine performance, and this is well deserving being added to the Met Player repertory besides its visibility on Sirius.
PARSIFAL:Wagner
Steinberg; Thomas, Martin, Stewart, Macurdy, Meredith. Morris
Original Air Date: 04/20/1974
SID.19450105
This is William Steinberg’s farewell performance (only 25 altogether in four operas). It’s a very solid overall performance, and better conducted than Leopold Ludwig’s wan effort when the production was new. Next time out in 1979, James Levine begins a LONG run as the Parsifal conductor. Why is this performance not on MOoD. The cast is all-American, and except for Antony and Cleopatra, Jess Thomas is not represented on MOoD. 38 years later James Morris is the only survivor still on the Met stage. Not yet heard on Sirius are Hotter’s 2 Parsifal broadcasts (1952 as Amfortas and 1954 as Gurnemanz– his Met farewell). Hotter is well represented from Bayreuth, but worth hearing on Sirius. To me the big gaps are the 1966 Pretre Parsifal with Crespin and Konya under Pretre and the 1971 with Siepi’s classic Gurnemanz. Levine conducted a lot of Parsifal broadcasts in the 1980s, and the surprise omission is the 1985 with Vickers, Rysanek, MollThis is William Steinberg’s farewell performance (only 25 altogether in four operas). It’s a very solid overall performance, and better conducted than Leopold Ludwig’s wan effort when the production was new. Next time out in 1979, James Levine begins a LONG run as the Parsifal conductor. Why is this performance not on MOoD. The cast is all-American, and except for Antony and Cleopatra, Jess Thomas is not represented on MOoD. 38 years later James Morris is the only survivor still on the Met stage. Not yet heard on Sirius are Hotter’s 2 Parsifal broadcasts (1952 as Amfortas and 1954 as Gurnemanz– his Met farewell). Hotter is well represented from Bayreuth, but worth hearing on Sirius. To me the big gaps are the 1966 Pretre Parsifal with Crespin and Konya under Pretre and the 1971 with Siepi’s classic Gurnemanz. Levine conducted a lot of Parsifal broadcasts in the 1980s, and the surprise omission is the 1985 with Vickers, Rysanek, Moll
PARSIFAL:Wagner
Steinberg; Thomas, Martin, Stewart, Macurdy, Meredith. Morris
Original Air Date: 04/20/1974
SID.19450317
This is William Steinberg’s farewell performance (only 25 altogether in four operas). It’s a very solid overall performance, and better conducted than Leopold Ludwig’s wan effort when the production was new. Next time out in 1979, James Levine begins a LONG run as the Parsifal conductor. Why is this performance not on MOoD. The cast is all-American, and except for Antony and Cleopatra, Jess Thomas is not represented on MOoD. 38 years later James Morris is the only survivor still on the Met stage. Not yet heard on Sirius are Hotter’s 2 Parsifal broadcasts (1952 as Amfortas and 1954 as Gurnemanz– his Met farewell). Hotter is well represented from Bayreuth, but worth hearing on Sirius. To me the big gaps are the 1966 Pretre Parsifal with Crespin and Konya under Pretre and the 1971 with Siepi’s classic Gurnemanz. Levine conducted a lot of Parsifal broadcasts in the 1980s, and the surprise omission is the 1985 with Vickers, Rysanek, MollThis is William Steinberg’s farewell performance (only 25 altogether in four operas). It’s a very solid overall performance, and better conducted than Leopold Ludwig’s wan effort when the production was new. Next time out in 1979, James Levine begins a LONG run as the Parsifal conductor. Why is this performance not on MOoD. The cast is all-American, and except for Antony and Cleopatra, Jess Thomas is not represented on MOoD. 38 years later James Morris is the only survivor still on the Met stage. Not yet heard on Sirius are Hotter’s 2 Parsifal broadcasts (1952 as Amfortas and 1954 as Gurnemanz– his Met farewell). Hotter is well represented from Bayreuth, but worth hearing on Sirius. To me the big gaps are the 1966 Pretre Parsifal with Crespin and Konya under Pretre and the 1971 with Siepi’s classic Gurnemanz. Levine conducted a lot of Parsifal broadcasts in the 1980s, and the surprise omission is the 1985 with Vickers, Rysanek, Moll
PARSIFAL:Wagner
Steinberg; Thomas, Martin, Stewart, Macurdy, Meredith. Morris
Original Air Date: 04/20/1974
SID.19450749
This is William Steinberg’s farewell performance (only 25 altogether in four operas). It’s a very solid overall performance, and better conducted than Leopold Ludwig’s wan effort when the production was new. Next time out in 1979, James Levine begins a LONG run as the Parsifal conductor. Why is this performance not on MOoD. The cast is all-American, and except for Antony and Cleopatra, Jess Thomas is not represented on MOoD. 38 years later James Morris is the only survivor still on the Met stage. Not yet heard on Sirius are Hotter’s 2 Parsifal broadcasts (1952 as Amfortas and 1954 as Gurnemanz– his Met farewell). Hotter is well represented from Bayreuth, but worth hearing on Sirius. To me the big gaps are the 1966 Pretre Parsifal with Crespin and Konya under Pretre and the 1971 with Siepi’s classic Gurnemanz. Levine conducted a lot of Parsifal broadcasts in the 1980s, and the surprise omission is the 1985 with Vickers, Rysanek, MollThis is William Steinberg’s farewell performance (only 25 altogether in four operas). It’s a very solid overall performance, and better conducted than Leopold Ludwig’s wan effort when the production was new. Next time out in 1979, James Levine begins a LONG run as the Parsifal conductor. Why is this performance not on MOoD. The cast is all-American, and except for Antony and Cleopatra, Jess Thomas is not represented on MOoD. 38 years later James Morris is the only survivor still on the Met stage. Not yet heard on Sirius are Hotter’s 2 Parsifal broadcasts (1952 as Amfortas and 1954 as Gurnemanz– his Met farewell). Hotter is well represented from Bayreuth, but worth hearing on Sirius. To me the big gaps are the 1966 Pretre Parsifal with Crespin and Konya under Pretre and the 1971 with Siepi’s classic Gurnemanz. Levine conducted a lot of Parsifal broadcasts in the 1980s, and the surprise omission is the 1985 with Vickers, Rysanek, Moll
DIE WALKÜRE:Wagner
Ehrling; Nilsson, McIntyre, Martin, Vickers, Dunn, Rundgren
Original Air Date: 03/01/1975
SID.19490103
I’m never a very big fan of Ehrling’s Ring, and Rundgren is one of the weaker Wagner basses we’ve heard. Nilsson has other performances where she is better caught. I’m always a big fan of Vickers, and as Siegmund he was pretty mighty right to the end (and this end is still a decade away). Janis Martin was on the rocks as Rossweise 10 years earlier under Steinberg (this performance is important for several reasons, not least George London’s only broadcast Wotan with Nilsson, Vickers, Rysanek in top form); Martin is also Sieglinde 2 years later in a most interesting cast (also not yet on Sirius) with Rita Hunter, James King, Norman Bailey, all under Leinsdorf. I remember this broadcast very well and it should be restored to the airwaves.
DIE WALKÜRE:Wagner
Ehrling; Nilsson, McIntyre, Martin, Vickers, Dunn, Rundgren
Original Air Date: 03/01/1975
SID.19490104
I’m never a very big fan of Ehrling’s Ring, and Rundgren is one of the weaker Wagner basses we’ve heard. Nilsson has other performances where she is better caught. I’m always a big fan of Vickers, and as Siegmund he was pretty mighty right to the end (and this end is still a decade away). Janis Martin was on the rocks as Rossweise 10 years earlier under Steinberg (this performance is important for several reasons, not least George London’s only broadcast Wotan with Nilsson, Vickers, Rysanek in top form); Martin is also Sieglinde 2 years later in a most interesting cast (also not yet on Sirius) with Rita Hunter, James King, Norman Bailey, all under Leinsdorf. I remember this broadcast very well and it should be restored to the airwaves.
DIE WALKÜRE:Wagner
Ehrling; Nilsson, McIntyre, Martin, Vickers, Dunn, Rundgren
Original Air Date: 03/01/1975
SID.19490319
I’m never a very big fan of Ehrling’s Ring, and Rundgren is one of the weaker Wagner basses we’ve heard. Nilsson has other performances where she is better caught. I’m always a big fan of Vickers, and as Siegmund he was pretty mighty right to the end (and this end is still a decade away). Janis Martin was on the rocks as Rossweise 10 years earlier under Steinberg (this performance is important for several reasons, not least George London’s only broadcast Wotan with Nilsson, Vickers, Rysanek in top form); Martin is also Sieglinde 2 years later in a most interesting cast (also not yet on Sirius) with Rita Hunter, James King, Norman Bailey, all under Leinsdorf. I remember this broadcast very well and it should be restored to the airwaves.
DIE WALKÜRE:Wagner
Ehrling; Nilsson, McIntyre, Martin, Vickers, Dunn, Rundgren
Original Air Date: 03/01/1975
SID.19490535
I’m never a very big fan of Ehrling’s Ring, and Rundgren is one of the weaker Wagner basses we’ve heard. Nilsson has other performances where she is better caught. I’m always a big fan of Vickers, and as Siegmund he was pretty mighty right to the end (and this end is still a decade away). Janis Martin was “on the rocks” as Rossweise 10 years earlier under Steinberg (this performance is important for several reasons, not least George London’s only broadcast Wotan with Nilsson, Vickers, Rysanek in top form); Martin is also Sieglinde 2 years later in a most interesting cast (also not yet on Sirius) with Rita Hunter, James King, Norman Bailey, all under Leinsdorf. I remember this broadcast very well and it should be restored to the airwaves.
DIE WALKÜRE:Wagner
Ehrling; Nilsson, McIntyre, Martin, Vickers, Dunn, Rundgren
Original Air Date: 03/01/1975
SID.19490636
I’m never a very big fan of Ehrling’s Ring, and Rundgren is one of the weaker Wagner basses we’ve heard. Nilsson has other performances where she is better caught. I’m always a big fan of Vickers, and as Siegmund he was pretty mighty right to the end (and this end is still a decade away). Janis Martin was “on the rocks” as Rossweise 10 years earlier under Steinberg (this performance is important for several reasons, not least George London’s only broadcast Wotan with Nilsson, Vickers, Rysanek in top form); Martin is also Sieglinde 2 years later in a most interesting cast (also not yet on Sirius) with Rita Hunter, James King, Norman Bailey, all under Leinsdorf. I remember this broadcast very well and it should be restored to the airwaves.
DIE FRAU OHNE SCHATTEN:Strauss
Perick; Meier, Schunk, Martin, Courtney, Dernesch
Original Air Date: 12/09/1989
MOD Audio
SID.19520209
The big gap is Courtney being a late fill-in for Weikl as Barak. Dernesch finds some tough sledding in a lot of the Nurse’s part. I love the work, and Perick works hard. Though Johanna Meier is no Rysanek or Marton, she still has her moments. Listening to the COMPLETE performance under Jurowski from last season finds the Met and Frau particularly congenial partners. Maybe this is a minor hommage to Janis Martin who recently passed away, and so far as I can tell got no paid obituary from the Met in the NYTimes [rechecked this afternoon and still so]
DIE FRAU OHNE SCHATTEN:Strauss
Perick; Meier, Schunk, Martin, Courtney, Dernesch
Original Air Date: 12/09/1989
MOD Audio
SID.19520425
The big gap is Courtney being a late fill-in for Weikl as Barak. Dernesch finds some tough sledding in a lot of the Nurse’s part. I love the work, and Perick works hard. Though Johanna Meier is no Rysanek or Marton, she still has her moments. Listening to the COMPLETE performance under Jurowski from last season finds the Met and Frau particularly congenial partners. Maybe this is a minor hommage to Janis Martin who passed away, and got no paid obituary from the Met in the NYTimes
DIE FRAU OHNE SCHATTEN:Strauss
Perick; Meier, Schunk, Martin, Courtney, Dernesch
Original Air Date: 12/09/1989
MOD Audio
SID.19520642
The big gap is Courtney being a late fill-in for Weikl as Barak. Dernesch finds some tough sledding in a lot of the Nurse’s part. I love the work, and Perick works hard. Though Johanna Meier is no Rysanek or Marton, she still has her moments. Listening to the COMPLETE performance under Jurowski from last season finds the Met and Frau particularly congenial partners. Maybe this is a minor hommage to Janis Martin who passed away, and got no paid obituary from the Met in the NYTimes [rechecked this afternoon and still so]
FAUST:Gounod
Cleva; Morell, Moffo, Siepi, Ruzdak, Martin
Original Air Date: 01/04/1964
MOD Audio
SID.20130103
RWW: Siepi is the outstanding contribution here. He has 6 Mephisto broadcasts, but still missing from the Sirius/MOoD roster are the 2 Bjorlings from 1950 and 1959, and 1969 with Lorengar, Gedda, and Merrill. The recently deceased (fall 2013) Janis Martin is featured in this 1964 performance before her move to Europe and starring roles.
FAUST:Gounod
Cleva; Morell, Moffo, Siepi, Ruzdak, Martin
Original Air Date: 01/04/1964
MOD Audio
SID.20130321
RWW: Siepi is the outstanding contribution here. He has 6 Mephisto broadcasts, but still missing from the Sirius/MOoD roster are the 2 Bjorlings from 1950 and 1959, and 1969 with Lorengar, Gedda, and Merrill. The recently deceased (fall 2013) Janis Martin is featured in this 1964 performance before her move to Europe and starring roles.
FAUST:Gounod
Cleva; Morell, Moffo, Siepi, Ruzdak, Martin
Original Air Date: 01/04/1964
MOD Audio
SID.20130539
RWW: Siepi is the outstanding contribution here. He has 6 Mephisto broadcasts, but still missing from the Sirius/MOoD roster are the 2 Bjorlings from 1950 and 1959, and 1969 with Lorengar, Gedda, and Merrill. The recently deceased (fall 2013) Janis Martin is featured in this 1964 performance before her move to Europe and starring roles.
FAUST:Gounod
Cleva; Morell, Moffo, Siepi, Ruzdak, Martin
Original Air Date: 01/04/1964
MOD Audio
SID.20130750
RWW: Siepi is the outstanding contribution here. He has 6 Mephisto broadcasts, but still missing from the Sirius/MOoD roster are the 2 Bjorlings from 1950 and 1959, and 1969 with Lorengar, Gedda, and Merrill. The recently deceased (fall 2013) Janis Martin is featured in this 1964 performance before her move to Europe and starring roles.
LES CONTES D’HOFFMANN:Offenbach
Varviso; Alexander, Dooley, Scovotti, Cvejic, Amara, Martin
Original Air Date: 02/27/1965
SID.20150209
This performance goes back to the old house, and has the distinction of being John Alexander’s only broadcast Hoffmann. His career is distinguished by regularly being asked for by the biggest named sopranos in the world–Beverly Sills, Montserrat Caballe, Renata Tebaldi, Leontyne Price, and a repertory that was as comfortable in Mozart and the French, as he was in German (Walther and Bacchus among his roles) and Italian. He was a bit like Alberto Remedios, but with more coloratura flexibility; both with sweet voices that could cope with roles that often defeated less technically secure colleagues. Antonia is one of Amara’s best parts.
LES CONTES D’HOFFMANN:Offenbach
Varviso; Alexander, Dooley, Scovotti, Cvejic, Amara, Martin
Original Air Date: 02/27/1965
SID.20150427
This performance goes back to the old house, and has the distinction of being John Alexander’s only broadcast Hoffmann. His career is distinguished by regularly being asked for by the biggest named sopranos in the world–Beverly Sills, Montserrat Caballe, Renata Tebaldi, Leontyne Price, and a repertory that was as comfortable in Mozart and the French, as he was in German (Walther and Bacchus among his roles) and Italian. He was a bit like Alberto Remedios, but with more coloratura flexibility; both with sweet voices that could cope with roles that often defeated less technically secure colleagues. Antonia is one of Amara’s best parts.
LES CONTES D’HOFFMANN:Offenbach
Varviso; Alexander, Dooley, Scovotti, Cvejic, Amara, Martin
Original Air Date: 02/27/1965
SID.20150753
This performance goes back to the old house, and has the distinction of being John Alexander’s only broadcast Hoffmann. His career is distinguished by regularly being asked for by the biggest named sopranos in the world–Beverly Sills, Montserrat Caballe, Renata Tebaldi, Leontyne Price, and a repertory that was as comfortable in Mozart and the French, as he was in German (Walther and Bacchus among his roles) and Italian. He was a bit like Alberto Remedios, but with more coloratura flexibility; both with sweet voices that could cope with roles that often defeated less technically secure colleagues. Antonia is one of Amara’s best parts.