*Friends, I am listening in real time to the Saturday matinee broadcast of
Manon Lescaut (In quelle trine morbide just started with Netrebko.) That
the Met provides more than 100 broadcasts a season of new live performances
is really a tribute to the power of radio. The "baker's dozen " of
archival performances as always features 4 that I haven't listened to in
some time, or discovering anew . Since the 1960 Trovatore features an
all-Italian principal cast with one the Met's most beloved tenors, Carlo
Bergonzi, and the only Met microphones capture of Giulietta Simionato is a
definite not miss. Antonietta Stella and Ettore Bastianini have soprano
and baritone voices that only come from Italy. The 1967 Mehta Otello
with Caballe, McCracken,and Gobbi from the first season in the Lincoln
Center opera house is a memory for me not of just the radio but casting we
took for granted. Gergiev leads a 2005 Walkure that is half pure
Mariinsky casting, and the half more traditional Scandinavian. The week's
archives feature a 1959 Hoffmann piloted by one of Levine's teachers,
Jean Morel. The 1970 Boheme is more V8 casting with 3 basses (Plishka is
Benoit, Corena the Alcindoro and the incomparable Siepi as Colline.
Tebaldi and Tucker lead the upper staff (Tucker now gone from us more
than four decades is still ahead of Domingo in the tenor stats, but
Martinelli is still the #1 at just short of 1000 appearances. I always
love hearing the 1964 Rosenstock Lohengrin thanks to the special
contributions of Crespin, Konya, and Rankin Gergiev makes another
appearance this week in Tchaikovsky's Mazeppa.*
*Happy listening to all *
*rww*
*MONDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2016*
Mozart: Die Zauberflote *Mon Dec 5 12:00 am * 3/4/1967-Krips; Raskin,
Shirley, Uppman, Peters, Macurdy
Verdi: Otello *Mon Dec 5 6:00 am *3/11/1967-Mehta; McCracken, Caballe,
Gobbi, Lorenzi
*Rebroadcast: *Wed Dec 7 3:00 pm , Sat Dec 10 12:00 am
Last on Sirius: November 2015 Available on MetOpera on Demand
(MOoD) Annotation from November 2015
This is the first Otello broadcast from the new house at Lincoln
Center, and I attended
an earlier performance in the run. Caballe is very fine in the
fourth act, but earlier acts do not find her fully engaged. McCracken
and Gobbi are fully engaged from first note, and Mehta is a solid
participant. Sirius continues to deprive us of Tebaldi's 1955 and 1958
Desdemonas which capture her (especially 1955) in remarkable voice.
Verdi: Il Trovatore * Mon Dec 5 9:00 am* 2/27/1960-Cleva; Bergonzi, Stella,
Simionato, Bastianini, Wilderman
*Rebroadcast: *Thu Dec 8 12:00 am , Sat Dec 10 6:00 pm
Last on Sirius: October
2015
Annotation from December 2013
Wonder of wonders. Sirius/the Met finally figured out they could
broadcast this again. This is Simionato's only Met broadcast, and her
supporting singers are in her league. Now this performance is worth
hearing at least twice a year (at least until the Met sees fit to put
it in the MOoD catalog. It's also Bergonzi's only broadcast Manrico
from the Met.
Wagner: Die Walkure *Mon Dec 5 12:00 pm* 4/23/2005-Gergiev; Sergeeva, Kit,
Dalayman, Domingo, Diadkova, Milling
*Rebroadcast: *Thu Dec 8 6:00 am , Sat Dec 10 9:00 pm
Last on Sirius: June
2015
Annotation from July 2012
The best singing comes from the Walsung twins and Diadkova. The
Mariinsky contingent are mostly in over their head.
R. Strauss: Salome (LIVE FROM THE MET) (P) *Mon Dec 5 7:55 pm* Debus;
Racette, Siegel, Lucic, Herrera, K. Wang
*TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2016*
Offenbach: Les Contes d'Hoffmann *Tue Dec 6 12:00 am* 2/7/1959-Morel;
Gedda, London, Dobbs, Elias, Amara, Vanni
*Rebroadcast: *Thu Dec 8 12:00 pm , Sat Dec 10 6:00 am
Last on Sirius: November 2015 Available on MOoD
Annotation from October 2012
This performance is always welcome on Sirius, for it is one of
Gedda’s very best broadcasts. Morel’s style is also welcome. I’m not
a huge fan of London’s villains (I prefer Singher’s) but this is a
solid performance from top to bottom.
Gounod: Romeo et Juliette *Tue Dec 6 6:00 am* 12/6/1986-Domingo; Kraus,
Gasdia, Plishka, Harris, Schexnayder
*Rebroadcast: *Thu Dec 8 3:00 pm
Last on Sirius: January 2016 Available on
MOoD Annotation from
April 2013
This broadcast documents Gasdia's only season at the Met. The run,
Kraus' only times in Romeo at the Met, also featured 6 performances
with Soviero,
whom I would have preferred in the broadcast.
Mascagni/Leoncavallo: Cavalleria Rusticana/Pagliacci *Tue Dec 6 9:00
am* 2/10/2007-Armiliato;
Zajick, Licitra, Delavan / Stoyanova, Licitra, Ataneli
*Rebroadcast: *Thu Dec 8 6:00 pm
Last on Sirius: September
2015
Annotation from August 2012
The leading performances here are from the two female leads, Zajick
and Stoyanova. Armiliato is much more involved than usual and the
sound is unusually good.
Puccini: La Boheme *Tue Dec 6 12:00 pm* 1/24/1970-Cleva; Tebaldi, Tucker,
Carson, Walker, Siepi, Plishka, Corena
*Rebroadcast: *Thu Dec 8 9:00 pm , Sat Dec 10 9:00 am
Last on Sirius: December 2014 Available on
MOoD Annotation from
August 2012
This performance is not exactly a "youthful" special, but it is a
memento of two veterans together in this opera. Siepi is a classy
addition. A very
special Colline.
Mozart: La Clemenza di Tito *Tue Dec 6 3:00 pm* 5/7/2005-Levine; Lopardo,
von Otter, Diener, Connolly, Grant Murphy
*Rebroadcast: *Fri Dec 9 12:00 am , Sun Dec 11 9:00 am
Last on Sirius: February 2016 Available on
MOoD Annotation from
April 2012
I personally prefer Idomeneo-- one of Mozart' early successes to Tito
which is at the end of his career. Levine's conducting in Mozart is
among his very great achievements, and this is one of von Otter's best
Met efforts. The Met's first Clemenza 20 years earlier with two very
fine singers no
longer with us-- Tatiana Troyanos and Elizabeth Connell, Levine again
at the podium. This 2005 performance is Levine's last Met broadcast of
the work.
Saariaho: L’Amour de Loin (LIVE FROM THE MET) * Tue Dec 6 7:25 pm* Malkki;
Phillips, Mumford, Owens
*WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2016*
Saint-Saens: Samson et Dalila *Wed Dec 7 12:00 am* 4/12/1958-Cleva; Del
Monaco, Stevens, Singher
*Rebroadcast: *Fri Dec 9 12:00 pm , Sun Dec 11 6:00 pm
Last on Sirius: December 2015 Available on
MOoD Annotation from
February 2013
Del Monaco never did a studio version of Samson so this performance is
welcome. Stevens I never saw live, but I want a more settled,
glamorous sound for Dalila. Singher came in 1943 to the Met and makes
his farewell 8 months after this Samson broadcast doing the 2
performances of the 4 Hoffmann villains. He's an important part of
the Met's French wing with both Pelleas and Golaud in 2 different
revivals. He went on to be a major teacher at the Curtis Institute,
with James King his most notable student.
Gounod: Faust *Wed Dec 7 6:00 am* 12/10/2011-Nezet-Seguin; Kaufmann,
Poplavskaya, Pape, Braun, Losier
*Rebroadcast: *Fri Dec 9 3:00 pm , Mon Dec 12 12:00 am
Last on Sirius: November 2015 Available on MOoD (as
video) Annotation from November 2015
Nezet-Seguin's conducting was one of the best things he's done at the
Met, and both Kaufmann and Pape were excellent if not exactly erasing
aural
memories of Bjorling and Siepi (1950 and 1959). The two blots for me
were Poplavskaya as Marguerite and the misconceived production by Des
McAnuff
which will not disturb listening.
Donizetti: Lucia di Lammermoor *Wed Dec 7 9:00 am* 12/12/1992-Panni;
Anderson, Leech, Fu, Plishka
*Rebroadcast: *Fri Dec 9 6:00 pm
Last on Sirius: November 2015 Available on
MOoD Annotation from
July 2012
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).
Wagner: Lohengrin *Wed Dec 7 12:00 pm* 2/1/1964-Rosenstock; Konya,
Crespin, Rankin, Cassel, Wiemann
*Rebroadcast: *Fri Dec 9 9:00 pm , Sun Dec 11 6:00 am
Last on Sirius: September
2015
Annotation from 2013
Bing generally avoided broadcasts as the first performance in a run, and
this one could certainly have done with a few performances for the
ensemble to gel. More cuts than we are used to, and Rosenstock is not the
most inspiring leader. Konya is in excellent voice, and stands up to the
best of the Lohengrins ever. Crespin is one of my favorites, and already by
1964 she could be uneven. Still I like an Elsa with metal for the second
act confrontation with Ortrud and also the full throated singing she and
Konya bring to the Bridal Chamber. Rankin and Cassel are up to the vocal
demands if not always the distinction one would like, and Wiemann was an
excellent house bass ready for all the Wagner roles. His phrasing is often
a good deal more pleasing than Hines who had more significant vocal equipment.
Verdi: Otello *Mon Dec 5 6:00 am *3/11/1967-Mehta; McCracken,
Caballe, Gobbi, Lorenzi
Puccini: Tosca *Wed Dec 7 6:00 pm* 4/8/1978-Conlon; Kubiak, Domingo, Quilico
*Rebroadcast: *Fri Dec 9 6:00 am , Sun Dec 11 12:00 pm
Last on Sirius: July 2015
Annotation from April 2012
I'm not sure what the attraction is of this performance, and my
annotation from last year is mostly where the
principals fit in the Met chronology. I'm still in not much mood to listen.
I have no memories of this broadcast, but this is Conlon's first group
of Toscas (the Verrett Pavarotti group comes the following fall).
Domingo's 37 is his second highest role total at the Met, exceeded
only by his Otello with 40. Kubiak's Tosca is an unknown quantity to
me but I saw her Chrysothemis in Venice and her Jenufa as well, so
maybe I'll check this out [I didn't]. Quilico only has 19 Scarpias at
the Met,
but I saw him in Philadelphia and I'm sure he has City Opera
performances as well.
Tchaikovsky: Mazeppa *Wed Dec 7 9:00 pm* 3/18/2006-Gergiev; Putilin,
Guryakova, Balashov, Burchuladze, Diadkova
*Rebroadcast: *Fri Dec 9 9:00 am , Sun Dec 11 3:00 pm
Last on Sirius: June 2016
Annotation from July 2013
This is the only Met broadcast of Tchaikovsky's powerful work. Gergiev
and Putilin make a strong case for hearing the work more often. It
should really be on MOoD.
*THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2016*
Verdi: Il Trovatore * Thu Dec 8 12:00 am* 2/27/1960-Cleva; Bergonzi,
Stella, Simionato, Bastianini, Wilderman
Wagner: Die Walkure *Thu Dec 8 6:00 am* 4/23/2005-Gergiev; Sergeeva, Kit,
Dalayman, Domingo, Diadkova, Milling
Offenbach: Les Contes d'Hoffmann *Thu Dec 8 12:00 pm* 2/7/1959-Morel;
Gedda, London, Dobbs, Elias, Amara, Vanni
Gounod: Romeo et Juliette *Thu Dec 8 3:00 pm* 12/6/1986-Domingo; Kraus,
Gasdia, Plishka, Harris, Schexnayder
Mascagni/Leoncavallo: Cavalleria Rusticana/Pagliacci *Thu Dec 8 6:00
pm* 2/10/2007-Armiliato;
Zajick, Licitra, Delavan / Stoyanova, Licitra, Ataneli
Puccini: La Boheme *Thu Dec 8 9:00 pm* 1/24/1970-Cleva; Tebaldi, Tucker,
Carson, Walker, Siepi, Plishka, Corena
*FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2016*
Mozart: La Clemenza di Tito *Fri Dec 9 12:00 am* 5/7/2005-Levine; Lopardo,
von Otter, Diener, Connolly, Grant Murphy
Puccini: Tosca *Fri Dec 9 6:00 am* 4/8/1978-Conlon; Kubiak, Domingo, Quilico
Tchaikovsky: Mazeppa *Fri Dec 9 9:00 am* 3/18/2006-Gergiev; Putilin,
Guryakova, Balashov, Burchuladze, Diadkova
Saint-Saens: Samson et Dalila *Fri Dec 9 12:00 pm* 4/12/1958-Cleva;
Del Monaco, Stevens, Singher
Gounod: Faust *Fri Dec 9 3:00 pm* 12/10/2011-Nezet-Seguin; Kaufmann,
Poplavskaya, Pape, Braun, Losier
Donizetti: Lucia di Lammermoor *Fri Dec 9 6:00 pm* 12/12/1992-Panni;
Anderson, Leech, Fu, Plishka
Wagner: Lohengrin *Fri Dec 9 9:00 pm* 2/1/1964-Rosenstock; Konya,
Crespin, Rankin, Cassel, Wiemann
*SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2016*Verdi: Otello *Sat Dec 10 12:00 am
*3/11/1967-Mehta; McCracken, Caballe, Gobbi, Lorenzi
Offenbach: Les Contes d'Hoffmann *Sat Dec 10 6:00 am* 2/7/1959-Morel;
Gedda, London, Dobbs, Elias, Amara, Vanni
*Puccini: La Boheme Sat Dec 10 9:00 am 1/24/1970-Cleva; Tebaldi,
Tucker, Carson, Walker, Siepi*, Plishka, Corena
Saariaho: L’Amour de Loin (LIVE FROM THE MET) *Sat Dec 10 1:00 pm* Malkki;
Phillips, Mumford, Owens
Verdi: Il Trovatore * Sat Dec 10 6:00 pm* 2/27/1960-Cleva; Bergonzi,
Stella, Simionato, Bastianini, Wilderman
Wagner: Die Walkure *Sat Dec 10 9:00 pm* 4/23/2005-Gergiev; Sergeeva, Kit,
Dalayman, Domingo, Diadkova, Milling
*SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2016*
Wagner: Lohengrin *Sun Dec 11 6:00 am* 2/1/1964-Rosenstock; Konya,
Crespin, Rankin, Cassel, Wiemann
Mozart: La Clemenza di Tito *Sun Dec 11 9:00 am* 5/7/2005-Levine; Lopardo,
von Otter, Diener, Connolly, Grant Murphy
Puccini: Tosca *Sun Dec 11 12:00 pm* 4/8/1978-Conlon; Kubiak, Domingo, Quilico
Tchaikovsky: Mazeppa *Sun Dec 11 3:00 pm* 3/18/2006-Gergiev; Putilin,
Guryakova, Balashov, Burchuladze, Diadkova
Saint-Saens: Samson et Dalila *Sun Dec 11 6:00 pm* 4/12/1958-Cleva; Del
Monaco, Stevens, Singher
THE MET ON RECORD: Verdi: Macbeth (1959) *Sun Dec 11 9:00 pm* Leinsdorf;
Warren, Rysanek, Hines, Bergonzi
--
Robert W. White
Home: 515 Anderson Avenue, Apt. 6D
Cliffside Park, NJ 07010
Cell: 201-803-1142 <%28201%29%20803-1142>; Land 201-943-5302
<%28201%29%20943-5302>
Email [log in to unmask]
Interim Director Pals Plus, Clifton, NJ
Executive Director 1986-2015, BCCLS, Hackensack, NJ
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