The Inaugural Season: Extraordinary Met Performances From 1966-67

The CD Box set, "THE INAUGURAL SEASON..." is a fine collection of broadcasts from the Met's first season in Lincoln Center. The performances are excellent, the selection of broadcasts is good, if biased toward "star" names, and the sound restoration has been done mostly with care and restraint. I have a few quibbles with the sound, and there's a major transfer flub in the TURANDOT, as noted by another reviewer, but the set has enough good stuff that I'll keep it at a 5-star "I Love It" rating. Those looking specifically for the TURANDOT are likely to rate the set a few stars lower. Details on the sound follow the description of the package contents.The operas included capture major singers in good voice, in roles associated with them: Joan Sutherland and Richard Tucker in LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR, James McCracken and Tito Gobbi in OTELLO, Roberta Peters, Nicolai Gedda and Cornell MacNeil in RIGOLETTO and Renata Scotto in MADAMA BUTTERFLY. While a repeat from the "Verdi at the Met" box set, this collection would hardly be representative without Leontyne Price in AIDA. Four of the then-new productions are featured; the Opening Night ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA with Price and Justino Diaz, PETER GRIMES with Jon Vickers, DIE ZAUBERFLOTE with Roberta Peters and the spectacular DIE FRAU OHNE SCHATTEN with Leonie Rysanek and Christa Ludwig.Excerpts from seven other broadcasts of the season are on the "bonus" disc, which also has some of the Opening Night introductory material with Milton Cross, and a few amusingly non-spontaneous pre-curtain and intermission "interviews" mostly read from cue cards. My favorite is where the interpreter is reading ahead of Marc Chagall, who is responding in French.The packaging is similar to the Verdi and Wagner sets, with cardboard sleeves holding the discs, but they are easier to remove than those in the earlier collections. The notes don't provide much information about the performances, but each opera has a cast list, plot synopsis, and a list of tracks. Not deluxe packaging, but decent, and for the number of discs it doesn't take up a lot of space.In keeping with broadcast practice of the time, the sound is "dry" having little resonance, but distortion is low and the balance between singers and the orchestra is good. Most of the transfers are fine, but as noted in the review by "Tenorqueiroz" the tape speed was too fast in the TURANDOT with Birgit Nilsson and Franco Corelli. This happens only in Act 2, where the pitch is about right at the beginning, but by the "Riddle Scene" it is around a semitone sharp. Speed variations of this kind are not common in tapes made on good equipment, so it isn't too surprising it wasn't noticed before the set was released. While the broadcast likely available from the usual "non-official" sources, the sound in this set is good, and the first and third act do not have the speed problem.One of my least-favorite audio engineer tricks, low-level noise clipping was done on a few of these broadcasts. A little noise is to be expected from a live performance; these were not made in a dead recording studio. The amount of the limiting isn't extreme, and it might have been to cover defects in the tapes, but it is severe enough to blank some quiet orchestral passages and causes the end of the applause, as it fades, to vanish as if it was intentionally cut. It is worst in LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR, and also apparent in PETER GRIMES and OTELLO. But even in these the sound is otherwise good for Met broadcasts from the late 1960s.A questionable practice shows up with the AIDA broadcast, which I didn't notice when I reviewed the same transfer in "Verdi at the Met" collection. The performance had been run several years earlier on the Saturday matinee series as an "archive" broadcast. Carlo Bergonzi attempted to sing the final B-flat of "Celeste Aida" softly, as Verdi wrote it. Unfortunately he nearly lost the note; it went rather painfully flat, by about a quarter-tone for a couple seconds before he was able to bring it back up to pitch. On this transfer, it remains close to the correct pitch, and while it is still obvious that it didn't go well, the "correction" undermines the historic nature of the release. I can understand why it was done, the change is minor, and Bergonzi deserves extra points for what he tried to do, but it should have been explained in the notes about the transfer. Only, there are no notes about the transfer of any of these. The edit also cuts 26 seconds of applause after "O patria mia." Still, the sound is among the best in this collection.Except for Act 2 of the TURANDOT, the defects in the transfers are minor. The set is of great value to those who remember this era, or are curious about what actual performances with these artists were like in the 1960s.

This set consists of 10 full broadcasts from the Metropolitan Opera inaugural season 1966-67.In addition to a collection of highlights from other broadcasts from the same season...One can never second guess how these performances are chosen. The Aida has already been released on a Sony Met/Verdi compilation.Is this the third Met Rigoletto to be released? I would have thought the complete Don Giovanni or Mourning becomes Electra would be exciting.Well anyway.About the recordings which are nicely boxed with short but interesting commentaries. The sound has also been carefully re mastered. Thank you digital technology for making this possible.The 1960s was a decade to be dealt with maybe with the arrival of beatlemania. Everything in the arts just came together and the opera singer was no different. The lineup of great voices were staggering. Just listen to the enthusiasm from the audiences. And that was normal. There were nights when the audience would not let the cast go home.That was a different time.It is hard to describe the magnificence of these performances. Joan Sutherland raised the bar on Lucia as did Birgit Nilsson for Turandot and Leonie Rysanek's Empress. Another outstanding performance is Otello with McCracken and Gobbi. Which is the mightier. And Caballe is stunning. Gedda is a wonderful Duke. I forgot how beautiful his voice was and so free. MacNeil's Rigoletto was a wonderful showpiece for his extraordinary baritone. Then there's Jon Vickers another great voice in a thrilling performance of Peter Grimes. It was his first. And of course the thrilling Franco Corelli who defined the role of Calaf. After the age of Corelli/Nilsson I gave up on this opera. Die Frau Ohne Shatten is my reason to own this. Aside being my favorite opera it also has the greatest cast Richard Strauss can ever imagine.It is the dream cast of all ages.The Aida with the towering Bergonzi, Price and Bumbry is flawless. The Madama Butterfly with Scotto is a gem perhaps no Butterfly since has been so heartbreaking. Die Zauberflote, although it is the second cast, is so good I've played it more than any of these cds (so far). When you listen to Antony and Cleopatra you can only ask what were they thinking? I don't know if it's just the awful music or the lame libretto. Nothing seems heartfelt or involved.However Price sounds like the great singer she was even if the music is so superficial. I asked myself who cares about Antony and Cleopatra anyway?The remaining disc are scattered highlights with Tebaldi's Gioconda (sounding magnificent) What an event that was. A fabulous sounding Sutherland doing Don Giovanni (wished it was complete). A satisfying Lohengrin duet with Ludwig and Berry. Teresa Stratas Boheme. A lovely Traviata duet with Moffo/Merrill. Trovatore trio with Arroyo, Tucker and Merrill which incidentally is a super awesome performance which this excerpt does no justice. Regina Resnick's Klytamnestra to which you'll never hear the likes of again matched with Nilsson's monumental Elektra. Filling out the disc is Mourning Becomes Electra of which I could have had complete..I hope the powers that be consider the second or third season for release.

Mein Gott, das sind Abende! Auch klanglich erstaunlich! Dann die Einzelaufnahmen mit Schlussapplaus ! Ein wenig aber auch: wer kann am lautesten und höchsten! Tebaldi (??!!) man dankt für alte Grosstaten

Il n'y a que le MET capable de proposer un coffret aussi riche en distributions ( Ce qu'il y a de meilleur, toutes époques confondues.) et en qualité. Et il fallait faire un choix dans cette très abondante saison. Quelle merveille! Oui, on peut oublier cette LUCIA, ce RIGOLETTO et cette FLUTE . Mais les 7 autres opéras présentés ici rivalisent en surprises. L'AIDA nous était déjà connue grâce à SONY, c'est la même. Mais cette TURANDOT par exemple du 3.12.66, dépasse de loin toutes les versions bien connues: La prise de risque folle d'un Corelli rayonnant, dans une forme exceptionnelle, les aigus inouïs de Nilsson, l'émouvante Freni... On oubliera qu'il ne s'agit ici que de mono tant la vie sur la scène est éblouissante de vérité. BUTTERFLY fut probablement le rôle marquant de R. Scotto. Elle est ici unique, faisant progresser son personnage jusqu'à la scène finale, intelligente, hallucinée, déchirante.

Peter Gelb, General manager of the Met writes " In honour of the Met's 50th anniversary in Lincoln centre, we have selected and remastered ten broadcasts from that inaugural season, including the never-before-released Antony and Cleopatra and extraordinary performances of Richard Strauss's Die Frau ohne Schatten and Peter Grimes. A special bonus with highlights from the operas, La Gioconda and Elektra. We hope you enjoy these unforgettable performances from the company's historic first season in Lincoln centre. It was a season for the ages"BOX SET:A cardboard white box, with a lid which covers the entire box with red writing on it, plus the operas, conductors and singers on the back. The sleeves are made of tough cardboard, as are the sleeves inside holding the CD'S, but each cannot slip out because the back is blocked, which does not usually happen. The first sleeves each has a small booklet (like Callas remastered) with the singers and their roles, plus conductor. Also a essay in each booklet where the performances of the singers are discussed. Black and white photo's of the singers. Arias with track numbers as well as synopsis. No translations. Colour pictures of the singers on the front of the sleeve and inside it, with black and white photo's. At the back live performance and date recorded plus singers and conductor. On the spine are the composer, opera and conductor. The CD is red with writing in white, plus singers, disc number and compact disc digital audio. The CDs are easy to get out of the Sleeves in case you were wondering,. because of a curve in it, which allows you to actually grab the CD. Each sleeve is covered in light plastic which I have never seen before. At least you know the recording has not been played before it was sent to you by Amazon.SOUND:According to the booklet these recordings were captured for posterity thanks to the Saturday matinee radio broadcasts. Hence the enthusastic clapping. " These historic mono recordings were mastered from the original analogue tapes. Recording quality varies due to the evolving broadcast facilities at the new opera house. All recordings were restored and remastered using advanced audio restoration". The same Producers and engineers who were involved in remastering Verdi and Wagner at the Met, were engaged with this set. Restoration Producer Grace Row. Restoration Engineers Jeff Dudzick, Andreas Meyer and I-Hua-Tseng. Mastering Engineer Charles Harbutt. For example, in the 1935 La Traviata, with Tibbett and Ponselle in Verdi at the Met, the recording was remastered to such an extent, that you could hear Ponselle properly, which I had not been able to on the Pearl and Naxos recordings.OPERAS:ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA: BARBER. (Recorded September 16,1966.) World Premiere. Justino Diaz. Ezio Flagello. Leontyne price. Jess Thomas. John Macurdy. Cond Thomas Schippers. Barber and Price had known each other for a decade and he knew what her voice could do being a singer himself. The role of Cleopatra was made with Price in mind. Jess Thomas brought his heroic presence to the role of Caesar. Rosalind Elias, in her 30's sung the role of Charmian. Diaz sung Antony though a bass which Barber had imagined as a high baritone. Zeffirelli wrote the libretto with Barber from Shakespeare's text. Also he directed and designed the production which completely overwhelmed the opera. A decade after the premiere, the revised opera with the help of Gian Carlo Menotti was successful. Irving Kolodin, music critic for Saturday Review had listened to an on air check after reviewing the Premiere. " The music proceedings" he stated, " gain in interest without the distraction of the scenery and staging". Koldin was particularly moved by the opera's tragic power in its final scene. This opera has been needlessly neglected.However, Barber's opera Vanessa has not been forgotten. Premiered and recorded afterwards by Dimitri Mitropoulos. in 1958 with Steber, Elias, Resnik, Gedda and Tozzi. I came across it in the diapason D'Or 25 operas box set. That is the beauty of box sets you come across operas you have not heard before.TURANDOT: PUCCINI. (Recorded December 1966.)Mirella Freni, Franco Corelli, Birgit Nilsson. Conducted by Zubin Metha. Corelli had an exciting tenor voice, blazing its way heroically through the music, finshing with thrilling high notes. One should hear Nessun Dorma. A critic wrote of the opening night " Birgit Nilsson and fFanco Corelli took the leading roles as usual, the signing was magnificent. What else is there to say! This was a beautiful knit performance...just to hear Nilsson and Corelli almost sufficed last night since both were in superb voice." A recent debutante , the iIalian soprano Mirella Freni had assumed the role of Liu. She became one of the most admired singers of her time. This December 3rd matinee preserved on this recording was also the first Saturday afternoon radio broadcast from the new Met.DIE FRAU OHNE SCHATTEN: RICHARD STRAUSS.(17th December 1966)Irene Dalis, James King, leonie Rysanek, Christa Ludwig, Walter Berry Conducted by Karl Bohm who knew Richard Strauss very well, who dedicated his opera Daphne to him. This opera is conducted swiftly and with emotion, capturing the stunning melodies. I think it is better then the October 1977,lLive DGG recording conducted by Bohm, with the Vienna State Orchestra. with Rysanek, Berry and King. The sound is clear and fine.Harold Schonberg wrote in his opening night review in the New York Times. " all the principals had big voices, all were experts in the style". Soprano Leonie Rysanek triumphed in the demanding title role, the unnamed Empress. She has not been heard to better advantage. She is one of the few sopranos who has the top notes to meet Strauss's formidable writing on more or less equal terms". For many critic's, mezzo soprano Christa Ludwig, as the Dyer's Wife, was at least her equal. "Miss Ludwig captured every volatile mood of this tortured creature to perfection". Another, " in Ludwig's performance, we forgot it was opera". Tenor James King established a benchmark in his singing of the Emperor. Making a successful Met debut in this production, as Barak, the Dyer, was Bass-baritone Walter Berry " a fine actor, a superb musician...he took command of the stage when he was on it". Irene Dalis was considered " malevolence incarnate" Kolodin wrote ' Among the present group of Met opera conductors, Bohm towers like a Colossus" It is just an amazing performance, what else can I write.LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR: ( Recorded December 31st, 1966).Joan Sutherland, Richard Tucker, Anselmo Colzani, Conducted by Richard Bonynge, husband of Sutherland. She was at the height of her powers in 1966. The accuracy, brilliance, and quicksilver of her coloratura were only enhanced by her voice's dramatic size and presence-the kind of artistry that is made for a big theater like the Met. Schonberg wrote on 13th December, 1966, review " She is so obviously superior to he competition in this repertory, so commanding of technique that she is something special... an incomparable singer." Richard Tucker was Edgardo, live performances provide eloquence of his greatness, with the grand intensity and artistry that singing live do. I own the 1959 recording of this performance pf Lucia that made her world famous, with Joao Gibin conducted by Serafin. 26th February 1959. From the box set Great Performances recorded live, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden 1955-1997.I have a theory about Sutherland, in her early years before she gained fame, Covent Garden thought she was a Dramatic soprano. However, Bonynge thought otherwise and tricked her into singing higher then she thought, while she sung and he played the piano. They both liked Galli-Curci that was the problem. Yet she has a loud singing voice and if you listen to her singing Turandot you will hear a dramatic soprano attempting to escape.PETER GRIMES: BRITTEN. ( Recorded 11th,February 1967 )John Vickers, jean Madiera, Lucine Amara, Geraint Evans. Conductor Colin Davis, swiftly with feeling. This is Peter Grimes at its best. The world began then to recognise Vickers as the greatest interpreter of this role. Over the years he would deepen his portrayal in a partnership with Colin Davis, who made his Met Debut with this opera. Britten wrote this title role for Peter Pears his partner. However, Vickers changed all this, bringing an intensity to the role and a powerful embodiment of the drives and the uncertainities, the inner tensions and, occasionally, the outer releases, of a fate driven personality. This recording shows something of this intensity. American soprano is heard as the compassionate Ellen Orford. The Welsh bass-baritone Geraint Evans brings his great voice to the role of Captain Balstrode. A great recording.I own the complete works of Britten in a box set. Also, Bluray recording. Peter Grimes. John Grahan-Hall. Susan Gritton. Felicity Palmer. Catherine Wyn-Rodgers. Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala. Conducted by Robin Ticciati. In 1980's costumes with a lyrical touch to the music.AIDA: VERDI. (recorded February 25th, 1967).Jerome Hines, Carlo Bergonzi, Grace Bumbry, Leontyne Price, Robert Merrill. Conducted Thomas Schippers. The 3rd of 12 performances that season is heard here, Saturday matinee broadcast on February 25th 1967. Price is considered one of the very greatest of Aida's who sung the role at the Met, together with Destinn, Ponselle, Muzio, Rethberg and Milanov. Price redefined Aida, as a perfect vehicle for her sumptuous voice and powerful presence, which was tailor-made for Verdi's kind of musical theater. A critic wrote " Miss Bumbry sang Amneris with an imperious, scorching intensity that was the product of how she looked", Bergonzi brought his uncommon style and elegance to the role of Radames. Merrill in any Verdi role at the Met, little needs to be said, the majestic singing speaks for itself. Schippers died aged 47 in 1977.DIE ZAUBERFLOTE: MOZART. (Recorded March 4th 1967)George Shirley, Theodor Uppmann, Roberta Peters, Judith Raskin, John Macurdy. Conducted by Josef Krips quickly with an insight into the composer Mozart. Uppman was a favourite with the critics and audiences alike." he makes it a simple, boyish, character". George Shirley as Tamino had a beautiful voice, but he never became famous, which he deserved to do. Judith Raskin as Pamina really became the role. I own the 22 Mozart operas on DVD, just published on Amazon.OTHELLO: VERDI. ( Recorded March 11,1967)Tito Gobbi, James McCracken, Monserrat Caballe, Conducted by Zubin Metha. McCracken was a veritable voice of nature vocally, with a singular sound. Alan Blyth in Opera on Record stated that the tenor "was impassioned and tomented on stage as Othello". In otherwords, he can sing with a raw-nerve fury and also brings heroic tenderness to the love duet and his final moment. Harold Schonberg wrote in the New York Times, "Mr Mccracken is today's great Othello and most likely the best since Giovanni Martinelli ". See Verdi at the Met, Othello recorded 1940. Martinelli, Rethberg, Tibbitt, Conducted by Panizza. Naxos. Caballe's singing, regal in its beauty throughout, gives way to towering passion in Desdemonia's clash with Othello in Act 111. Her singing in Ave Maria was lovely, not heard since the days of the young Tebaldi at the Met. Gobbi is utter, impeccable evil as Iago, considered a great singing actor.MADAMA BUTTERFLY: PUCCINI. (Recorded March 18 1967) George Shirley, Renato Scotto, Ron Bottcher. Conducted by Molinari-Pradelli. John Ardoin hailed her Cio-Cio-San as "one of the supreme operatic characterization of the contemporary stage" noting that Scotto "was in extraordinary vocal estate" in the new Met's " superb accoustics" . Her performance " has deepened in refinement and poignancy."The Penguin Classical Guide 1976 states about Scotto's voice on the CD Verdi conducted by Gavazzeni, " this recital gives a warm portrait not just of various Verdi heroines but a singer with a lovely characterful voice, which has overtones of the great Claudia Muzio". Who you might ask? J.B Steane wrote " she was the most imaginative soprano to be held in Italian repertoire between Kruscerniski and Callas. Kruscerniski took over from Storchio as Madame Butterfly after its failure in 1904 at the premiere. She sung it a few months later when Puccini revised it at Brescia and the opera was successful. Volpi-Lauri a tenor writes about Muzio " with that unique voice of hers made of tears, sighs and restrained fire." The Penguin guide was playing Scotto a compliment.Although Scotto started out as a lyrical soprano she is now considered a Spinto soprano. This is Italian for pusher. A vocal term to characterize a soprano or tenor, between a lyrical and dramatic soprano. Soprano's of this ilk sing La Boheme, Madame Butterfly, or in Verdi Aida. Like tebaldi or Caballe.RIGOLETTO: VERDI. (April 8th, 1967).Gedda, Cornell Macneil, Roberta Peters. Conducted by Lamberto Gardelli very fast, nearly as quick as Solti with Moffo. Gardelli has recorded many early Verdi operas and they are in the New Verdi complete operas box 2016. A updated version of the 2013 set. One critic simply stated about Macneil's Rigoletto " What a voice". He sure has. Gedda was praised for his singing of the Duke," his voice rings out more then it did in the old house. He is tasteful and stylish as ever". Peters is right inside the role of Gilda. So a very good performance .BONUS:Opening night at the met. Live radio interviews recorded September 16 1966, partly about Barber's Antony and Cleopatra.Mozart:(Live January 28th 1967. Don Giovanni. Act 1. Don Ottovio, son morta. Sutherland, Gedda, Cond Bohm.Ponchielli. Live April 15th, 1967)La Gioconda. Act 11 E un anatema!. Vedi la, nel canal morto. Tebaldi, Elias, Macneil, Cleva conductor.Wagner: Live January 21st, 1967Act 11.Lohengrin. Du wilde Secherin! Wie wiilst du doch geheimnisvoll. Berry, Ludwig, Cond Bohm.Puccini. Live February 4, 1967.Act 3.La Boheme. Donde lieta usci. Teresa Stratas cond cleva.Verdi: Live March 25th 1967. Act 11. La traviata. pura siccome un angelo. Ah! Dite alla Giovine. Merrill, Moffo Cond Pretre.Verdi: Recorded February 18th, 1967.Il Trovatore. Act 1. tace la notte. Di geloso amor spezzato. Merrill, Tucker, Arroyo. Cond Molinari-Prdaelli.R.Strauss: December 10th, 1966.Ich habe keine guten Nachte. Wenn das rechte Bluloper unterm Beile fallt. Resnik, Nilsson. Cond Schippers.REFERENCES:Christiansen, R. Prima donna-a history. 1995. Pimlico. Penguin guide 1976. Steane, J.B. The grand Tradition. 1974. Duckworth. Warrack & West. The Oxford dictionary of Opera. 1992. Oxford university Press. Wilson,C. Puccini. 1997. Phaidon. Press Ltd.

Ich gebe zu, ich bin ein Sammler, und wenn sich ein Schnäpchen ergibt, greife ich zu. Ich habe diese Box recht günstig erworben. Live Mitschnitte aus den Jahren 1966-67, da darf man nicht so viel erwarten. Dabei ist die Qualität eigentlich sehr gut. Diesbezüglich bin ich sehr zufrieden. Was die Aufführungen betrifft, nun, da konnte ich feststellen, dass die MET auch nur mit Wasser kocht. Aber vielleicht sind es doch die Klangwelten, die meinen Eindruck trüben. Sehr gut hat mir die Aida Aufnahme gefallen. Weniger überzeugt hat mich etwa der Rigoletto, aber überraschender Weise auch die Turandot. Ich bin ein Freni Fan, aber ihre Liu hat mir wenig gefallen. Ich mag Zubin Metha, aber sein Dirigat war eher wenig gut. Und bei der Lucia waren die Sänger wenig stilistisch unterwegs. Mit Barbers Oper Antony and Cleopatra hatte ich einen völligen Neuwert, wenn er mir auch nicht allzu zugesagt hat. Die Beihefte sind meist kurz, aber letztlich ausreichend. Was bleibt: Es gibt zu allem (Barbers Oper vielleicht ausgenommen) Besseres am Markt, und zwar auch mit nahezu allen SängerInnen, zum Teil sogar in derselben Konstellation (Nillson und Corelli etwa, aber dann ohne Freni und Metha bei der Turandot). So gesehen hat die Box nicht allzu viel Chance zu bestehen, außer für Sammler, die nahezu alles nehmen. Die tun das auch, und ignorieren derartige Rezensionen, wie die vorliegende. Die hören dann genau zu und finden einfach den Schluß von der Arie des Radames durch Bergonzi einfach himmlisch. Oder andere kurze einzigartige Momente.

Ce coffret regroupe des trésors de l'Opéra, des distributions idéales et historiques et surtout fait découvrir Anthony and Cleopatra de Samuel Barber ave l'immense Leontyne Price !