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. 

Aug
27
Tue
2019
GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG
Aug 27 @ 6:00 AM – 9:00 AM

Wagner
Original Air Date: 04/17/1993
Levine; Jones, Johns, Salminen, Held, Plette, Troyanos
SID.19350209
This is one of Jones best Met performances, and 15 years after I saw her do it at Bayreuth. She’s in better voice for this than at the Festspielhaus. This is Troyanos’ farewell broadcast and her last run of anything at the Met. Johns is a very decent Siegfried,and Salminen a thrilling Hagen. The Three Norns are Mignon Dunn, Hanna Schwarz, and Susan Neves. That’s a lot of Stimme from all three ladies.

GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG
Aug 27 @ 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Wagner
Original Air Date: 04/17/1993
Levine; Jones, Johns, Salminen, Held, Plette, Troyanos
SID.19350210
This is one of Jones best Met performances, and 15 years after I saw her do it at Bayreuth. She’s in better voice for this than at the Festspielhaus. This is Troyanos’ farewell broadcast and her last run of anything at the Met. Johns is a very decent Siegfried,and Salminen a thrilling Hagen. The Three Norns are Mignon Dunn, Hanna Schwarz, and Susan Neves. That’s a lot of Stimme from all three ladies.

Aug
29
Thu
2019
GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG
Aug 29 @ 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM

Wagner
Original Air Date: 04/17/1993
Levine; Jones, Johns, Salminen, Held, Plette, Troyanos
SID.19350425
This is one of Jones best Met performances, and 15 years after I saw her do it at Bayreuth. She’s in better voice for this than at the Festspielhaus. This is Troyanos’ farewell broadcast and her last run of anything at the Met. Johns is a very decent Siegfried,and Salminen a thrilling Hagen. The Three Norns are Mignon Dunn, Hanna Schwarz, and Susan Neves. That’s a lot of Stimme from all three ladies.

GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG
Aug 29 @ 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM

Wagner
Original Air Date: 04/17/1993
Levine; Jones, Johns, Salminen, Held, Plette, Troyanos
SID.19350426
This is one of Jones best Met performances, and 15 years after I saw her do it at Bayreuth. She’s in better voice for this than at the Festspielhaus. This is Troyanos’ farewell broadcast and her last run of anything at the Met. Johns is a very decent Siegfried,and Salminen a thrilling Hagen. The Three Norns are Mignon Dunn, Hanna Schwarz, and Susan Neves. That’s a lot of Stimme from all three ladies.

Aug
31
Sat
2019
GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG
Aug 31 @ 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM

Wagner
Original Air Date: 04/17/1993
Levine; Jones, Johns, Salminen, Held, Plette, Troyanos
SID.19350641
This is one of Jones best Met performances, and 15 years after I saw her do it at Bayreuth. She’s in better voice for this than at the Festspielhaus. This is Troyanos’ farewell broadcast and her last run of anything at the Met. Johns is a very decent Siegfried,and Salminen a thrilling Hagen. The Three Norns are Mignon Dunn, Hanna Schwarz, and Susan Neves. That’s a lot of Stimme from all three ladies.

GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG
Aug 31 @ 9:00 PM – 11:55 PM

Wagner
Original Air Date: 04/17/1993
Levine; Jones, Johns, Salminen, Held, Plette, Troyanos
SID.19350642
This is one of Jones best Met performances, and 15 years after I saw her do it at Bayreuth. She’s in better voice for this than at the Festspielhaus. This is Troyanos’ farewell broadcast and her last run of anything at the Met. Johns is a very decent Siegfried,and Salminen a thrilling Hagen. The Three Norns are Mignon Dunn, Hanna Schwarz, and Susan Neves. That’s a lot of Stimme from all three ladies.

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.

Dec
24
Tue
2019
DAS RHEINGOLD
Dec 24 @ 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM


DAS RHEINGOLD:Wagner
Levine; Morris, Schwarz, Langridge, Wlaschiha, Hölle, Koptchak
Original Air Date: 03/27/1993
MOD Audio
SID.19520213
This is close to the end of Schwarz’s Met career. Not quite. She is back for the 2016 season for Buryja in Jenufa after an absence of 14 years. She has an earlier Rheingold Fricka in 1993, and I saw her in the Chereau Ring in 1978 and she closes her Met career with a 2002 Klytemnestra with Schnaut. There is also an excellent Erda in Madrid in 2007. One also encounters Phillip Langridge’s fine Loge.

Dec
27
Fri
2019
DAS RHEINGOLD
Dec 27 @ 6:00 AM – 9:00 AM


DAS RHEINGOLD:Wagner
Levine; Morris, Schwarz, Langridge, Wlaschiha, Hölle, Koptchak
Original Air Date: 03/27/1993
MOD Audio
SID.19520530
This is close to the end of Schwarz’s Met career. Not quite. She is back for the 2016 season for Buryja in Jenufa after an absence of 14 years. She has an earlier Rheingold Fricka in 1993, and I saw her in the Chereau Ring in 1978 and she closes her Met career with a 2002 Klytemnestra with Schnaut. There is also an excellent Erda in Madrid in 2007. One also encounters Phillip Langridge’s fine Loge.

Dec
29
Sun
2019
DAS RHEINGOLD
Dec 29 @ 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM


DAS RHEINGOLD:Wagner
Levine; Morris, Schwarz, Langridge, Wlaschiha, Hölle, Koptchak
Original Air Date: 03/27/1993
MOD Audio
SID.19520746
This is close to the end of Schwarz’s Met career. Not quite. She is back for the 2016 season for Buryja in Jenufa after an absence of 14 years. She has an earlier Rheingold Fricka in 1993, and I saw her in the Chereau Ring in 1978 and she closes her Met career with a 2002 Klytemnestra with Schnaut. There is also an excellent Erda in Madrid in 2007. One also encounters Phillip Langridge’s fine Loge.

Jan
21
Tue
2020
LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR
Jan 21 @ 6:00 AM – 9:00 AM


LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR:Donizetti
Panni; Anderson, Leech, Fu, Plishka
Original Air Date: 12/12/1992
MOD Audio
SID.20040209
Nothing really saves this afternoon as can be read in the Met database listing for the second performance of this new production by Francesca Zambello which comes in for some pretty harsh treatment from Martin Mayer– far from my favorite critic, but I think he has the right bead on this performance if not the musical excellence of Lucia as a great musical achievement. A Volpe miscue of large proportions (18 performances this season). 9/3/2013 – From my comments then: This is the newly preferred Sirius Lucia which I don’t think is very good. It does feature the conducting of Marcello Panni, who died shortly after his run of La Juive at the Met.

Jan
24
Fri
2020
LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR
Jan 24 @ 12:00 AM – 3:00 AM


LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR:Donizetti
Panni; Anderson, Leech, Fu, Plishka
Original Air Date: 12/12/1992
MOD Audio
SID.20040529
Nothing really saves this afternoon as can be read in the Met database listing for the second performance of this new production by Francesca Zambello which comes in for some pretty harsh treatment from Martin Mayer– far from my favorite critic, but I think he has the right bead on this performance if not the musical excellence of Lucia as a great musical achievement. A Volpe miscue of large proportions (18 performances this season). 9/3/2013 – From my comments then: This is the newly preferred Sirius Lucia which I don’t think is very good. It does feature the conducting of Marcello Panni, who died shortly after his run of La Juive at the Met.

Jan
26
Sun
2020
LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR
Jan 26 @ 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM


LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR:Donizetti
Panni; Anderson, Leech, Fu, Plishka
Original Air Date: 12/12/1992
MOD Audio
SID.20040748
Nothing really saves this afternoon as can be read in the Met database listing for the second performance of this new production by Francesca Zambello which comes in for some pretty harsh treatment from Martin Mayer– far from my favorite critic, but I think he has the right bead on this performance if not the musical excellence of Lucia as a great musical achievement. A Volpe miscue of large proportions (18 performances this season). 9/3/2013 – From my comments then: This is the newly preferred Sirius Lucia which I don’t think is very good. It does feature the conducting of Marcello Panni, who died shortly after his run of La Juive at the Met.

Feb
3
Mon
2020
DIE WALKÜRE
Feb 3 @ 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM


DIE WALKÜRE:Wagner
Levine; Jones, Morris, Gessendorf, Lakes, Ludwig, Salminen
Original Air Date: 04/03/1993

SID.20060103
This is Gwyneth Jones’ second Walkure Brunnhilde broadcast, her earlier one in 1983 was with Behrens as Sieglinde. This broadcast marks Christa Ludwig’s farewell to the Met in one of her signature roles. Mechthild Gessendorf sings one of the very best broadcast Sieglindes with gleaming tone at the top and a solid rich middle and lower voice. This broadcast is definitely worthy of your attention.

DIE WALKÜRE
Feb 3 @ 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM


DIE WALKÜRE:Wagner
Levine; Jones, Morris, Gessendorf, Lakes, Ludwig, Salminen
Original Air Date: 04/03/1993

SID.20060104
This is Gwyneth Jones’ second Walkure Brunnhilde broadcast, her earlier one in 1983 was with Behrens as Sieglinde. This broadcast marks Christa Ludwig’s farewell to the Met in one of her signature roles. Mechthild Gessendorf sings one of the very best broadcast Sieglindes with gleaming tone at the top and a solid rich middle and lower voice. This broadcast is definitely worthy of your attention.

Feb
5
Wed
2020
DIE WALKÜRE
Feb 5 @ 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM


DIE WALKÜRE:Wagner
Levine; Jones, Morris, Gessendorf, Lakes, Ludwig, Salminen
Original Air Date: 04/03/1993

SID.20060319
This is Gwyneth Jones’ second Walkure Brunnhilde broadcast, her earlier one in 1983 was with Behrens as Sieglinde. This broadcast marks Christa Ludwig’s farewell to the Met in one of her signature roles. Mechthild Gessendorf sings one of the very best broadcast Sieglindes with gleaming tone at the top and a solid rich middle and lower voice. This broadcast is definitely worthy of your attention.

DIE WALKÜRE
Feb 5 @ 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM


DIE WALKÜRE:Wagner
Levine; Jones, Morris, Gessendorf, Lakes, Ludwig, Salminen
Original Air Date: 04/03/1993

SID.20060320
This is Gwyneth Jones’ second Walkure Brunnhilde broadcast, her earlier one in 1983 was with Behrens as Sieglinde. This broadcast marks Christa Ludwig’s farewell to the Met in one of her signature roles. Mechthild Gessendorf sings one of the very best broadcast Sieglindes with gleaming tone at the top and a solid rich middle and lower voice. This broadcast is definitely worthy of your attention.

Feb
7
Fri
2020
DIE WALKÜRE
Feb 7 @ 9:00 PM – 11:55 PM


DIE WALKÜRE:Wagner
Levine; Jones, Morris, Gessendorf, Lakes, Ludwig, Salminen
Original Air Date: 04/03/1993

SID.20060535
This is Gwyneth Jones’ second Walkure Brunnhilde broadcast, her earlier one in 1983 was with Behrens as Sieglinde. This broadcast marks Christa Ludwig’s farewell to the Met in one of her signature roles. Mechthild Gessendorf sings one of the very best broadcast Sieglindes with gleaming tone at the top and a solid rich middle and lower voice. This broadcast is definitely worthy of your attention.

Feb
8
Sat
2020
DIE WALKÜRE
Feb 8 @ 12:00 AM – 3:00 AM


DIE WALKÜRE:Wagner
Levine; Jones, Morris, Gessendorf, Lakes, Ludwig, Salminen
Original Air Date: 04/03/1993

SID.20060636
This is Gwyneth Jones’ second Walkure Brunnhilde broadcast, her earlier one in 1983 was with Behrens as Sieglinde. This broadcast marks Christa Ludwig’s farewell to the Met in one of her signature roles. Mechthild Gessendorf sings one of the very best broadcast Sieglindes with gleaming tone at the top and a solid rich middle and lower voice. This broadcast is definitely worthy of your attention.

Mar
3
Tue
2020
SIEGFRIED
Mar 3 @ 6:00 AM – 9:00 AM


SIEGFRIED:Wagner
Levine; Jones, Johns, Morris, Gjevang, Zednik, Wlaschiha
Original Air Date: 04/10/1993

SID.20100209
This 1993 cycle catches at least three performers in splendid voice: Morris, Zednik, Wlaschiha. Siegfried has not been especially well served on the airwaves. Melchior only has one complete from 1937 (not yet broadcast on Sirius), and the 1951 with Svanholdm and Traubel has also not been heard. Surprisingly Nilsson’s first cycle (1962) Siegfried has also not been heard, and Hopf possibly excepted, the remainder of the cast is extremely strong. Let’s hear prime Frick, Kuen, London, Nilsson, Arroyo (Forest BIrd).This is Gwyneth Jones’ only broadcast Siegfried Brunnhilde from the Met, and my memory is that Johns is a solid Siegfried. This should be in MOoD. This cycle found her in more satisfying voice than usual. Morris (James), Zednik, Wlaschiha, Salminen are just about as well as you can do.

SIEGFRIED
Mar 3 @ 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM


SIEGFRIED:Wagner
Levine; Jones, Johns, Morris, Gjevang, Zednik, Wlaschiha
Original Air Date: 04/10/1993

SID.20100210
This 1993 cycle catches at least three performers in splendid voice: Morris, Zednik, Wlaschiha. Siegfried has not been especially well served on the airwaves. Melchior only has one complete from 1937 (not yet broadcast on Sirius), and the 1951 with Svanholdm and Traubel has also not been heard. Surprisingly Nilsson’s first cycle (1962) Siegfried has also not been heard, and Hopf possibly excepted, the remainder of the cast is extremely strong. Let’s hear prime Frick, Kuen, London, Nilsson, Arroyo (Forest BIrd).This is Gwyneth Jones’ only broadcast Siegfried Brunnhilde from the Met, and my memory is that Johns is a solid Siegfried. This should be in MOoD. This cycle found her in more satisfying voice than usual. Morris (James), Zednik, Wlaschiha, Salminen are just about as well as you can do.

Mar
5
Thu
2020
SIEGFRIED
Mar 5 @ 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM


SIEGFRIED:Wagner
Levine; Jones, Johns, Morris, Gjevang, Zednik, Wlaschiha
Original Air Date: 04/10/1993

SID.20100425
This 1993 cycle catches at least three performers in splendid voice: Morris, Zednik, Wlaschiha. Siegfried has not been especially well served on the airwaves. Melchior only has one complete from 1937 (not yet broadcast on Sirius), and the 1951 with Svanholdm and Traubel has also not been heard. Surprisingly Nilsson’s first cycle (1962) Siegfried has also not been heard, and Hopf possibly excepted, the remainder of the cast is extremely strong. Let’s hear prime Frick, Kuen, London, Nilsson, Arroyo (Forest BIrd).This is Gwyneth Jones’ only broadcast Siegfried Brunnhilde from the Met, and my memory is that Johns is a solid Siegfried. This should be in MOoD. This cycle found her in more satisfying voice than usual. Morris (James), Zednik, Wlaschiha, Salminen are just about as well as you can do.

SIEGFRIED
Mar 5 @ 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM


SIEGFRIED:Wagner
Levine; Jones, Johns, Morris, Gjevang, Zednik, Wlaschiha
Original Air Date: 04/10/1993

SID.20100426
This 1993 cycle catches at least three performers in splendid voice: Morris, Zednik, Wlaschiha. Siegfried has not been especially well served on the airwaves. Melchior only has one complete from 1937 (not yet broadcast on Sirius), and the 1951 with Svanholdm and Traubel has also not been heard. Surprisingly Nilsson’s first cycle (1962) Siegfried has also not been heard, and Hopf possibly excepted, the remainder of the cast is extremely strong. Let’s hear prime Frick, Kuen, London, Nilsson, Arroyo (Forest BIrd).This is Gwyneth Jones’ only broadcast Siegfried Brunnhilde from the Met, and my memory is that Johns is a solid Siegfried. This should be in MOoD. This cycle found her in more satisfying voice than usual. Morris (James), Zednik, Wlaschiha, Salminen are just about as well as you can do.

Mar
7
Sat
2020
SIEGFRIED
Mar 7 @ 9:00 PM – 11:55 PM


SIEGFRIED:Wagner
Levine; Jones, Johns, Morris, Gjevang, Zednik, Wlaschiha
Original Air Date: 04/10/1993

SID.20100641
This 1993 cycle catches at least three performers in splendid voice: Morris, Zednik, Wlaschiha. Siegfried has not been especially well served on the airwaves. Melchior only has one complete from 1937 (not yet broadcast on Sirius), and the 1951 with Svanholdm and Traubel has also not been heard. Surprisingly Nilsson’s first cycle (1962) Siegfried has also not been heard, and Hopf possibly excepted, the remainder of the cast is extremely strong. Let’s hear prime Frick, Kuen, London, Nilsson, Arroyo (Forest BIrd).This is Gwyneth Jones’ only broadcast Siegfried Brunnhilde from the Met, and my memory is that Johns is a solid Siegfried. This should be in MOoD. This cycle found her in more satisfying voice than usual. Morris (James), Zednik, Wlaschiha, Salminen are just about as well as you can do.

Mar
8
Sun
2020
SIEGFRIED
Mar 8 @ 12:00 AM – 3:00 AM


SIEGFRIED:Wagner
Levine; Jones, Johns, Morris, Gjevang, Zednik, Wlaschiha
Original Air Date: 04/10/1993

SID.20100642
This 1993 cycle catches at least three performers in splendid voice: Morris, Zednik, Wlaschiha. Siegfried has not been especially well served on the airwaves. Melchior only has one complete from 1937 (not yet broadcast on Sirius), and the 1951 with Svanholdm and Traubel has also not been heard. Surprisingly Nilsson’s first cycle (1962) Siegfried has also not been heard, and Hopf possibly excepted, the remainder of the cast is extremely strong. Let’s hear prime Frick, Kuen, London, Nilsson, Arroyo (Forest BIrd).This is Gwyneth Jones’ only broadcast Siegfried Brunnhilde from the Met, and my memory is that Johns is a solid Siegfried. This should be in MOoD. This cycle found her in more satisfying voice than usual. Morris (James), Zednik, Wlaschiha, Salminen are just about as well as you can do.

Mar
18
Wed
2020
JENUFA
Mar 18 @ 6:00 AM – 9:00 AM


JENUFA:Janácek
Conlon; Benacková, Rysanek, Heppner, Trussel, Christin
Original Air Date: 12/26/1992

SID.20120316
One of the great Met performances, and why is this performance not in MOoD– in fact NO performances of Jenufa are there? All the ingredients are there, and I saw the combo of Benackova and Rysanek in both San Francisco and New York. Heppner is an additional bonus.

Mar
20
Fri
2020
JENUFA
Mar 20 @ 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM


JENUFA:Janácek
Conlon; Benacková, Rysanek, Heppner, Trussel, Christin
Original Air Date: 12/26/1992

SID.20120532
One of the great Met performances, and why is this performance not in MOoD– in fact NO performances of Jenufa are there? All the ingredients are there, and I saw the combo of Benackova and Rysanek in both San Francisco and New York. Heppner is an additional bonus.

Mar
23
Mon
2020
JENUFA
Mar 23 @ 12:00 AM – 3:00 AM


JENUFA:Janácek
Conlon; Benacková, Rysanek, Heppner, Trussel, Christin
Original Air Date: 12/26/1992

SID.20130101
RWW: One of the great Met performances, and why is this performance not in MOoD– in fact NO performances of Jenufa are there? All the ingredients are there, and I saw the combo of Benackova and Rysanek in both San Francisco and New York. Heppner is an additional bonus.