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
24
Sat
2019
LULU
Aug 24 @ 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM


LULU:Berg
Original Air Date: 04/13/1985
Levine; Migenes, Mazura, Lear, Lewis, Foldi
SID.19340640
This performance was also issued in Sony’s Historical series on CD, but strikingly not in the Met Opera on Demand (MOoD) which features a performance from the season before with the same conductor, Figaro, Count, and Cherubino. Della Casa is swapped with Amara and Soderstrom (as Susanna) is swapped with Peters. Siepi is the chief attraction here. His Figaro is represented by 3 other Nozze performances, but strangely his Mephisto only has one streaming representation, but neither Bjorling (1950, 1959) nor a strong cast for his last turn at the microhones in 1969.

Oct
15
Tue
2019
FALSTAFF
Oct 15 @ 9:00 PM – 11:55 PM


FALSTAFF:Verdi
Levine; MacNeil, Lear, Stewart, Barbieri, Valente, Ahlstedt
Original Air Date: 04/05/1975
MOD Audio
SID.19420742
This performance is Levine’s first Falstaff broadcast and Barbieri’s penultimate company broadcast (she returns for Trittico (minus Frugola) 2 years later. MacNeil is a very good Falstaff which I think is his only run in the part– he is a stellar Ford on a Chicago broadcast with Gobbi in 1958. Lear is in better form than her husband — Stewart is not really a Verdian, and the monologue is among the showiest music in the opera.

Oct
18
Fri
2019
FALSTAFF
Oct 18 @ 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM

FALSTAFF:Verdi
Levine; MacNeil, Lear, Stewart, Barbieri, Valente, Ahlstedt
Original Air Date: 04/05/1975
MOD Audio
SID.19420531
This performance is Levine’s first Falstaff broadcast and Barbieri’s penultimate company broadcast (she returns for Trittico (minus Frugola) 2 years later. MacNeil is a very good Falstaff which I think is his only run in the part– he is a stellar Ford on a Chicago broadcast with Gobbi in 1958. Lear is in better form than her husband — Stewart is not really a Verdian, and the monologue is among the showiest music in the opera.

Oct
20
Sun
2019
FALSTAFF
Oct 20 @ 6:00 AM – 9:00 AM


FALSTAFF:Verdi
Levine; MacNeil, Lear, Stewart, Barbieri, Valente, Ahlstedt
Original Air Date: 04/05/1975
MOD Audio
SID.19420742
This performance is Levine’s first Falstaff broadcast and Barbieri’s penultimate company broadcast (she returns for Trittico (minus Frugola) 2 years later. MacNeil is a very good Falstaff which I think is his only run in the part– he is a stellar Ford on a Chicago broadcast with Gobbi in 1958. Lear is in better form than her husband — Stewart is not really a Verdian, and the monologue is among the showiest music in the opera.

Nov
5
Tue
2019
MOURNING BECOMES ELECTRA
Nov 5 @ 9:00 PM – 11:55 PM


MOURNING BECOMES ELECTRA:Levy
Mehta; Lear, Reardon, Collier, Milnes, Macurdy
Original Air Date: 04/01/1967

SID.19450214
Whatever the musical limitations, Cacoyannis’ direction and the searing performances of Lear and Collier as Lavinia and Christine Mannon and maybe the best thing Reardon and Milnes ever did. Michael Cacoyannis’ staging and a cast rehearsed to a fare thee well by Mehta overcome the limitations of O’Neill and Levy. It was quite an effective evening in the theatre. Lear and Collier even in such rarefied company stood out. This is from first season in the new house. Sad that we didn’t have cameras whirring in those days – probably the performance of the 1960s most regret not being on video, because video might have caught some of the enormous electricity that was simply not in Levy’s music. Surprisingly, this piece lingers on the edge of the repertory, exceeded only by Vanessa in terms of repeat performances for recent Met world premieres.

Nov
8
Fri
2019
MOURNING BECOMES ELECTRA
Nov 8 @ 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM


MOURNING BECOMES ELECTRA:Levy
Mehta; Lear, Reardon, Collier, Milnes, Macurdy
Original Air Date: 04/01/1967

SID.19450533
Whatever the musical limitations, Cacoyannis’ direction and the searing performances of Lear and Collier as Lavinia and Christine Mannon and maybe the best thing Reardon and Milnes ever did. Michael Cacoyannis’ staging and a cast rehearsed to a fare thee well by Mehta overcome the limitations of O’Neill and Levy. It was quite an effective evening in the theatre. Lear and Collier even in such rarefied company stood out. This is from first season in the new house. Sad that we didn’t have cameras whirring in those days – probably the performance of the 1960s most regret not being on video, because video might have caught some of the enormous electricity that was simply not in Levy’s music. Surprisingly, this piece lingers on the edge of the repertory, exceeded only by Vanessa in terms of repeat performances for recent Met world premieres.

Nov
10
Sun
2019
MOURNING BECOMES ELECTRA
Nov 10 @ 6:00 AM – 9:00 AM


MOURNING BECOMES ELECTRA:Levy
Mehta; Lear, Reardon, Collier, Milnes, Macurdy
Original Air Date: 04/01/1967

SID.19450744
Whatever the musical limitations, Cacoyannis’ direction and the searing performances of Lear and Collier as Lavinia and Christine Mannon and maybe the best thing Reardon and Milnes ever did. Michael Cacoyannis’ staging and a cast rehearsed to a fare thee well by Mehta overcome the limitations of O’Neill and Levy. It was quite an effective evening in the theatre. Lear and Collier even in such rarefied company stood out. This is from first season in the new house. Sad that we didn’t have cameras whirring in those days – probably the performance of the 1960s most regret not being on video, because video might have caught some of the enormous electricity that was simply not in Levy’s music. Surprisingly, this piece lingers on the edge of the repertory, exceeded only by Vanessa in terms of repeat performances for recent Met world premieres.

Nov
20
Wed
2019
LULU
Nov 20 @ 12:00 AM – 3:00 AM


LULU:Berg
Levine; Stratas, Mazura, Lear, Riegel, Foldi
Original Air Date: 01/03/1981

SID.19470315
This is Stratas’ only Lulu broadcast from the Met, and by everyone’s reckoning it is a strong cast. The telecast was done a few weeks earlier with Julia Migenes in the title role replacing Stratas. That is available on DVD issued by the Met

Nov
22
Fri
2019
LULU
Nov 22 @ 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM


LULU:Berg
Levine; Stratas, Mazura, Lear, Riegel, Foldi
Original Air Date: 01/03/1981

SID.19470534
This is Stratas’ only Lulu broadcast from the Met, and by everyone’s reckoning it is a strong cast. The telecast was done a few weeks earlier with Julia Migenes in the title role replacing Stratas. That is available on DVD issued by the Met

Nov
24
Sun
2019
LULU
Nov 24 @ 6:00 AM – 9:00 AM


LULU:Berg
Levine; Stratas, Mazura, Lear, Riegel, Foldi
Original Air Date: 01/03/1981

SID.19470744
This is Stratas’ only Lulu broadcast from the Met, and by everyone’s reckoning it is a strong cast. The telecast was done a few weeks earlier with Julia Migenes in the title role replacing Stratas. That is available on DVD issued by the Met

Mar
16
Mon
2020
DER ROSENKAVALIER
Mar 16 @ 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM


DER ROSENKAVALIER:Strauss
Böhm; Fassbaender, Lear, Jungwirth, Mathis, Dooley
Original Air Date: 02/23/1974

SID.20120106
Evelyn Lear is a solid Marschallin, even if she is somewhat eclipsed by Fassbaender and Mathis, among the two best performers to ever do these roles. Bohm is in the pit, and Jungwirth is an excellent Ochs (as he is on the Solti Crespin commercial.)

Mar
19
Thu
2020
DER ROSENKAVALIER
Mar 19 @ 12:00 AM – 3:00 AM


DER ROSENKAVALIER:Strauss
Böhm; Fassbaender, Lear, Jungwirth, Mathis, Dooley
Original Air Date: 02/23/1974

SID.20120422
Evelyn Lear is a solid Marschallin, even if she is somewhat eclipsed by Fassbaender and Mathis, among the two best performers to ever do these roles. Bohm is in the pit, and Jungwirth is an excellent Ochs (as he is on the Solti Crespin commercial.)

Mar
22
Sun
2020
DER ROSENKAVALIER
Mar 22 @ 9:00 PM – 11:55 PM


DER ROSENKAVALIER:Strauss
Böhm; Fassbaender, Lear, Jungwirth, Mathis, Dooley
Original Air Date: 02/23/1974

SID.20120749
Evelyn Lear is a solid Marschallin, even if she is somewhat eclipsed by Fassbaender and Mathis, among the two best performers to ever do these roles. Bohm is in the pit, and Jungwirth is an excellent Ochs (as he is on the Solti Crespin commercial.)

DER ROSENKAVALIER {238}
Octavian…………………Brigitte Fassbaender
Princess von Werdenberg……Evelyn Lear
Baron Ochs……………….Manfred Jungwirth
Sophie…………………..Edith Mathis
Faninal………………….William Dooley
Annina…………………..Mildred Miller
Valzacchi………………..Andrea Velis
Italian Singer……………Leo Goeke
Marianne…………………Carlotta Ordassy
Mahomet………………….Michael McClain
Princess’ Major-domo………Douglas Ahlstedt
Orphan…………………..Linda Mays
Orphan…………………..Joyce Olson
Orphan…………………..Valerie Lundberg
Milliner…………………Maureen Smith
Animal Vendor…………….Charles Kuestner
Hairdresser………………Donald Mahler
Notary…………………..Andrij Dobriansky
Leopold………………….John Trehy
Lackey…………………..Richard Firmin
Lackey…………………..Peter Sliker
Lackey…………………..Lou Marcella
Lackey…………………..Edward Ghazal
Faninal’s Major-domo………Robert Schmorr
Innkeeper………………..Charles Anthony
Police Commissioner……….Richard Best

Conductor………………..Karl Böhm