This week's Metropolitan Opera broadcast features a rare archival performance of Samuel Barber's Vanessa from 1958.
The opera was the first world premiere of an American opera presented at the Metropolitan Opera during the regime of general manager Rudolf Bing. It was also the first opera written by Samuel Barber (1910–81), whose centenery is being celebrated this year. Singing the title role is the prodigiously talented American soprano Eleanor Steber, who learned the opera in less than six weeks after the original singer cancelled. Vanessa later earned Barber the Pulitzer Prize in music.
The Cast
Conductor: Dimitri Mitropoulos
Vanessa: Eleanor Steber
Anatol: Nicolai Gedda
Erika: Rosalind Elias
Baroness: Regina Resnik
Doctor: Giorgio Tozzi
Nicholas: George Cehanovsky
For more information about this production, please click here.
Comments [8]
Mr. MacKenzie makes a good point about the revised and reduced intermission programming. For example, during the original broadcast there appears to have been an extended interview with Barber and Menotti, but we only got to hear brief excepts. (Barber's snarky remark, calling atonal opera "barking" was hilarious). Maybe the Met could offer complete, unedited archival broadcasts on line after they are heard on WQXR.
Today's "archival" broadcast of Vanessa is another demonstration that we have saved the broadcasts but the Met has not preserved them.
The performance was the same, but not the broadcast. The original broadcast, which i heard (and was moved to come to New York to hear the opera), was hosted by Milton Cross, then the giant of the broadcasts and keeper of its tradition. His name was mentioned once in today's version, but otherwise he was paved over by the dubbed, sometimes insipid scripted chatting of today's pair of commentators.
Another powerful narrator, Peter Allen, is also paved over in other "historic" broadcasts. When the Met does that, it fails to recapture for listeners the original anticipation, especially for a premiere like Vanessa, or the kind of nostalgic experience a historic recording would evoke. In addition, even allowing for possible longer-term memory errors, the commentary simply isn't as good or as engaging.
i praise and support the inspired HD initiative and many other features of the current regime. But i deplore the irreverent, disfigured so-called archive productions.
Now I know why BBC Radio 3 isnt broadcasting a live relay from the Met.
Pity about the Turandot
Why are you broadcasting a recorded opera instead of a live broadcast of "Turandot" which is being performed this afternoon at the Met? Would appreciate your prompt reply.
Nina
With a cast like this, I'd happily listen to them sing the telephone directory
Never mind Barber. I would rather hear the Live Broadcast from the Met.
This is a major event for us Barber fans. Now, let's hear a broadcast of Leontyne Price's magnificent performance in "Antony and Cleopatra"!
I am so pleased you are broadcasting Vanessa starring the great American soprano Eleanor Steber -- it will be a real treat to hear Miss Steber, Nicolai Gedda and the rest of the cast.
Leave a Comment
Register for your own account so you can vote on comments, save your favorites, and more. Learn more.
Please stay on topic, be civil, and be brief.
Email addresses are never displayed, but they are required to confirm your comments. Names are displayed with all comments. We reserve the right to edit any comments posted on this site. Please read the Comment Guidelines before posting. By leaving a comment, you agree to New York Public Radio's Privacy Policy and Terms Of Use.