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. 

Sep
25
Wed
2019
IDOMENEO
Sep 25 @ 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM


IDOMENEO:Mozart
Original Air Date: 03/25/1995
Levine; Domingo, Upshaw, Vaness, von Otter, Davies
MOD Audio SID.19390317
Levine is an excellent Idomeneo conductor, and Vaness is the best of the Met Elettras. Upshaw is a bit light

Sep
27
Fri
2019
IDOMENEO
Sep 27 @ 9:00 PM – 11:55 PM


IDOMENEO:Mozart
Original Air Date: 03/25/1995
Levine; Domingo, Upshaw, Vaness, von Otter, Davies
MOD Audio SID.19390317
Levine is an excellent Idomeneo conductor, and Vaness is the best of the Met Elettras. Upshaw is a bit light

Sep
30
Mon
2019
DON GIOVANNI
Sep 30 @ 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM


DON GIOVANNI:Mozart
Hager; Morris, Sweet, Perry, Schuman, Olsen, Hong
Original Air Date: 12/24/1994

SID.19400104
Morris has four broadcast performances of the title role going back to 1974 (all post Siepi of course, who is very much my standard). In a house the size of of the Met I prefer a bass-baritone Don. Hager is a solid conductor and D’Arcangelo is caught at the beginning of his Met career. I like this overall cast better than the two surrounding broadcasts which feature Hampson. We need to hear the 1967 Don Giovanni with Siepi, Sutherland, Lorengar, Gedda, Flagello, Giaiotti under Bohm and also the 1957 Don with Steber and Della Casa at their peak under Bohm, and on MOoD, the video of Sutherland with Morris from 1978 which features Varady on camera for her only Met role.

Oct
3
Thu
2019
DON GIOVANNI
Oct 3 @ 6:00 AM – 9:00 AM


DON GIOVANNI:Mozart
Hager; Morris, Sweet, Perry, Schuman, Olsen, Hong
Original Air Date: 12/24/1994

SID.19400321
Morris has four broadcast performances of the title role going back to 1974 (all post Siepi of course, who is very much my standard). In a house the size of of the Met I prefer a bass-baritone Don. Hager is a solid conductor and D’Arcangelo is caught at the beginning of his Met career. I like this overall cast better than the two surrounding broadcasts which feature Hampson. We need to hear the 1967 Don Giovanni with Siepi, Sutherland, Lorengar, Gedda, Flagello, Giaiotti under Bohm and also the 1957 Don with Steber and Della Casa at their peak under Bohm, and on MOoD, the video of Sutherland with Morris from 1978 which features Varady on camera for her only Met role.

Oct
5
Sat
2019
DON GIOVANNI
Oct 5 @ 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM


DON GIOVANNI:Mozart
Hager; Morris, Sweet, Perry, Schuman, Olsen, Hong
Original Air Date: 12/24/1994

SID.19400638
Morris has four broadcast performances of the title role going back to 1974 (all post Siepi of course, who is very much my standard). In a house the size of of the Met I prefer a bass-baritone Don. Hager is a solid conductor and D’Arcangelo is caught at the beginning of his Met career. I like this overall cast better than the two surrounding broadcasts which feature Hampson. We need to hear the 1967 Don Giovanni with Siepi, Sutherland, Lorengar, Gedda, Flagello, Giaiotti under Bohm and also the 1957 Don with Steber and Della Casa at their peak under Bohm, and on MOoD, the video of Sutherland with Morris from 1978 which features Varady on camera for her only Met role.

Oct
28
Mon
2019
SIMON BOCCANEGRA
Oct 28 @ 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM


SIMON BOCCANEGRA:Verdi
Levine; Chernov, Millo, Domingo, Scandiuzzi, Pola
Original Air Date: 03/11/1995

SID.19440103
This is the year of the new production, and the telecast a few weeks earlier featured Te Kanawa and Lloyd. Amelia is Millo’s debut role in 1984, and this broadcast is her last time out in the role at the Met. It is also in the series of performances that mark her return to the house after an absence of a year, and a most unsuccessful Lombardi production. Scandiuzzi is in his debut season, and Fiesco was his debut role. The next time Domingo appears in Boccanegra he IS Boccanegra, not Gabriele. As can often happen with this opera, things don’t quite come together though the paper casting looks very strong indeed. Better yet is the Levine Boccanegra with Hvorostovsky with Frittoli and Furlanetto.

Oct
30
Wed
2019
SIMON BOCCANEGRA
Oct 30 @ 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM


SIMON BOCCANEGRA:Verdi
Levine; Chernov, Millo, Domingo, Scandiuzzi, Pola
Original Air Date: 03/11/1995

SID.19440319
This is the year of the new production, and the telecast a few weeks earlier featured Te Kanawa and Lloyd. Amelia is Millo’s debut role in 1984, and this broadcast is her last time out in the role at the Met. It is also in the series of performances that mark her return to the house after an absence of a year, and a most unsuccessful Lombardi production. Scandiuzzi is in his debut season, and Fiesco was his debut role. The next time Domingo appears in Boccanegra he IS Boccanegra, not Gabriele. As can often happen with this opera, things don’t quite come together though the paper casting looks very strong indeed. Better yet is the Levine Boccanegra with Hvorostovsky with Frittoli and Furlanetto.

Nov
3
Sun
2019
SIMON BOCCANEGRA
Nov 3 @ 12:00 AM – 3:00 AM


SIMON BOCCANEGRA:Verdi
Levine; Chernov, Millo, Domingo, Scandiuzzi, Pola
Original Air Date: 03/11/1995

SID.19440103
This is the year of the new production, and the telecast a few weeks earlier featured Te Kanawa and Lloyd. Amelia is Millo’s debut role in 1984, and this broadcast is her last time out in the role at the Met. It is also in the series of performances that mark her return to the house after an absence of a year, and a most unsuccessful Lombardi production. Scandiuzzi is in his debut season, and Fiesco was his debut role. The next time Domingo appears in Boccanegra he IS Boccanegra, not Gabriele. As can often happen with this opera, things don’t quite come together though the paper casting looks very strong indeed. Better yet is the Levine Boccanegra with Hvorostovsky with Frittoli and Furlanetto.

Feb
3
Mon
2020
TOSCA
Feb 3 @ 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM


TOSCA:Puccini
Oren; Holleque, Pavarotti, Pons
Original Air Date: 04/01/1995

SID.20060106
If I’m going to see/hear Pavarotti in Cavaradossi, I prefer the Verrett/MacNeil performance of 17 years earlier which is also in MOoD. 7/18/11 – This is 17 years after Pavarotti’s first Cavaradossi broadcast with Verrett, and he would do it again 4 years after this with Carol Vaness. This performance is on Met Player and the the Verrett telecast is also on MetPlayer.

Feb
5
Wed
2020
TOSCA
Feb 5 @ 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM


TOSCA:Puccini
Oren; Holleque, Pavarotti, Pons
Original Air Date: 04/01/1995

SID.20060317
If I’m going to see/hear Pavarotti in Cavaradossi, I prefer the Verrett/MacNeil performance of 17 years earlier which is also in MOoD. 7/18/11 – This is 17 years after Pavarotti’s first Cavaradossi broadcast with Verrett, and he would do it again 4 years after this with Carol Vaness. This performance is on Met Player and the the Verrett telecast is also on MetPlayer.

Feb
7
Fri
2020
TOSCA
Feb 7 @ 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM


TOSCA:Puccini
Oren; Holleque, Pavarotti, Pons
Original Air Date: 04/01/1995

SID.20060533
If I’m going to see/hear Pavarotti in Cavaradossi, I prefer the Verrett/MacNeil performance of 17 years earlier which is also in MOoD. 7/18/11 – This is 17 years after Pavarotti’s first Cavaradossi broadcast with Verrett, and he would do it again 4 years after this with Carol Vaness. This performance is on Met Player and the the Verrett telecast is also on MetPlayer.

Feb
10
Mon
2020
TOSCA
Feb 10 @ 12:00 AM – 3:00 AM


TOSCA:Puccini
Oren; Holleque, Pavarotti, Pons
Original Air Date: 04/01/1995

SID.20070101
If I’m going to see/hear Pavarotti in Cavaradossi, I prefer the Verrett/MacNeil performance of 17 years earlier which is also in MOoD. 7/18/11 – This is 17 years after Pavarotti’s first Cavaradossi broadcast with Verrett, and he would do it again 4 years after this with Carol Vaness. This performance is on Met Player and the the Verrett telecast is also on MetPlayer.

Feb
19
Wed
2020
DER ROSENKAVALIER
Feb 19 @ 12:00 AM – 3:00 AM


DER ROSENKAVALIER:Strauss
Levine; von Otter, Gessendorf, Hawlata, Grant Murphy, Hornik, Elias, Senechal, Olsen
Original Air Date: 03/04/1995

SID.20080315
Murphy is the main drag on this performance, but Gessendorf who has almost no commercial recording career is a creditable vocal Marschallin. Because Rosenkavalier seems to still be hobbled on rights, we still don’t have Steber with Reiner, Ludwig as Oktavian in 1959, and Tomowa-Sintow or Gwyneth Jones as Marschallin.

Feb
20
Thu
2020
DER ROSENKAVALIER
Feb 20 @ 6:00 AM – 9:00 AM


DER ROSENKAVALIER:Strauss
Levine; von Otter, Gessendorf, Hawlata, Grant Murphy, Hornik, Elias, Senechal, Olsen
Original Air Date: 03/04/1995

SID.20080423
Murphy is the main drag on this performance, but Gessendorf who has almost no commercial recording career is a creditable vocal Marschallin. Because Rosenkavalier seems to still be hobbled on rights, we still don’t have Steber with Reiner, Ludwig as Oktavian in 1959, and Tomowa-Sintow or Gwyneth Jones as Marschallin.

Feb
23
Sun
2020
DER ROSENKAVALIER
Feb 23 @ 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM


DER ROSENKAVALIER:Strauss
Levine; von Otter, Gessendorf, Hawlata, Grant Murphy, Hornik, Elias, Senechal, Olsen
Original Air Date: 03/04/1995

SID.20080748
Murphy is the main drag on this performance, but Gessendorf who has almost no commercial recording career is a creditable vocal Marschallin. Because Rosenkavalier seems to still be hobbled on rights, we still don’t have Steber with Reiner, Ludwig as Oktavian in 1959, and Tomowa-Sintow or Gwyneth Jones as Marschallin.

Apr
14
Tue
2020
CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA / PAGLIACCI
Apr 14 @ 12:00 AM – 3:00 AM


CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA / PAGLIACCI:Mascagni / Leoncavallo
Badea; Guleghina, Jóhannsson, Pola / Dessì, Martinucci, Nucci
Original Air Date: 02/04/1995

SID.20160209
Another Cavalleria of minimal interest– there must be something better in the archives. The Pagliacci does feature a qualified if not often encountered cast. Martinucci only has 25 performances in 7 seasons at the Met and this Canio is only 3 before his farewell. He has a very decent Fanciulla with Dimitrova, and is the Chenier on Milnes 25th anniversary broadcast. I saw him in Chicago in Gioconda, and he worked regularly in the top European houses I think for maybe another decade.

Apr
16
Thu
2020
CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA / PAGLIACCI
Apr 16 @ 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM


CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA / PAGLIACCI:Mascagni / Leoncavallo
Badea; Guleghina, Jóhannsson, Pola / Dessì, Martinucci, Nucci
Original Air Date: 02/04/1995

SID.20160427
Another Cavalleria of minimal interest– there must be something better in the archives. The Pagliacci does feature a qualified if not often encountered cast. Martinucci only has 25 performances in 7 seasons at the Met and this Canio is only 3 before his farewell. He has a very decent Fanciulla with Dimitrova, and is the Chenier on Milnes 25th anniversary broadcast. I saw him in Chicago in Gioconda, and he worked regularly in the top European houses I think for maybe another decade.

Apr
17
Fri
2020
CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA / PAGLIACCI
Apr 17 @ 9:00 PM – 11:55 PM


CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA / PAGLIACCI:Mascagni / Leoncavallo
Badea; Guleghina, Jóhannsson, Pola / Dessì, Martinucci, Nucci
Original Air Date: 02/04/1995

SID.20160540
Another Cavalleria of minimal interest– there must be something better in the archives. The Pagliacci does feature a qualified if not often encountered cast. Martinucci only has 25 performances in 7 seasons at the Met and this Canio is only 3 before his farewell. He has a very decent Fanciulla with Dimitrova, and is the Chenier on Milnes 25th anniversary broadcast. I saw him in Chicago in Gioconda, and he worked regularly in the top European houses I think for maybe another decade.