''James Levine's 25th Anniversary Metropolitan Opera Gala'' was a concert, lasting (including intermissions) approximately eight hours, that the

Metropolitan Opera The Metropolitan Opera (commonly known as the Met) is an American opera company based in New York City, resident at the Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center, currently situated on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. The company is opera ...

staged in 1996 in honour of its then principal conductor and artistic director. Excerpts from the gala were released by

Deutsche Grammophon Deutsche Grammophon (; DGG) is a German classical music record label that was the precursor of the corporation PolyGram. Headquartered in Berlin Friedrichshain, it is now part of Universal Music Group (UMG) since its merger with the UMG family of ...

on a 72-minute CD, a 161-minute VHS videocassette and a 161-minute double Laserdisc in 1996, and on a 293-minute double DVD in 2005.

Background

James Levine made his début at the Metropolitan Opera at the age of twenty-seven. On 5 June 1971, he conducted a matinée performance of ''

Tosca ''Tosca'' is an opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. It premiered at the Teatro Costanzi in Rome on 14 January 1900. The work, based on Victorien Sardou's 1887 French-language dramati ...

'' with Grace Bumbry in the title role,

Franco Corelli Franco Corelli (8 April 1921 – 29 October 2003) was an Italian tenor who had a major international opera career between 1951 and 1976. Associated in particular with the spinto and dramatic tenor roles of the Italian repertory, he was cel ...

as Cavaradossi and

Peter Glossop Peter Glossop (6 July 1928 – 7 September 2008) was an English baritone who was the only Englishman to have sung Verdi's great tragic baritone roles at La Scala, Milan. He rose from humble beginnings in Yorkshire to become a leading performe ...

– also making his Met début – as Scarpia. Levine was the longest serving conductor in the Met's history, becoming its principal conductor in 1973, its music director in 1976 and its inaugural artistic director in 1986. At the time of his gala, he had led the Met in 1,646 performances of sixty-eight operas, twenty-one of which he had introduced into the company's repertoire. He had also notably initiated the Met's series of television broadcasts with a production of ''

La Bohème ''La bohème'' (; ) is an opera in four acts,Puccini called the divisions '' quadri'', '' tableaux'' or "images", rather than ''atti'' (acts). composed by Giacomo Puccini between 1893 and 1895 to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giusep ...

'' starring

Luciano Pavarotti Luciano Pavarotti (, , ; 12 October 19356 September 2007) was an Italian operatic tenor who during the late part of his career crossed over into popular music, eventually becoming one of the most acclaimed tenors of all time. He made numero ...

and

Renata Scotto Renata Scotto (born 24 February 1934) is an Italian soprano and opera director. Recognized for her sense of style, her musicality, and as a remarkable singer-actress, Scotto is considered one of the preeminent singers of her generation. Since ...

in 1977. The Met celebrated the silver anniversary of Levine's arrival there with a concert on 27 April 1996. Fifty-eight soloists contributed to a gala that lasted from 6 p.m. until 2 a.m. on the following morning. They performed on three sets: an Ezio Frigerio design for Act 1 of ''

Francesca da Rimini Francesca da Rimini or Francesca da Polenta (died between 1283 and 1286) was a medieval noblewoman of Ravenna, who was murdered by her husband, Giovanni Malatesta, upon his discovery of her affair with his brother, Paolo Malatesta. She was a co ...

'', a gift of Mrs Donald D. Harrington; a Günther Schneider-Siemssen design for Act 2 of ''

Arabella ''Arabella'', Op. 79, is a lyric comedy, or opera, in three acts by Richard Strauss to a German libretto by Hugo von Hofmannsthal, their sixth and last operatic collaboration. Performance history It was first performed on 1 July 1933 at the Dr ...

'', a gift in part of Mrs Michael Falk; and a Schneider-Siemssen design for Act 2 of ''

Tannhäuser Tannhäuser (; gmh, Tanhûser), often stylized, "The Tannhäuser," was a German Minnesinger and traveling poet. Historically, his biography, including the dates he lived, is obscure beyond the poetry, which suggests he lived between 1245 and ...

'', a gift of the Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation and of the Metropolitan Opera Guild. The gala as a whole was sponsored by Mrs Emily Fisher Landau. Its television broadcast was sponsored by Mrs Harrington, the Texaco Philanthropic Foundation, Inc., and the

National Endowment For the Arts The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal ...

, in association with

, the United Kingdom's

BBC Worldwide BBC Worldwide Ltd. was the wholly owned commercial subsidiary of the BBC, formed out of a restructuring of its predecessor BBC Enterprises in January 1995. The company monetises BBC brands, selling BBC and other British programming for broadca ...

Television, Japan's

NHK , also known as NHK, is a Japanese public broadcaster. NHK, which has always been known by this romanized initialism in Japanese, is a statutory corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television license fee. NHK operates two terrestr ...

, Holland's

Nederlandse Programma Stichting NPS (Nederlandse Programma Stichting) (English: Dutch Programme Foundation) was a Dutch government-funded radio and TV broadcasting foundation. In the Dutch public broadcasting system, broadcasters – in the Dutch context, listener and viewer a ...

, Denmark's

Danmarks Radio DR (), officially the Danish Broadcasting Corporation in English, is a Danish public-service radio and television broadcasting company. Founded in 1925 as a public-service organization, it is Denmark's oldest and largest electronic media enter ...

, the

Australian Broadcasting Corporation The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) is the national broadcaster of Australia. It is principally funded by direct grants from the Australian Government and is administered by a government-appointed board. The ABC is a publicly-owne ...

and Sweden's

Sveriges Television Sveriges Television AB ("Sweden's Television Stock Company"), shortened to SVT (), is the Sweden, Swedish national public broadcasting, public television broadcaster, funded by a public service tax on personal income set by the Riksdag (national ...

DVD chapter listing

Disc 1

* 1 (1:51) Opening credits Set design for Act 1 of ''

'' by Ezio Frigerio (1930–2022)

Richard Wagner Wilhelm Richard Wagner ( ; ; 22 May 181313 February 1883) was a German composer, theatre director, polemicist, and conductor who is chiefly known for his operas (or, as some of his mature works were later known, "music dramas"). Unlike most op ...

(1813–1883) '' Rienzi, der letzte der Tribunen'' ("Rienzi, the last of the tribunes", WWV 49, Dresden, 1842), with a libretto by Wagner after ''Rienzi, the last of the Roman tribunes'' (1835) by

Edward Bulwer-Lytton Edward George Earle Lytton Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton, PC (25 May 180318 January 1873) was an English writer and politician. He served as a Whig member of Parliament from 1831 to 1841 and a Conservative from 1851 to 1866. He was Secre ...

(1803–1873) * 2 (12:46) Overture '' Tannhäuser und der Sängerkrieg auf Wartburg'' ("Tannhäuser and the Wartburg song contest", WWV 70, Dresden, 1845), with a libretto by Wagner after the German legends of

and the

Wartburg The Wartburg () is a castle originally built in the Middle Ages. It is situated on a precipice of to the southwest of and overlooking the town of Eisenach, in the state of Thuringia, Germany. It was the home of St. Elisabeth of Hungary, the ...

Sängerkrieg (minstrels' contest) * 3 (3:44) "Dich, teure Halle", with

Deborah Voigt Deborah Voigt (born August 4, 1960) is an American dramatic soprano who has sung roles in operas by Wagner and Richard Strauss. Biography and career Early life and education Debbie Joy Voigt was born into a religious Southern Baptist family ...

(Elisabeth)

Giuseppe Verdi Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi (; 9 or 10 October 1813 – 27 January 1901) was an Italian composer best known for his operas. He was born near Busseto to a provincial family of moderate means, receiving a musical education with the h ...

(1813–1901) ''

Don Carlo ''Don Carlos'' is a five-act grand opera composed by Giuseppe Verdi to a French-language libretto by Joseph Méry and Camille du Locle, based on the dramatic play '' Don Carlos, Infant von Spanien'' (''Don Carlos, Infante of Spain'') by Friedr ...

'' (Paris, 1867), with an Italian libretto by Achille de Lauzieres and Angelo Zanardini, translated from the French of

Joseph Méry Joseph Méry (21 January 179717 June 1866) was a French writer, journalist, novelist, poet, playwright and librettist. Career An ardent romanticist, he collaborated with Auguste Barthélemy in many of his satires and wrote a great number of st ...

(1797–1866) and

Camille du Locle Camille du Locle (16 July 18329 October 1903) was a French theatre manager and a librettist. He was born in Orange, France. From 1862 he served as assistant to his father-in-law, Émile Perrin, at the Paris Opéra. From 1870, he was co-director ...

(1832–1903), after the play '' Don Carlos, Infant von Spanien'' ("Don Carlos,

Infante ''Infante'' (, ; f. ''infanta''), also anglicised as Infant or translated as Prince, is the title and rank given in the Iberian kingdoms of Spain (including the predecessor kingdoms of Aragon, Castile, Navarre, and León) and Portugal to th ...

of Spain", Hamburg, 1787) by

Friedrich Schiller Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller (, short: ; 10 November 17599 May 1805) was a German playwright, poet, and philosopher. During the last seventeen years of his life (1788–1805), Schiller developed a productive, if complicated, friends ...

(1759–1805) * 4 (12:16) "Restate!... O Signor, di Fiandra arrivo", with

Thomas Hampson Thomas Walter Hampson (born June 28, 1955) is an American lyric baritone, a classical singer who has appeared world-wide in major opera houses and concert halls and made over 170 musical recordings. Hampson's operatic repertoire spans a range ...

(Rodrigo) and

Roberto Scandiuzzi Roberto Scandiuzzi (born 14 July 1958) is an Italian opera singer noted for his powerful, sonorous bass voice and stage presence. Blyth, Alan (2008)"Scandiuzzi, Roberto" pp. 427–428. ''The Grove Book of Opera Singers''. Oxford University Press. ...

(Filippo II)

Gustave Charpentier Gustave Charpentier (; 25 June 1860 – 18 February 1956) was a French composer, best known for his opera ''Louise''.Langham Smith R., "Gustave Charpentier", ''The New Grove Dictionary of Opera.'' Macmillan, London and New York, 1997. Life and ca ...

(1860–1956) ''

Louise Louise or Luise may refer to: * Louise (given name) Arts Songs * "Louise" (Bonnie Tyler song), 2005 * "Louise" (The Human League song), 1984 * "Louise" (Jett Rebel song), 2013 * "Louise" (Maurice Chevalier song), 1929 *"Louise", by Clan of ...

'' (Paris, 1900), with a libretto by Charpentier and

Saint-Pol-Roux Paul-Pierre Roux, called Saint-Pol-Roux (15 January 1861, quartier de Saint-Henry, Marseille - 18 October 1940, Brest) was a French Symbolist poet. Life Marseille Saint-Pol-Roux was born to a middle-class family in Marseille, where his fath ...

(1861–1940) * 5 (6:28) "Depuis le jour où je me suis donnée", with

Renée Fleming Renée Lynn Fleming (born February 14, 1959) is an American soprano, known for performances in opera, concerts, recordings, theater, film, and at major public occasions. A recipient of the National Medal of Arts, Fleming has been nominated for 1 ...

(Louise)

Pietro Mascagni Pietro Mascagni (7 December 1863 – 2 August 1945) was an Italian composer primarily known for his operas. His 1890 masterpiece ''Cavalleria rusticana'' caused one of the greatest sensations in opera history and single-handedly ushered in the ' ...

(1863–1945) ''

L'amico Fritz ''L'amico Fritz'' () is an opera in three acts by Pietro Mascagni, premiered in 1891 from a libretto by P. Suardon ( Nicola Daspuro) (with additions by Giovanni Targioni-Tozzetti), based on the French novel ''L'ami Fritz'' by Émile Erckmann and ...

'' ("Friend Fritz", Rome, 1891), with a libretto by Nicola Daspuro (1853–1941, writing as P. Suardon) and

Giovanni Targioni-Tozzetti Giovanni Targioni-Tozzetti (17 March 186330 May 1934) was an Italian librettist. Biography He was best known for his friendship and collaboration with the composer Pietro Mascagni. Most of his libretti were written in collaboration with Guido ...

(1863–1934) after ''L'ami Fritz'' by

Émile Erckmann Émile Erckmann (20 May 1822 – 14 March 1899) was a French writer, strongly associated with the region of Alsace-Lorraine. Almost all of his works were written jointly with Alexandre Chatrian under the name Erckmann-Chatrian. Life Youth He w ...

(1822–1899) and Pierre-Alexandre Chatrian * 6 (9:55) "Suzel, buon di", with

Angela Gheorghiu Angela Gheorghiu (; ; born 7 September 1965) is a Romanian soprano, especially known for her performances in the operas of Puccini and Verdi, widely recognised by critics and opera lovers as one of the greatest sopranos of all time. Embarking h ...

(Suzel) and

Roberto Alagna Roberto Alagna (; born 7 June 1963) is a French operatic tenor. He obtained French citizenship in 1981, while also retaining his previous Italian citizenship. Early years Alagna was born in Clichy-sous-Bois, outside the city of Paris, in 1963 to ...

(Fritz)

Franz Lehár Franz Lehár ( ; hu, Lehár Ferenc ; 30 April 1870 – 24 October 1948) was an Austro-Hungarian composer. He is mainly known for his operettas, of which the most successful and best known is ''The Merry Widow'' (''Die lustige Witwe''). Life ...

(1870–1948) ''

Giuditta ''Giuditta'' is an operatic ' (German for ''musical comedy'') in five scenes, with music by Franz Lehár and a German libretto, by and Fritz Löhner-Beda. Scored for a large orchestra, it was Lehár's last and most ambitious work, written on a l ...

'' (Vienna, 1934), with a libretto by (1879–1967) and

Fritz Löhner-Beda Fritz Löhner-Beda (24 June 1883 – 4 December 1942), born Bedřich Löwy, was an Austrians, Austrian Libretto, librettist, lyricist and writer. Once nearly forgotten, many of his songs and tunes remain popular today. He was murdered in Monowitz ...

(1883–1942) * 7 (5:20) "Ich weiß es selber nicht... Meine Lippen, sie küssen so heiß", with

Ileana Cotrubas Ileana (also Illeana, Iliana, Eleana, Eliana) is a female given name. It is the feminine form of the male name Elijah. It has been adapted for Romanian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Italian and Spanish (in Spanish there is also Ilean and in Romanian ...

(Giuditta) Giuseppe Verdi ''Don Carlo'' * 8 (5:38) "Ah, più non vedrò... O don fatale", with Dolora Zajick (Eboli) Set design for Act 2 of ''

'' by Günther Schneider-Siemssen (1926–2015)

Georges Bizet Georges Bizet (; 25 October 18383 June 1875) was a French composer of the Romantic music, Romantic era. Best known for his operas in a career cut short by his early death, Bizet achieved few successes before his final work, ''Carmen'', whi ...

(1838–1875) ''

Les pêcheurs de perles ' (''The Pearl Fishers'') is an opera in three acts by the French composer Georges Bizet, to a libretto by Eugène Cormon and Michel Carré. It was premiered on 30 September 1863 at the Théâtre Lyrique in Paris, and was given 18 performances in ...

'' ("The pearl fishers", Paris, 1867), with a libretto by

Eugène Cormon Pierre-Étienne Piestre, known as Eugène Cormon (5 May 1810 – March 1903), was a French dramatist and librettist. He used his mother's name, Cormon, during his career. Cormon wrote dramas, comedies and, from the 1840s, libretti; around 15 ...

(1810–1903) and

Michel Carré Michel Carré (20 October 1821, Besançon – 27 June 1872, Argenteuil) was a prolific French librettist. He went to Paris in 1840 intending to become a painter but took up writing instead. He wrote verse and plays before turning to writing libre ...

(1821–1872) * 9 (6:44) "

Au fond du temple saint "" ("At the back of the holy temple") is a duet from Georges Bizet's 1863 opera '' Les pêcheurs de perles''. The libretto was written by Eugène Cormon and Michel Carré. Generally known as "The Pearl Fishers' Duet", it is one of the most popula ...

", with

(Nadir) and

Bryn Terfel Sir Bryn Terfel Jones, (; born 9 November 1965) (known professionally as Bryn Terfel) is a Welsh bass-baritone opera and concert singer. Terfel was initially associated with the roles of Mozart, particularly '' Figaro'', ''Leporello'' and ''D ...

(Zurga)

Charles Gounod Charles-François Gounod (; ; 17 June 181818 October 1893), usually known as Charles Gounod, was a French composer. He wrote twelve operas, of which the most popular has always been ''Faust (opera), Faust'' (1859); his ''Roméo et Juliette'' (18 ...

(1818–1893) '' Roméo et Juliette'' (Paris, 1867), with a libretto by

Jules Barbier Paul Jules Barbier (8 March 182516 January 1901) was a French poet, writer and opera librettist who often wrote in collaboration with Michel Carré. He was a noted Parisian bon vivant and man of letters.Romeo and Juliet ''Romeo and Juliet'' is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare early in his career about the romance between two Italian youths from feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular plays during his lifetim ...

'' (''circa'' 1593) by

William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...

(1564–1616) *10 (4:36) "Je veux vivre dans ce rêve", with Ruth Ann Swenson (Juliette)

Johann Strauss II Johann Baptist Strauss II (25 October 1825 – 3 June 1899), also known as Johann Strauss Jr., the Younger or the Son (german: links=no, Sohn), was an Austrian composer of light music, particularly dance music and operettas. He composed ov ...

(1825–1899) ''

Die Fledermaus ' (, ''The Flittermouse'' or ''The Bat'', sometimes called ''The Revenge of the Bat'') is an operetta composed by Johann Strauss II to a German libretto by Karl Haffner and Richard Genée, which premiered in 1874. Background The original ...

'' ("The flittermouse", Vienna, 1874), with a libretto by Karl Haffner (1804–1876) and

Richard Genée Franz Friedrich Richard Genée (7 February 1823 – 15 June 1895) was a Prussian born Austrian libretto, librettist, playwright, and composer. Life Genée was born in Gdańsk, Danzig. He died at Baden bei Wien. Works He is most famous for the ...

(1823–1895) after ''Le réveillon'' ("The supper party", Paris, 1872) by

Henri Meilhac Henri Meilhac (23 February 1830 – 6 July 1897) was a French dramatist and opera librettist, best known for his collaborations with Ludovic Halévy on Georges Bizet's ''Carmen'' and on the works of Jacques Offenbach, as well as Jules Massenet' ...

(1830–1897) and

Ludovic Halévy Ludovic Halévy (1 January 1834 – 7 May 1908) was a French author and playwright, best known for his collaborations with Henri Meilhac on Georges Bizet's '' Carmen'' and on the works of Jacques Offenbach. Biography Ludovic Halévy was born in ...

(1834–1908), after ''Das Gefängnis'' ("The prison", Berlin, 1851) by Julius Roderich Benedix (1811–1873) *11 (5:03) "Dieser Anstand, so manierlich", with

Karita Mattila Karita Marjatta Mattila (born 5 September 1960) is a Finnish operatic soprano. Mattila appears regularly in the major opera houses worldwide, including the Metropolitan Opera, the Royal Opera House in London, Théâtre du Châtelet, Opéra Bastill ...

(Rosalinde) and

Håkan Hagegård Nils Olov Håkan Hagegård (born 25 November 1945)

(Eisenstein) Richard Wagner ''

Tristan und Isolde ''Tristan und Isolde'' (''Tristan and Isolde''), WWV 90, is an opera in three acts by Richard Wagner to a German libretto by the composer, based largely on the 12th-century romance Tristan and Iseult by Gottfried von Strassburg. It was compose ...

'' (WWV 90, München, 1865), with a libretto by Wagner after ''Tristan'' by

Gottfried von Strassburg Gottfried von Strassburg (died c. 1210) is the author of the Middle High German courtly romance ', an adaptation of the 12th-century ''Tristan and Iseult'' legend. Gottfried's work is regarded, alongside the ''Nibelungenlied'' and Wolfram von Esc ...

(d. ''circa'' 1210) *12 (11:06) "Wie lachend sie mir Lieder singen", with

Waltraud Meier Waltraud Meier (born 9 January 1956) is a German dramatic soprano and mezzo-soprano singer. She is particularly known for her Wagnerian roles as Kundry, Isolde, Ortrud, Venus, Fricka, and Sieglinde, but has also had success in the French and ...

(Isolde) Giuseppe Verdi ''

Luisa Miller ''Luisa Miller'' is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Salvadore Cammarano, based on the play ''Kabale und Liebe'' (''Intrigue and Love'') by the German dramatist Friedrich von Schiller. Verdi's initial idea for ...

'' (Naples, 1849), with a libretto by

Salvadore Cammarano Salvadore Cammarano (also Salvatore) (born Naples, 19 March 1801 – died Naples 17 July 1852) was a prolific Italian librettist and playwright perhaps best known for writing the text of ''Lucia di Lammermoor'' (1835) for Gaetano Donizetti. For D ...

(1801–1852) after ''

Kabale und Liebe ''Intrigue and Love'', sometimes ''Love and Intrigue'', ''Love and Politics'' or ''Luise Miller'' (german: Kabale und Liebe, ; literally "''Cabal and Love''") is a five-act play written by the German dramatist Friedrich Schiller. His third play, ...

'' ("Intrigue and love", Frankfurt am Main, 1784) by Friedrich Schiller *13 (7:11) "Oh! Fede negar potessi agl'occhi miei!... Quando le sere al placido", with Carlo Bergonzi (Rodolfo) Set design for Act 2 of ''

'' by Günther Schneider-Siemssen

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky , group=n ( ; 7 May 1840 – 6 November 1893) was a Russian composer of the Romantic period. He was the first Russian composer whose music would make a lasting impression internationally. He wrote some of the most popu ...

(1840–1893) ''

Eugene Onegin ''Eugene Onegin, A Novel in Verse'' ( pre-reform Russian: ; post-reform rus, Евгений Оне́гин, ромáн в стихáх, p=jɪvˈɡʲenʲɪj ɐˈnʲeɡʲɪn, r=Yevgeniy Onegin, roman v stikhakh) is a novel in verse written by Ale ...

'' (Op. 24, Moscow, 1879), with a libretto by Tchaikovsky and Konstantin Shilovsky after

(published serially, 1825–1832) by

Alexander Pushkin Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin (; rus, links=no, Александр Сергеевич ПушкинIn pre-Revolutionary script, his name was written ., r=Aleksandr Sergeyevich Pushkin, p=ɐlʲɪkˈsandr sʲɪrˈɡʲe(j)ɪvʲɪtɕ ˈpuʂkʲɪn, ...

(1799–1837) *14 (14:56) "O! Kak mnye tyazhelo", with

Catherine Malfitano Catherine Malfitano (born April 18, 1948) is an American operatic soprano and opera director. Malfitano was born in New York City, the daughter of a ballet dancer mother, Maria Maslova, and a violinist father, Joseph Malfitano. She attended the ...

(Tatyana) and

Dwayne Croft Dwayne Croft is an American baritone who has sung in more than 500 performances in 38 roles at the Metropolitan Opera. He won the Richard Tucker Award in 1996. He created the role of Nick Carraway in John Harbison's ''The Great Gatsby'' in 1999, ...

(Eugene Onegin)

Camille Saint-Saëns Charles-Camille Saint-Saëns (; 9 October 183516 December 1921) was a French composer, organist, conductor and pianist of the Romantic music, Romantic era. His best-known works include Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso (1863), the Piano C ...

(1835–1921) ''

Samson et Dalila ''Samson and Delilah'' (french: Samson et Dalila, links=no), Op. 47, is a grand opera in three acts and four scenes by Camille Saint-Saëns to a French libretto by Ferdinand Lemaire. It was first performed in Weimar at the (Grand Ducal) Theater (n ...

'' (Op. 47, Weimar, 1877), with a libretto by

Ferdinand Lemaire Ferdinand Lemaire (1832–1879) was a French libretto, librettist and poet, best known for writing the libretto of Camille Saint-Saëns's opera ''Samson and Delilah (opera), Samson et Dalila''. Lemaire was a Creole class, creole, originally from M ...

(1832–1879) after the story of

Samson and Delilah Samson and Delilah are Biblical figures. Samson and Delilah may also refer to: In music * ''Samson and Delilah'' (opera), an opera by Camille Saint-Saëns * ''Samson & Delilah'' (album), released in 2013 by V V Brown * "Samson and Delilah" (t ...

in Chapter 16 of the

Book of Judges The Book of Judges (, ') is the seventh book of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Old Testament. In the narrative of the Hebrew Bible, it covers the time between the conquest described in the Book of Joshua and the establishment of a kingdom i ...

in the

Old Testament The Old Testament (often abbreviated OT) is the first division of the Christian biblical canon, which is based primarily upon the 24 books of the Hebrew Bible or Tanakh, a collection of ancient religious Hebrew writings by the Israelites. The ...

*15 (6:25) "

Mon cœur s'ouvre à ta voix "" is a popular mezzo-soprano aria from Camille Saint-Saëns's opera ''Samson and Delilah'', known in English as "Softly awakes my heart", or more literally "My heart opens itself to your voice". It is sung by Delilah in act 2 as she attempts to ...

", with

Grace Bumbry Grace Melzia Bumbry (born January 4, 1937), an American opera singer, is considered one of the leading mezzo-sopranos of her generation, as well as a major soprano earlier in her career. She is a member of a pioneering generation of African-Ameri ...

(Dalila)

Jacques Offenbach Jacques Offenbach (, also , , ; 20 June 18195 October 1880) was a German-born French composer, cellist and impresario of the Romantic period. He is remembered for his nearly 100 operettas of the 1850s to the 1870s, and his uncompleted opera '' ...

(1819–1880) ''

La Périchole ''La Périchole'' () is an opéra bouffe in three acts by Jacques Offenbach. Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy wrote the French libretto based on the 1829 one act play '' Le carrosse du Saint-Sacrement'' by Prosper Mérimée, which was revived o ...

'' ("The Peruvienne", Paris, 1868), with a libretto by

and

after '' Le carrosse de Saint-Sacrement'' ("The Saint-Sacrement coach") by

Prosper Mérimée Prosper Mérimée (; 28 September 1803 – 23 September 1870) was a French writer in the movement of Romanticism, and one of the pioneers of the novella, a short novel or long short story. He was also a noted archaeologist and historian, and a ...

(1803–1871) *16 (2:38) "Ah! Quel dîner je viens de faire", with

Frederica von Stade Frederica von Stade OAL (born June 1, 1945) is a semi-retired American opera singer. Since her Metropolitan Opera debut in 1970, she has performed in operas, musicals, concerts and recitals in venues throughout the world, including La Scala, th ...

(La Périchole)

Richard Strauss Richard Georg Strauss (; 11 June 1864 – 8 September 1949) was a German composer, conductor, pianist, and violinist. Considered a leading composer of the late Romantic and early modern eras, he has been described as a successor of Richard Wag ...

(1864–1949) ''

Der Rosenkavalier (''The Knight of the Rose'' or ''The Rose-Bearer''), Op. 59, is a comic opera in three acts by Richard Strauss to an original German libretto by Hugo von Hofmannsthal. It is loosely adapted from the novel ''Les amours du chevalier de Faublas'' ...

'' ("The knight of the rose", Op. 59, Dresden, 1911), with a libretto by

Hugo von Hofmannsthal Hugo Laurenz August Hofmann von Hofmannsthal (; 1 February 1874 – 15 July 1929) was an Austrian novelist, librettist, poet, dramatist, narrator, and essayist. Early life Hofmannsthal was born in Landstraße, Vienna, the son of an upper-class ...

(1874–1929) after ''Les amours du chevalier de Faubles'' by

Jean-Baptiste Louvet de Couvrai Jean-Baptiste Louvet de Couvray (12 June 1760 – 25 August 1797) was a French novelist, playwright and journalist. Life Early life and literary works Born in Paris as the son of a Stationery, stationer, Louvet became a bookseller's clerk, and ...

(1760–1797) and ''

Monsieur de Pourceaugnac ''Monsieur de Pourceaugnac'' is a three-act ''comédie-ballet''—a ballet interrupted by spoken dialogue—by Molière, first presented on 6 October 1669 before the court of Louis XIV at the Château of Chambord by Molière's troupe of actors. ...

'' (1669) by

Molière Jean-Baptiste Poquelin (, ; 15 January 1622 (baptised) – 17 February 1673), known by his stage name Molière (, , ), was a French playwright, actor, and poet, widely regarded as one of the greatest writers in the French language and world ...

(1622–1673) *17 (6:05) "Hab mir's gelobt", with

(Feldmarschallin),

Anne Sofie von Otter Anne Sofie von Otter (born 9 May 1955) is a Swedish mezzo-soprano. Her repertoire encompasses lieder, operas, oratorios and also rock and pop songs. Early life Von Otter was born in Stockholm, Sweden. Her father was Göran von Otter, a Swedis ...

(Octavian) and

Heidi Grant Murphy Heidi Grant Murphy (born 1965) is an American operatic soprano and academic voice teacher. A member of the Metropolitan Opera since 1989, she appeared at international opera houses, and made recordings. She has been a voice teacher at the Jacobs ...

(Sophie von Faninal) Charles Gounod ''

Faust Faust is the protagonist of a classic German legend based on the historical Johann Georg Faust ( 1480–1540). The erudite Faust is highly successful yet dissatisfied with his life, which leads him to make a pact with the Devil at a crossroads ...

'' (Paris, 1859), with a libretto by

Jules Barbier Paul Jules Barbier (8 March 182516 January 1901) was a French poet, writer and opera librettist who often wrote in collaboration with Michel Carré. He was a noted Parisian bon vivant and man of letters.Michel Carré Michel Carré (20 October 1821, Besançon – 27 June 1872, Argenteuil) was a prolific French librettist. He went to Paris in 1840 intending to become a painter but took up writing instead. He wrote verse and plays before turning to writing libre ...

from Carré's play ''Faust et Marguerite'' after '' Faust: Eine Tragödie'' ("Faust, a tragedy", 1808) by

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (28 August 1749 – 22 March 1832) was a German poet, playwright, novelist, scientist, statesman, theatre director, and critic. His works include plays, poetry, literature, and aesthetic criticism, as well as trea ...

(1749–1832) *18 (10:30) "Mais ce Dieu, que peut-il pour moi?", with

Plácido Domingo José Plácido Domingo Embil (born 21 January 1941) is a Spanish opera singer, conductor, and arts administrator. He has recorded over a hundred complete operas and is well known for his versatility, regularly performing in Italian, French, ...

(

) and

Samuel Ramey Samuel Edward Ramey (born March 28, 1942) is an American operatic bass. At the height of his career, he was greatly admired for his range and versatility, having possessed a sufficiently accomplished bel canto technique to enable him to sing t ...

( Méphistophélès)

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 17565 December 1791), baptised as Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period. Despite his short life, his rapid pace of composition r ...

(1756–1791) '' Il dissoluto punito, ossia il Don Giovanni'' ("The rake punished, or Don Giovanni", K. 527, Prague, 1787), with a libretto by

Lorenzo da Ponte Lorenzo Da Ponte (; 10 March 174917 August 1838) was an Italian, later American, opera librettist, poet and Roman Catholic priest. He wrote the libretti for 28 operas by 11 composers, including three of Mozart's most celebrated operas: ''The Marr ...

(1749–1838) after '' El burlador de Seville y convivado de piedra'' ("The trickster of Seville and the stone guest", ?1616) by

Tirso de Molina Gabriel Téllez ( 24 March 1583 20 February 1648), better known as Tirso de Molina, was a Spanish Baroque dramatist, poet and Roman Catholic monk. He is primarily known for writing '' The Trickster of Seville and the Stone Guest'', the play from ...

(1579–1648) *19 (8:57) "Di molte faci il lume... Sola, sola in buio loco", with

(Donna Anna),

Kiri Te Kanawa Dame Kiri Jeanette Claire Te Kanawa , (; born Claire Mary Teresa Rawstron, 6 March 1944) is a retired New Zealand opera singer. She had a full lyric soprano voice, which has been described as "mellow yet vibrant, warm, ample and unforced". Te ...

(Donne Elvira), Hei-Kyung Hong (Zerlina),

Jerry Hadley Jerry Hadley (June 16, 1952 – July 18, 2007) was an American operatic tenor. He received three Grammy awards for his vocal performances in the recordings of ''Jenůfa'' (2004 Grammy Award for Best Opera Recording), ''Susannah'' (1995 Grammy Awar ...

(Don Ottavio),

(Leporello) and Julien Robbins (Masetto)

Disc 2

* 1 (1:06) Opening Set design for Act 1 of ''

'' by Ezio Frigerio

John Corigliano John Paul Corigliano Jr. (born February 16, 1938) is an American composer of contemporary classical music. His scores, now numbering over one hundred, have won him the Pulitzer Prize, five Grammy Awards, Grawemeyer Award for Music Composition, an ...

(born 1938) ''

The ghosts of Versailles ''The Ghosts of Versailles'' is an opera in two acts, with music by John Corigliano to an English libretto by William M. Hoffman. The Metropolitan Opera had commissioned the work from Corigliano in 1980 in celebration of its 100th anniversary, ...

'' (New York, 1991), with a libretto by

William M. Hoffman William M. Hoffman (April 12, 1939 – April 29, 2017) was an American playwright, theatre director, editor, and professor. Life and career Hoffman was born in New York City to Johanna (Papiermeister), a jeweler, and Morton Hoffman, a caterer. ...

(1939–2017) after '' L'autre Tartuffe, ou La mère coupable'' ("The other

Tartuffe ''Tartuffe, or The Impostor, or The Hypocrite'' (; french: Tartuffe, ou l'Imposteur, ), first performed in 1664, is a theatrical comedy by Molière. The characters of Tartuffe, Elmire, and Orgon are considered among the greatest classical thea ...

, or The guilty mother", Paris, 1792) by

Pierre Beaumarchais Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais (; 24 January 1732 – 18 May 1799) was a French polymath. At various times in his life, he was a watchmaker, inventor, playwright, musician, diplomat, spy, publisher, horticulturist, arms dealer, satirist ...

* 2 (9:18) "Cherubino...", "Now we go back in time", with Hei-Kyung Hong (Rosina), Wendy White (Cherubino),

Christine Goerke Christine Goerke (born 1969) is an American dramatic soprano. Early life and education The daughter of Richard Goerke and Marguerite Goerke, Goerke was born in 1969 in New York State. She grew up in Medford, New York, where she attended Tremont ...

(Marie Antoinette) and

Håkan Hagegård Nils Olov Håkan Hagegård (born 25 November 1945)

(Pierre Beaumarchais) Giuseppe Verdi ''

Un ballo in maschera ''Un ballo in maschera'' ''(A Masked Ball)'' is an 1859 opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi. The text, by Antonio Somma, was based on Eugène Scribe's libretto for Daniel Auber's 1833 five act opera, '' Gustave III, ou Le bal masqué''. The ...

'' (Rome, 1859), with a libretto by

Antonio Somma Antonio Somma (28 August 1809, Udine – 8 August 1864, Venice) was an Italian playwright who is most well known for writing the libretto of an opera which ultimately became Giuseppe Verdi's ''Un ballo in maschera'' in 1859. While a student, his tr ...

(1809–1864) after that written by

Eugène Scribe Augustin Eugène Scribe (; 24 December 179120 February 1861) was a French dramatist and librettist. He is known for writing "well-made plays" ("pièces bien faites"), a mainstay of popular theatre for over 100 years, and as the librettist of man ...

(1791–1861) for '' Gustave III, ou Le bal masqué'' by

Daniel Auber Daniel-François-Esprit Auber (; 29 January 178212 May 1871) was a French composer and director of the Paris Conservatoire. Born into an artistic family, Auber was at first an amateur composer before he took up writing operas professionally when ...

(1782–1871) * 3 (5:24) "Ahimè! S'appressa alcun!", with

Ghena Dimitrova Ghena Dimitrova ( bg, Гeна Димитpова, 6 May 1941 – 11 June 2005) was a Bulgarian operatic soprano. Her voice was known for its power and extension used in operatic roles such as Turandot in a career spanning four decades. Early car ...

(Amelia), Franco Farina (Riccardo) and

Juan Pons Joan Pons Álvarez ( Ciutadella, Spain, 8 August 1946) is a Spanish operatic baritone, known internationally as Juan Pons. Career Pons made his international début in 1980 at the Teatro alla Scala of Milan with '' Falstaff'', staged by Giorgio S ...

(Renato)

Antonín Dvořák Antonín Leopold Dvořák ( ; ; 8 September 1841 – 1 May 1904) was a Czechs, Czech composer. Dvořák frequently employed rhythms and other aspects of the folk music of Moravian traditional music, Moravia and his native Bohemia, following t ...

(1841–1904) ''

Rusalka In Slavic folklore, the rusalka (plural: rusalky/rusalki; ; pl, rusałka}) is a typically feminine entity, often malicious toward mankind and frequently associated with water, with counterparts in other parts of Europe, such as the French Melus ...

'' ("The water spirit", Prague, 1901), with a libretto by Jaroslav Kvapil (1868–1950) after ''

Undine Undines (; also ondines) are a category of elemental beings associated with water, stemming from the alchemical writings of Paracelsus. Later writers developed the undine into a water nymph in its own right, and it continues to live in modern ...

'' (1811) by

Friedrich de la Motte Fouqué Friedrich Heinrich Karl de la Motte, Baron Fouqué (); (12 February 1777 – 23 January 1843) was a German writer of the Romantic style. Biography He was born at Brandenburg an der Havel, of a family of French Huguenot origin, as evidenced in ...

(1777–1843), '' Den lille havfreu'' ("The little mermaid", 1837) by

Hans Christian Andersen Hans Christian Andersen ( , ; 2 April 1805 – 4 August 1875) was a Danish author. Although a prolific writer of plays, travelogues, novels, and poems, he is best remembered for his literary fairy tales. Andersen's fairy tales, consisti ...

(1805–1875) and the north-west European folk tradition of

Melusine Mélusine () or Melusina is a figure of European folklore, a female spirit of fresh water in a holy well or river. She is usually depicted as a woman who is a serpent or fish from the waist down (much like a lamia or a mermaid). She is also s ...

* 4 (7:13) Song to the Moon: "Měsíčku na nebi hlubokém", with Gabriela Beňačková (Rusalka) Richard Wagner ''

Die Walküre (; ''The Valkyrie''), WWV 86B, is the second of the four music dramas that constitute Richard Wagner's ''Der Ring des Nibelungen'' (English: ''The Ring of the Nibelung''). It was performed, as a single opera, at the National Theatre Munich on ...

'' ("The Valkyrie", WWV 86B, Munich, 1870), with a libretto by Wagner * 5 (18:44) "Leb wohl, du kühnes, herrliches Kind!", with James Morris (Wotan) Set design for Act 2 of ''

'' by Günther Schneider-Siemssen Giuseppe Verdi ''

Ernani ''Ernani'' is an operatic ''dramma lirico'' in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Francesco Maria Piave, based on the 1830 play ''Hernani (drama), Hernani'' by Victor Hugo. Verdi was commissioned by the Teatro La Fenice in V ...

'' (Venice, 1844), with a libretto by

Francesco Maria Piave Francesco Maria Piave (18 May 18105 March 1876) was an Italian opera librettist who was born in Murano in the lagoon of Venice, during the brief Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy. Career Piave's career spanned over twenty years working with many of th ...

(1810–1876) after '' Hernani'' (1830) by

Victor Hugo Victor-Marie Hugo (; 26 February 1802 – 22 May 1885) was a French Romantic writer and politician. During a literary career that spanned more than sixty years, he wrote in a variety of genres and forms. He is considered to be one of the great ...

(1802–1885) * 6 (13:01) "Cessaro i suoni", with

(Elvira),

(Ernani) and

(Silva) Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart ''

Le nozze di Figaro ''The Marriage of Figaro'' ( it, Le nozze di Figaro, links=no, ), K. 492, is a ''commedia per musica'' (opera buffa) in four acts composed in 1786 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, with an Italian libretto written by Lorenzo Da Ponte. It premie ...

'' ("The marriage of Figaro", K. 492, Vienna, 1786), with a libretto by Lorenzo da Ponte after '' La folle journée, ou Le Mariage de Figaro'' ("The mad day, or The marriage of Figaro", 1784) by

(1732–1799) * 7 (5:42) "Giunse alfin il momento... Deh! Vieni, non tardar", with

Dawn Upshaw Dawn Upshaw (born July 17, 1960) is an American soprano. She is the recipient of several Grammy Awards and has released a number of Edison Award-winning discs; she performs both opera and art song, and her repertoire spans Baroque to contempor ...

(Susanna)

Umberto Giordano Umberto Menotti Maria Giordano (28 August 186712 November 1948) was an Italian composer, mainly of operas. He was born in Foggia in Apulia, southern Italy, and studied under Paolo Serrao at the Conservatoire of Naples. His first opera, ''Marina ...

(1867–1948) '' Andrea Chénier'' (Milan, 1896), with a libretto by

Luigi Illica Luigi Illica (9 May 1857 – 16 December 1919) was an Italian librettist who wrote for Giacomo Puccini (usually with Giuseppe Giacosa), Pietro Mascagni, Alfredo Catalani, Umberto Giordano, Baron Alberto Franchetti and other important Italian co ...

(1857–1919) based on the life of the poet

André Chénier André Marie Chénier (; 30 October 176225 July 1794) was a French poet of Greek and Franco-Levantine origin, associated with the events of the French Revolution of which he was a victim. His sensual, emotive poetry marks him as one of the precur ...

(1762–1794) * 8 (6:48) "Esito dunque?... Nemico della patria", with

Sherrill Milnes Sherrill Milnes (born January 10, 1935) is an American dramatic baritone most famous for his Verdi roles. From 1965 until 1997 he was associated with the Metropolitan Opera. His voice is a high dramatic baritone, combining good legato with an inc ...

(Gérard)

Gaetano Donizetti Domenico Gaetano Maria Donizetti (29 November 1797 – 8 April 1848) was an Italian composer, best known for his almost 70 operas. Along with Gioachino Rossini and Vincenzo Bellini, he was a leading composer of the '' bel canto'' opera style dur ...

(1797–1848) ''

Don Pasquale ''Don Pasquale'' () is an opera buffa, or comic opera, in three acts by Gaetano Donizetti with an Italian libretto completed largely by Giovanni Ruffini as well as the composer. It was based on a libretto by Angelo Anelli for Stefano Pavesi's ...

'' (Paris, 1843), with a libretto by Donizetti and

Giovanni Ruffini Giovanni Ruffini (1807 in Genoa – 1881) was an Italian writer and patriot of the early 19th century. He is chiefly known for having written the draft of the libretto of the opera ''Don Pasquale'' for its composer Gaetano Donizetti. ''Don Pasq ...

(1807–1881) after that written by

Angelo Anelli Angelo Anelli (10 November 1761 – 9 April 1820) was an Italian poet and librettist who also wrote under the pseudonyms Marco Landi and Niccolò Liprandi. He was born in Desenzano del Garda and studied literature and poetry at a seminary in Veron ...

(1761–1820) for '' Ser Marcantonio'' (Milan, 1810) by

Stefano Pavesi Stefano Pavesi (22 January 1779, Casaletto Vaprio – 28 July 1850) was an Italian composer. He is primarily known as a prolific opera composer; his breakthrough opera was Fingallo e Comala, and his acknowledged opera masterpiece is Ser Marca ...

(1779–1850) * 9 (9:18) "Don Pasquale?... Cheti, cheti, immantinente", with Mark Oswald (Malatesta) and

Paul Plishka Paul may refer to: *Paul (given name), a given name (includes a list of people with that name) *Paul (surname), a list of people People Christianity * Paul the Apostle (AD c.5–c.64/65), also known as Saul of Tarsus or Saint Paul, early Chri ...

(Don Pasquale) Jacques Offenbach ''

Les contes d'Hoffmann ''The Tales of Hoffmann'' (French: ) is an by Jacques Offenbach. The French libretto was written by Jules Barbier, based on three short stories by E. T. A. Hoffmann, who is the protagonist of the story. It was Offenbach's final work; he died ...

'' ("The tales of Hoffmann", Paris, 1881), with a libretto by

Jules Barbier Paul Jules Barbier (8 March 182516 January 1901) was a French poet, writer and opera librettist who often wrote in collaboration with Michel Carré. He was a noted Parisian bon vivant and man of letters.Jules Barbier Paul Jules Barbier (8 March 182516 January 1901) was a French poet, writer and opera librettist who often wrote in collaboration with Michel Carré. He was a noted Parisian bon vivant and man of letters.Michel Carré Michel Carré (20 October 1821, Besançon – 27 June 1872, Argenteuil) was a prolific French librettist. He went to Paris in 1840 intending to become a painter but took up writing instead. He wrote verse and plays before turning to writing libre ...

, after ''

Der Sandmann "The Sandman" ( German: ''Der Sandmann'') is a short story by . It was the first in an 1817 book of stories titled ''Die Nachtstücke'' (''The Night Pieces''). Plot summary The story is told by a narrator who claims to have known Lothar. It beg ...

'' ("The

Sandman The Sandman is a mythical character in European folklore who puts people to sleep and encourages and inspires beautiful dreams by sprinkling magical sand onto their eyes. Representation in traditional folklore The Sandman is a traditional charact ...

", 1816), ''Rath Krespel'' ("Councillor Krespel", 1818) and ''Das verlorene Spiegelbild'' ("The lost reflection", from ''Die Abenteuer der Sylvester-Nacht'', The adventures of New Year's Eve", 1814 by E. T. A. Hoffmann (1776–1822) *10 (5:13) "Hélas, mon cœur s'égare encore", with

Florence Quivar Florence Quivar (born March 3, 1944 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an American operatic mezzo-soprano who is considered to be "one of the most prominent singers of her generation." She has variously been described as having a "rich, earthy soun ...

(Giulietta),

Rosalind Elias Rosalind Elias (March 13, 1930 – May 3, 2020) was an American mezzo-soprano who enjoyed a long and distinguished career at the Metropolitan Opera. She was best known for creating the role of Erika in Samuel Barber's '' Vanessa in'' 1958. Early ...

(Niklausse),

Alfredo Kraus Alfredo Kraus Trujillo (; 24 November 192710 September 1999) was a distinguished Spanish tenor from the Canary islands (known professionally as Alfredo Kraus), particularly known for the artistry he brought to opera's bel canto roles. He wa ...

(Hoffmann), Charles Anthony (Pitichinaccio), James Courtney (Schlémil),

(Dapertutto) and the Metropolitan Opera Chorus Set design for Act 2 of ''

'' by Günther Schneider-Siemssen Giuseppe Verdi ''

I Lombardi alla prima crociata ''I Lombardi alla Prima Crociata'' (''The Lombards on the First Crusade'') is an operatic ''dramma lirico'' in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Temistocle Solera, based on an epic poem by Tommaso Grossi, which was "very much a ...

'' ("The Lombards in the first crusade", Milan, 1843), with a libretto by

Temistocle Solera Temistocle Solera (25 December 1815 – 21 April 1878) was an Italian opera composer and librettist. Life and career He was born in Ferrara. He received his education at the Imperial College in Vienna and at the University of Pavia. Throughou ...

(1815–1878) after ''I Lombardi alla prima crociata'' (1826) by

Tommaso Grossi Tommaso Grossi (20 January 179110 December 1853) was an Italian poet and novelist. Biography Grossi was born in Bellano, on Lake Como, and graduated in law at University of Pavia in 1810. He then went to Milan to exercise his profession but the ...

(1791–1853) *11 (13:46) "Qui posa il fianco... Qual voluttà trascorrere", with

June Anderson June Anderson (born December 30, 1952) is a Grammy Award-winning American coloratura soprano. She is known for ''bel canto'' performances of Rossini, Donizetti, and Vincenzo Bellini. Subsequently, she has extended her repertoire to include a wid ...

(Giselda), Carlo Bergonzi (Oronte),

Ferruccio Furlanetto Ferruccio Furlanetto (born 16 May 1949 in Sacile, Italy) is an Italian bass. His professional debut was in 1974 in Lonigo, he debuted at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan in 1979, in a production of Verdi's ''Macbeth'', conducted by Claudio Abbado. H ...

(Pagano) and Raymond Gniewek (violin solo) Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart '' Così fan tutte, ossia La scuola degli amanti'' ("Thus do all women, or The school for lovers", K. 588, Vienna, 1790), with a libretto by

*12 (5:35) "Sorella, cosa dici?... Prenderò quel brunettino", with

Carol Vaness Carol Theresa Vaness (born July 27, 1952) is an American lirico-spinto soprano and university professor. Early life and education Vaness was born in San Diego and graduated with her bachelor's degree from California State Polytechnic University ...

(Fiordiligi) and

Susanne Mentzer Susanne Mentzer (born January 21, 1957) is an American operatic mezzo-soprano. She is best known for singing trouser roles, such as Cherubino in Mozart's ''Le nozze di Figaro'', Idamante in Mozart's ''Idomeneo'', Octavian in Richard Strauss' ''Der ...

(Dorabella) Giuseppe Verdi ''Un ballo in maschera'' *13 (5:34) "Morrò, ma prima in grazia", with

Aprile Millo Aprile Millo (born April 14, 1958) is an American operatic soprano who is known for her interpretations of the works of Giuseppe Verdi. Although she has performed at many of the world's leading opera houses and with many orchestras and ensembles ...

(Amelia) Richard Wagner ''

Götterdämmerung ' (; ''Twilight of the Gods''), WWV 86D, is the last in Richard Wagner's cycle of four music dramas titled (''The Ring of the Nibelung'', or ''The Ring Cycle'' or ''The Ring'' for short). It received its premiere at the on 17 August 1876, as p ...

'' ("Twilight of the gods", WWV 86D, Bayreuth, 1876), with a libretto by Wagner *14 (20:05) "Starke Scheite schichtet mir dort", with

Jane Eaglen Jane Eaglen (born 4 April 1960) is an English soprano particularly known for her interpretations of the works of Richard Wagner and the title roles in Bellini's '' Norma'' and Puccini's '' Turandot''. Background Jane Eaglen was born 4 April ...

(Brünnhilde) Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart '' Il dissoluto punito, ossia il Don Giovanni'' *15 (7:00) "In quali eccessi, o numi... Mi tradì quell'alma ingrata", with

(Donna Elvira) A tribute *16 (5:56) Concluding encomium by

Birgit Nilsson Märta Birgit Nilsson (17 May 1918 – 25 December 2005) was a celebrated Swedish dramatic soprano. Although she sang a wide répertoire of operatic and vocal works, Nilsson was best known for her performances in the operas of Richard Wagner a ...

Richard Wagner ''

Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg (; "The Master-Singers of Nuremberg"), WWV 96, is a music drama, or opera, in three acts, by Richard Wagner. It is the longest opera commonly performed, taking nearly four and a half hours, not counting two breaks between acts, and is traditio ...

'' ("The mastersingers of Nuremberg", WWV 96, Munich, 1868), with a libretto by Wagner *17 (11:47) "Wach auf!", with the Metropolitan Opera Chorus''James Levine's 25th Anniversary Metropolitan Opera Gala'', conducted by James Levine, Deutsche Grammophon DVD, B00004602-09, 2005

Laserdisc and VHS videocassette chapter listing

Laserdisc side 1

Richard Wagner '' Rienzi, der letzte der Tribunen'' * 1 (12:48) Overture '' Tannhäuser und der Sängerkrieg auf Wartburg'' * 2 (3:47) "Dich, teure Halle", with

(Elisabeth) Giuseppe Verdi ''

'' * 3 (12:19) "Restate!... O Signor, di Fiandra arrivo", with

(Rodrigo) and

(Filippo II) Gustave Charpentier ''

'' * 4 (6:29) "Depuis le jour où je me suis donnée", with

(Louise) Pietro Mascagni ''

'' * 5 (9:54) "Suzel, buon di", with

(Suzel) and

(Fritz) Franz Lehár ''

'' * 6 (5:24) "Ich weiß es selber nicht... Meine Lippen, sie küssen so heiß", with

(Giuditta)

Laserdisc side 2

Giuseppe Verdi ''

'' * 7 (5:21) ""Ah, più non vedrò... O don fatale", with Dolora Zajick (Eboli) Richard Wagner ''

'' * 8 (5:27) "Loge, hör", with James Morris (Wotan) Georges Bizet ''

'' * 9 (7:05) "

", with

(Nadir) and

(Zurga) Charles Gounod '' Roméo et Juliette'' *10 (4:37) "Je veux vivre dans ce rêve", with Ruth Ann Swenson (Juliet) Johann Strauss II ''

'' *11 (5:04) "Dieser Anstand, so manierlich", with

(Rosalinde) and

Håkan Hagegård Nils Olov Håkan Hagegård (born 25 November 1945)

(Eisenstein) Richard Wagner ''

'' *12 (11:07) "Wie lachend sie mir Lieder singen", with

(Isolde) Giuseppe Verdi ''

'' *13 (7:15) "Oh! Fede negar potesse agl'occhi miei!... Quando le sere al placido", with Carlo Bergonzi (Rodolfo) Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky ''

'' *14 (15:35) "O. Kak mnye tyazhelo", with

(Tatyana) and

(Eugene Onegin)

Laserdisc side 3

Camille Saint-Saëns ''

'' *15 (6:31) "

", with

(Dalila) Jacques Offenbach ''

'' *16 (2:33) "Ah! Quel dîner je viens de faire", with

(La Périchole) Richard Strauss ''

'' *17 (6:12) "Hab mir's gelobt", with

(Feldmarschallin),

(Octavian) and

(Sophie von Faninal) Charles Gounod ''

'' *18 (10:32) "Mais ce Dieu, que peut-il pour moi?", with

(Faust) and

(Méphistophélès) Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart ''Il dissoluto punito, ossia il Don Giovanni'' *19 (8:59) "Di molte faci il lume... Sola, sola, in buio loco", with Renée Fleming (Donna Anna), Kiri Te Kanawa (Donna Elvira), Hei-Kyung Hong (Zerlina), Jerry Hadley (Don Ottavio), Bryn Terfel (Leporello) and Julien Robbins (Masetto) Tribute *20 (3:51) Concluding encomium by Birgit Nilsson Richard Wagner ''Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg'' *21 (8:43) "Wach auf, es nahet gen den Tag!", with the Metropolitan Opera Chorus''James Levine's 25th Anniversary Metropolitan Opera Gala'', conducted by James Levine, Deutsche Grammophon LD, 072-551-1, 1996

CD track listing

Georges Bizet ''Les pêcheurs de perles'' * 1 (6:12) "Au fond du temple saint", with Roberto Alagna (Nadir) and Bryn Terfel (Zurga) Gustave Charpentier ''Louise'' * 2 (5:56) "Depuis le jour", with Renée Fleming (Louise) Charles Gounod ''Faust'' * 3 (10:01) "Mais ce Dieu, que peut-il pour moi?", with Plácido Domingo (Faust) and Samuel Ramey (Méphistophélès) Franz Lehár ''Giuditta'' * 4 (4:58) "Ich weiß es selber nicht... Mein Lippen, sie küssen so heiß", with Ileana Cotrubas (Giuditta) Giuseppe Verdi ''Don Carlo'' * 5 (5:00) "Ah, più non vedrò... O don fatale", with Dolora Zajick (Eboli) Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart ''Il dissoluto punito, ossia il Don Giovanni'' * 6 (8:28) "Di molte faci il lume... Sola, sola, in buio loco", with Renée Fleming (Donna Anna), Kiri Te Kanawa (Donna Elvira), Hei-Kyung Hong (Zerlina), Jerry Hadley (Don Ottavio), Bryn Terfel (Leporello) and Julien Robbins (Masetto) Charles Gounod ''Roméo et Juliette'' * 7 (4:11) "Je veux vivre dans ce rêve", with Ruth Ann Swenson (Juliette) Johann Strauss II ''Die Fledermaus'' * 8 (4:41) "Dieser Anstand, so manierlich", with Karita Mattila (Rosalinde) and Håkan Hagegård (Eisenstein)

Jules Massenet Jules Émile Frédéric Massenet (; 12 May 1842 – 13 August 1912) was a French composer of the Romantic era best known for his operas, of which he wrote more than thirty. The two most frequently staged are '' Manon'' (1884) and ''Werther' ...

(1842–1912) ''

Werther ''Werther'' is an opera (''drame lyrique'') in four acts by Jules Massenet to a French libretto by Édouard Blau, Paul Milliet and Georges Hartmann (who used the pseudonym Henri Grémont). It is loosely based on Goethe's epistolary novel ''The S ...

'' (Geneva, 1892), with a libretto by

Édouard Blau Édouard Blau (30 May 1836 – 7 January 1906) was a French dramatist and opera librettist. He was a cousin of Alfred Blau, another librettist of the same period.Smith C. Édouard Blau. In: ''The New Grove Dictionary of Opera''. Macmillan, Londo ...

(1836–1906),

Paul Milliet Paul Milliet (14 February 1848 – 21 November 1924) was a French playwright and librettist of the Parisian Belle Époque. His opera librettos include Jules Massenet's ''Hérodiade'' (1881) and ''Werther'' (1892), Alfred Bruneau's ''Kérim'' ( ...

(1848–1924) and

Georges Hartmann Romain-Jean-François "Georges" Hartmann (15 May 1843 – 22 April 1900) was a French music publisher, dramatist and opera librettist (publishing under the pen name Henri Grémont). Born in Paris, he was the son of Jean Hartmann (1804–1880), a G ...

(1843–1900, writing as Henri Grémont) after ''

Die Leiden des jungen Werthers ''The Sorrows of Young Werther'' (; german: Die Leiden des jungen Werthers) is a 1774 epistolary novel by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Johann Wolfgang Goethe, which appeared as a revised edition in 1787. It was one of the main novels in the ''Sturm ...

'' ("The sorrows of young Werther", 1774) by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe * 9 (2:49) "Pourquoi me réveiller", with Alfredo Kraus (Werther) Camille Saint-Saëns ''Samson et Dalila'' *10 (5:57) "Mon cœur s'ouvre à ta voix", with Grace Bumbry (Dalila) Richard Wagner ''Tannhäuser und der Sängerkrieg auf Wartburg'' *11 (3:22) "Dich, teure Halle", with Deborah Voigt (Elisabeth) Jacques Offenbach ''La Périchole'' *12 (2:11) "Ah! Quel dîner je viens de faire", with Frederica von Stade (La Périchole) Richard Strauss ''Der Rosenkavalier'' *13 (6:01) "Hab mir's gelobt", with Renée Fleming (Feldmarschallin), Anne Sofie von Otter (Octavian) and Heidi Grant Murphy (Sophie von Faninal) A tribute *14 (2:42) Concluding encomium by Birgit Nilsson''James Levine's 25th Anniversary Metropolitan Opera Gala'', conducted by

James Levine James Lawrence Levine (; June 23, 1943 – March 9, 2021) was an American conductor and pianist. He was music director of the Metropolitan Opera from 1976 to 2016. He was terminated from all his positions and affiliations with the Met on March 1 ...

CD, 449-177-2, 1996

Personnel

Artists

(born 1963),

tenor A tenor is a type of classical music, classical male singing human voice, voice whose vocal range lies between the countertenor and baritone voice types. It is the highest male chest voice type. The tenor's vocal range extends up to C5. The lo ...

(born 1952),

soprano A soprano () is a type of classical female singing voice and has the highest vocal range of all voice types. The soprano's vocal range (using scientific pitch notation) is from approximately middle C (C4) = 261 Hz to "high A" (A5) = 880&n ...

* Charles Anthony (1929–2012), tenor * Gabriela Beňačková (born 1947), soprano * Carlo Bergonzi (1924–2014), tenor *

(born 1937),

mezzo-soprano A mezzo-soprano or mezzo (; ; meaning "half soprano") is a type of classical female singing voice whose vocal range lies between the soprano and the contralto voice types. The mezzo-soprano's vocal range usually extends from the A below middle C ...

(born 1939), soprano * James Courtney, bass-baritone *

, baritone *

(1941–2005), soprano *

(born 1941), tenor *

(born 1960), soprano *

(born 1929), mezzo-soprano * Franco Farina, tenor *

(born 1959), soprano *

(born 1949), bass *

(born 1965), soprano *

(born 1969), soprano *

(1952–2007), tenor *

Håkan Hagegård Nils Olov Håkan Hagegård (born 25 November 1945)

(born 1945),

baritone A baritone is a type of classical male singing voice whose vocal range lies between the bass and the tenor voice-types. The term originates from the Greek (), meaning "heavy sounding". Composers typically write music for this voice in the r ...

(born 1955), baritone * Hei-Kyung Hong (born 1959), soprano *

(born 1944), soprano *

(1927–1999), tenor *

(born 1948), soprano *

(born 1960), soprano *

(born 1956), soprano *

(born 1957), mezzo-soprano *

(born 1958), soprano *

(born 1935), baritone * James Morris (born 1947), bass-baritone *

(born 1965), soprano *

(born 1955), mezzo-soprano * Mark Oswald, baritone *

(born 1941), bass *

(born 1946), baritone *

(born 1944), mezzo-soprano * Julien Robbins, bass-baritone *

(born 1958), bass *

(born 1945), mezzo-soprano * Ruth Ann Swenson (born 1959), soprano *

(born 1965), bass-baritone *

(born 1960), soprano *

(born 1952), soprano *

(born 1960), soprano * Wendy White (born 1953), mezzo-soprano * Dolora Zajick (born 1952), mezzo-soprano * Raymond Gniewek (born 1931), concertmaster * Metropolitan Opera Orchestra * Metropolitan Opera Chorus * Raymond Hughes, chorus master *

(1943–2021), conductor

Metropolitan Opera personnel

* Gil Wechsler, lighting designer * George Darden, musical preparation * Joan Dornemann, musical preparation * Dennis Giauque, musical preparation * Kemal Khan, musical preparation * Robert Morrison, musical preparation * Kevin Murphy, musical preparation * Richard Woitach, musical preparation * Phebe Berkowitz, stage director * David Kneuss, stage director * Robin Guarino, assistant stage director * Catherine Hazlehurst, assistant stage director * Peter McClintock, assistant stage director * Fabrizio Melano, assistant stage director * Paul Mills, assistant stage director * Stephen Pickover, assistant stage director * Sharon Thomas, assistant stage director * Jane Klaviter, prompter * Donna Racik, prompter * Susan Webb, prompter * Thomas H. Connell III, stage manager * Stephen A. Brown, stage manager * Gary Dietrich, stage manager * William McCourt, stage manager * Raymond Menard, stage manager * Scott Moon, stage manager * Stephen Diaz, master carpenter * George Green, master electrician * Edward McConway, properties master * Magda Szayer, wig and hair stylist * Victor Callegari, make-up artist * William Malloy, wardrobe supervisor * Lesley Weston, costume shop head * Ray Diffen, costume designer * Sylvia Nolan, costume designer

Broadcast personnel

Brian Large Brian Large (born 16 February 1939 in London, England) is a television director and author. He is among the world's foremost TV directors specializing in opera and classical music. Biography Studies Large studied at the Royal Academy of Music i ...

(born 1939), director * Louise Briccetti, producer * Susan Erben, associate producer * Jay David Saks, audio producer * Jay Millard, associate director * Mark Schubin, engineer-in-charge * Ron Washburn, technical supervisor and camera operator * Greg Overton, technical director * Bill King, audio supervisor * Michael Shoskes, audio engineer * Mel Becker, audio engineer * Paul Cohen, audio engineer * Jim Jordan, audio engineer * Susan Noll, video engineer * Matty Randazzo, video engineer * Paul Ranieri, video engineer * William Steinberg, video engineer * Miguel Armstrong, camera operator * Juan Barrera, camera operator * Jim Covello, camera operator * John Feher, camera operator * Manny Gutierrez, camera operator * Jake Ostroff, camera operator * Manny Rodriguez, camera operator * Jim Scurti, camera operator * David Smith, camera operator * Shaun Harkins, remote camera technician * Alan Buchner, videotape engineer * Deborah Cavanaugh, electronic graphics * Terence Benson, television stage manager * Rose Riggins, television stage manager * Karen McLaughlin, score reader * Victoria Warivonchik, production associate * Joseph Sbarra, production secretary * Frances Egler, production assistant * Aileen Forbes, production assistant * Brian McCotter, production assistant * James Simpson, production assistant * Kevin Wilkin, production assistant * Laura Tolkow, title graphics * Jim Naughton, production facilities * Jim Will, production facilities * Unitel Mobile Video, production facilities * David Hewitt, remote recording services * Phil Gitomer, remote recording services

DVD production personnel

* Roland Ott, project manager * Burkhard Bartsch, project coordinator * Johannes Müller, producer, msm-Studios GmbH, Munich * Hermann Enkemeier, screen designer, msm-Studios * Christian Müller, video encoding and authoring, msm-Studios * Claudia Pohl, AMSI II mastering, Emil Berliner Studios * Udo Potratz, AMSI II mastering, Emil Berliner Studios * Sonya Friedman, subtitles * Eva Reisinger, booklet editor * Merle Kersten, booklet art director

Critical reception

Mike Silverman reviewed the gala for the

Associated Press The Associated Press (AP) is an American non-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association. It produces news reports that are distributed to its members, U.S. newspa ...

on 28 April 1996. It was not until the early hours, he wrote, that the Met's audience heard Birgit Nilsson paying tribute to James Levine with a few bars of "Ho-jo-to-ho" from her signature role, Brünnhilde. Despite the absence of some singers, like

Ben Heppner Thomas Bernard Heppner (born January 14, 1956) is a Canadian tenor and broadcaster, now retired from singing, who specialized in opera and other classical works for voice. Early life and career Heppner, of Mennonite descent, was born in Mur ...

, due to scheduling clashes, and of others, like

Cecilia Bartoli Cecilia Bartoli, Cavaliere OMRI (; born 4 June 1966) is an Italian coloratura mezzo-soprano opera singer and recitalist. She is best known for her interpretations of the music of Bellini, Handel, Mozart, Rossini and Vivaldi, as well as for her ...

and

, due to health issues, the concert was a "thrilling, if exhausting spectacle" replete with vocal talent. The gala's cast list ranged from veterans like the 71-year-old Carlo Bergonzi to newcomers like the 32-year-old Roberto Alagna. Alagna was more impressive than he had been in a recent ''La Bohème''. His contributions to the Pearlfishers' Duet and the Cherry Duet from ''L'amico Fritz'' were both lovely. Two other young tenors – Jerry Hadley and Richard Leech – both sang well too, but no other representatives of their peer group put in an appearance: instead the Met heard the elderly Bergonzi and Alfredo Kraus and the 55-year-old Plácido Domingo, as suave as usual in a trio from ''Ernani'' and a duet from ''Faust''. Bryn Terfel displayed his "ebullient" Leporello in addition to duetting with Alagna in Bizet, his "booming, mellifluous baritone and utter ease and gracefulness as a performer arkinghim as one in a million". He was "sure to be one of the superstars of the next generation". The best of the evening's female singers was Renée Fleming, "whose soprano voice is as beautiful as any in memory". She was luminous in ''Louise'' and ''Der Rosenkavalier'', abetted in the latter by gorgeous singing from

and

. Her inclusion in a sextet from ''Don Giovanni'' made her the only soloist to be heard more than twice. Wagner enthusiasts would undoubtedly be encouraged by the Immolation Scene from ''Götterdämmerung'' delivered by Jane Eaglen, a British dramatic soprano whose recent success in Wagner in Chicago had evidently not been a flash in the pan. She was worthy to share a billing with Birgit Nilsson. On the last occasion on which Nilsson had appeared at the Met, in its 1983 Centennial Gala, she had sung Isolde's Narrative and Curse. In the Levine gala, that was the passage offered by Waltraud Meier. Her performance was "thrilling", but she was a mezzo-soprano venturing into soprano territory, and the stress evident in her highest notes made one anxious as to whether she was pursuing a path that was right for her. Dawn Upshaw was "typically simple, silvery and winning" in Mozart's "Deh! Vieni, non tardar". "The contrast could not have been more striking with the number that preceded it - a mannered, diva-ish rendition by

Jessye Norman Jessye Mae Norman (September 15, 1945 – September 30, 2019) was an American opera singer and recitalist. She was able to perform dramatic soprano roles, but refused to be limited to that voice type. A commanding presence on operatic, concert ...

, with high notes that consistently went flat, of an aria from Berlioz's ''Damnation of Faust''". Levine did not avail himself of the opportunity to make any speeches, but merely "conducted the Met's wonderful orchestra with love and enthusiasm". Tim Page reviewed the gala in ''

The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...

'' on 29 April 1996. It was, he wrote, a "glorious, crazy, songful party". Not all the most distinguished opera singers were present:

José Carreras Josep Maria Carreras Coll (; born 5 December 1946), better known as José Carreras (, ), is a Spanish operatic tenor who is particularly known for his performances in the operas of Donizetti, Verdi and Puccini. Born in Barcelona, he made his de ...

had a previous commitment,

Montserrat Caballé Montserrat Caballé i Folch or Folc (full name: María de Montserrat Bibiana Concepción Caballé i Folch (, , ; (12 April 1933 – 6 October 2018), known simply as Montserrat Caballé, was a Catalan Spanish operatic soprano. She sang a wide va ...

Marilyn Horne Marilyn Horne (born January 16, 1934) is an American mezzo-soprano opera singer. She specialized in roles requiring beauty of tone, excellent breath support, and the ability to execute difficult coloratura passages. She is a recipient of the Natio ...

and

Teresa Stratas Teresa Stratas (born May 26, 1938) is a retired operatic soprano from Canada of Greek descent. She is especially well known for her award-winning recording of Alban Berg's ''Lulu''. Early life and career Stratas was born Anastasia Stratakis to ...

were ill and

Kathleen Battle Kathleen Deanna Battle (born August 13, 1948) is an American operatic soprano known for her distinctive vocal range and tone. Born in Portsmouth, Ohio, Battle initially became known for her work within the concert repertoire through performances ...

had been fired from the Met in 1994. But the concert still presented an astonishing constellation of some of opera's brightest stars. Dominated by Mozart, Verdi and Wagner, the gala's programme was typical of the repertoire of the Levine era but lacked any unifying theme otherwise. It was "a sort of melodious circus – a celestial vaudeville". There were consequently many awkward transitions. For example, Jane Eaglen's noble rendition of the immolation scene from ''Götterdämmerung'' was followed by the broad comedy of Frederica von Stade in the tipsy aria from ''La Périchole''; the effect was to "dissipate the solemn afterglow of the one and make the other seem goofy and tasteless". Von Stade also supplied "one of the evening's true glories" in a performance of Cherubino's "Voi che sapete" mitted from DG's DVD and CD "Opera has recently offered little more wonderful than von Stade's interpretation of that famous ardent, hormone-crazed pubescent boy". Also outstanding were Carlo Bergonzi and Alfredo Kraus, skillfully making the most of resources depleted by old age; Ileana Cotrubas, "ripely and irresistibly nostalgic" in ''Giuditta''; Plácido Domingo, combining "magnificent vocalizing and the most acute artistic intelligence" in ''Ernani'' and ''Faust''; Renée Fleming, "luscious and immaculate" in ''Louise'', ''Don Giovanni'' and ''Der Rosenkavalier''; Waltraud Meier, singing Isolde's curse with "thrilling ferocity"; and Ruth Ann Swenson, compensating for her technical deficiencies in a coloratura showpiece from ''Roméo et Juliette'' with character and intelligence. There were disappointments too. Håkan Hagegård and Karita Mattila were guilty of "campy snickering" in ''Die Fledermaus''. Jerry Hadley perpetrated "vulgar

Mario Lanza Mario Lanza (, ; born Alfredo Arnold Cocozza ; January 31, 1921 – October 7, 1959) was an American tenor and actor. He was a Hollywood film star popular in the late 1940s and the 1950s. Lanza began studying to be a professional singer at ...

-isms" in ''The land of smiles'' lso omitted by DG Ghena Dimitrova, Franco Farina and Juan Pons were "third-rate" in ''Un ballo in maschera''. And

Sharon Sweet Sharon Sweet (born August 16, 1951 in Gloversville, NY) is an American dramatic soprano. Sharon Sweet has appeared in leading roles in several major venues in Europe and the United States and has made notable contributions to several recordings, in ...

's mere appearance at the gala was "difficult to explain". Of especial interest were two prominent up and coming artists, Roberto Alagna and Angela Gheorghiu ppearing one day after their wedding Alagna had "a light, sweet and supple voice of moderate size (some high notes that were both delicate and ringing) and a not inconsiderable dramatic ability", but it was far too soon to bracket him with Carreras, Domingo and Pavarotti. Gheorghiu was much more impressive, with "a voice of unusual and haunting timbre, a distinctive creative personality ndattention to the sheer phonic sound of the words she sings". None of the soloists, though, could outshine the orchestra and their conductor. Thanks to Levine, the Met's pit was home to "one of the most responsive and virtuosic ensembles in the world", and it was remarkable that he could "preside so effortlessly and so idiomatically over such a range of musical styles, over so many hours".

Martin Bernheimer Martin Bernheimer (28 September 1936 – 29 September 2019) was a German-born American music critic. Described as "a widely respected and influential critic, who is particularly knowledgeable about opera and the voice", Bernheimer was the chie ...

reviewed the gala in ''

The Los Angeles Times ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

'' on 29 April 1996. It was, he wrote, a "mega-monster concert", a "shameless, shapeless, formless smorgasbord of arias and ensembles", "a parade of disparate singers striking poses in competitive evening attire" in which "the assembled women blew a crescendo of kisses to their beaming boss out front". The gala began with a somewhat lethargic treatment of the overture to ''Rienzi''. Newlyweds Roberto Alagna and Angela Gheorghiu were clear, refined and sugary in the Cherry Duet from ''L'amico Fritz''. Dolora Zajick sang with "full-throated bravura" in Eboli's "O don fatale". Waltraud Meier was incandescent in Isolde's Narrative and Curse. Carlo Bergonzi was touching and elegant in ''Luisa Miller''. Alfredo Kraus amazed with his suavity and staying power as Werther and Hoffmann. Raymond Gniewek played an exquisite violin solo in ''I Lombardi''. Catherine Malfitano and Dwayne Croft provided one of the evening's most successful passages of authentic music drama in a pyrexic scene from ''Eugene Onegin''. Jane Eaglen, "a Wagnerian diva straight from a ''

New Yorker New Yorker or ''variant'' primarily refers to: * A resident of the State of New York ** Demographics of New York (state) * A resident of New York City ** List of people from New York City * ''The New Yorker'', a magazine founded in 1925 * ''The New ...

'' cartoon", showed that it did not much matter what Brünnhilde looked like if she had a voice as overwhelming as a tsunami. Sharon Sweet was "strident" in ''La forza del destino''. Frederica von Stade demonstrated that "charm conquers all" with "her still boyish Cherubino and irresistibly tipsy Périchole". Karita Mattila and Hakån Hagegård were almost as seductive in a flirtatious Watch Duet from ''Die Fledermaus''. Birgit Nilsson provided the gala's most exhilarating tribute to Levine with a trumpet-like Valkyrie war-cry. Plácido Domingo and Samuel Ramey were comfortingly stellar in "Faust", Ramey for once being allowed to perform without baring his chest. Deborah Voigt, Bryn Terfel, Ruth Ann Swenson, Aprile Millo and Gabriela Beňačková were equally impressive in their celestial wattage. As far as clothing was concerned, the contributors most deserving of an award were Ileana Cotrubas for sporting a "gigantic Christmas bow", Mark Oswald for losing his tie and vest in ''Don Pasquale'' and "the various cleavage divas who lent new meaning to the concept of heaving bosoms". Jessye Norman perpetrated the evening's "most mannered" selection in a "crooned, roared and sighed" performance of "D'amour l'ardente flamme" that was so erratic in pitch as to present Berlioz as bitonal. Grace Bumbry was a wobbly old Dalila, and Gwyneth Jones an even wobblier Turandot. Dawn Upshaw's eloquent ornamentation in a "silver-bell" "Deh! Vieni, non tardar" was jarringly followed by the Jerry Hadley slathering on the schmalz in "Dein ist mein ganzes Herz". Maria Ewing "yowled" Gershwin's "My man's gone now" with her hands rather oddly thrust into her pockets. Kiri Te Kanawa's honeyed performance of an aria from ''Don Giovanni'' was accompanied by "comic-vamp routines". Ghena Dimitrova, Franco Farina and Juan Pons sang a trio from ''Un ballo in maschera'' as though working in some theatre in the provinces. Renée Fleming provided the most beautiful vocalism of the entire concert in her excerpts from ''Louise'' and ''Der Rosenkavalier''. James Morris, on the other hand, raised concerns for the health of his voice by the way in which he delivered Wotan's Farewell in his "fraying basso". James Levine's guidance of his excellent orchestra was "sympathetic if sometimes loud and sometimes inflexible". Neil Crory reviewed the gala on Laserdisc in the Fall 1997 issue of ''Opera Canada''. It was, he wrote, "the gala-to-end-all-galas". Its programme booklet's cancellation list alone deserved a mention in

The Guinness Book of Records ''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a reference book published annually, listing world ...

, with Cecilia Bartoli,

Hildegard Behrens Hildegard Behrens (9 February 1937 – 18 August 2009) was a German operatic soprano with a wide repertoire including Wagner, Weber, Mozart, Richard Strauss, and Alban Berg roles. She performed at major opera houses around the world, and received ...

Nicolai Ghiaurov Nicolai Ghiaurov (or ''Nikolai Gjaurov'', ''Nikolay Gyaurov'', bg, Николай Гяуров) (September 13, 1929 – June 2, 2004) was a Bulgarian opera singer and one of the most famous basses of the postwar period. He was admired for his ...

, Marilyn Horne and Luciano Pavarotti all pleading illness. The gala had not been consistent in quality. There were "a few blazing performances", but also "many that merely smouldered and others that simply failed to ignite". Happily, some of the evening's better selections had been preserved on DG's video discs. Deborah Voigt was "radiant" in "Dich teure Halle". Renée Fleming was "stunning" in both ''Der Rosenkavalier'' and an "expressive, detailed" excerpt from ''Louise''. Ruth Ann Swenson was "appropriately sun-filled" in the Waltz Song from ''Roméo et Juliette''. Frederica von Stade – a perennial Met darling – was "hysterically funny" in the tipsy aria from ''La Périchole''. And in a "forthright" "O don fatale", Dolora Zajick brought the house down. J. B. Steane reviewed the CD of the gala in '' Gramophone'' in December 1998. "Out come the stars," he wrote, "one by one or two by two and then six of them in a galaxy. Some have been in the firmament a long time, others are almost new. But all are there ... to pay tribute". Steane, J. B.: '' Gramophone'', December 1996, p. 154 There was no doubt that the gala must have been a delightful celebration, but the wisest rule for such events was to record them in one's memory rather than on tape. This was not to say that the CD was without merit. Renée Fleming sang really beautifully in "Depuis le jour" from the line "Au jardin de mon cœur" onwards, and Ruth Ann Swenson essayed a brave and fruitful soft passage halfway through Juliet's waltz. But the album's senior contributors sounded below their best, and even their younger colleagues never rose to real greatness. It was possible that this was partly to do with the disc's audio quality. Fleming's and Bryn Terfel's voices did not sound as attractive on the CD as they did when heard in person. Indeed, the playing of the Met orchestra was more enjoyable to listen to than any of the singers, and both were surpassed by the album's closing speech by Birgit Nilsson. After explaining how Swedes customarily behaved on such occasions, she said: "'But since I am a daughter of the Vikings, I will do it my way.' Then, with no more than a second's pause and no more than a semitone's adjustment of pitch, she gives vent to a mighty 'Hojotoho', and her top B-flat brings down the house". The gala was also discussed in Clyde T. McCants's ''American opera singers and their recordings''.

Broadcast and home media history

The gala was televised in a live transmission on

PBS The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcasting, public broadcaster and Non-commercial activity, non-commercial, Terrestrial television, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly fu ...

, and was also broadcast in Australia, Denmark, Japan, the Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom. In 1996, Deutsche Grammophon released versions of the gala in three formats. Thirteen excerpts were released on a 72-minute CD (catalogue number 449-177-2), accompanied by a 24-page insert booklet with an essay by Cory Ellison in English, French, German and Italian, and with production photographs of Alagna, Terfel, Fleming, Domingo, Ramey, Cotrubas, Zajick, Te Kanawa, Hong, Hadley, Robbins, Swenson, Mattila, Hagegård, Kraus, Bumbry, Voigt, von Stade, von Otter, Murphy, Nilsson and Levine. Twenty excerpts were issued on a 161-minute pair of CLV (constant linear velocity) CX-encoded Laserdiscs (catalogue number 072-551-1) with 4:3 NTSC colour video and digital audio. The same excerpts were issued on a VHS videocassette (catalogue number 072-451-3) with 4:3 PAL colour video and digital audio.''James Levine's 25th Anniversary Metropolitan Opera Gala'', conducted by James Levine, Deutsche Grammophon VHS, 072-451-3, 1996 In 2005, Deutsche Grammophon released thirty-three excerpts from the gala on a 293-minute pair of DVDs (catalogue number B0004602-09), with 4:3 NTSC colour video and audio in PCM stereo and an ersatz 5.1-channel surround sound upmix in both DTS and Dolby Digital. The DVDs include an interview with Levine, a picture gallery and trailers, and are accompanied by a 12-page insert booklet with an essay by Kenneth Chalmers in English only. They omit the contributions made to the gala by

Maria Ewing Maria Louise Ewing (March 27, 1950 – January 9, 2022) was an American opera singer. In the early part of her career she performed solely as a lyric mezzo-soprano; she later assumed full soprano parts as well. Her signature roles were Blanche, ...

, Gwyneth Jones, Richard Leech, Jessye Norman and

, as well as an excerpt from ''Werther'' sung by Alfredo Kraus that can be heard on Deutsche Grammophon's CD.

Gallery of artists

File:ALAGNA-24x30-2004b.jpg,

File:Charles Anthony 1974.JPG, Charles Anthony File:Gabriela Beňačková MET.jpg, Gabriela Beňačková File:Carlo Bergonzi.jpg, Carlo Bergonzi File:Grace Bumbry 2009.jpg,

File:Tosca - Dimtrova.jpg,

File:Concierto de Plácido Domingo con motivo del Año Jubilar Mariano (7-06-2019) 06 (cropped).jpg,

File:Renée Fleming 4 Shankbone Metropolitan Opera 2009.jpg,

File:Angela Gheorghiu as Floria Tosca at San Francisco Opera, November 2012.jpg,

File:Polar Music Prize 2005 - Håkan Hagegård.jpg,

Håkan Hagegård Nils Olov Håkan Hagegård (born 25 November 1945)

File:ThomasHampson.jpg,

File:Kiri Te Kanawa 2013 (cropped).jpg,

File:Boadilla del Monte - monumento a Alfredo Kraus 1.jpg,

File:Catherine Malfitano dans Traviata par Claude Truong-Ngoc 1980.jpg,

File:Rigoletto en el Colon.jpg,

File:Birgitnhat.jpg,

File:Anne Sofie von Otter 2011-10-13 002.jpg,

File:Juan-pons-prensa-02.jpg,

File:Frederica von Stade.jpg,

File:Bryn Terfel in Stockholm 2013-22.jpg,

File:CarolVaness.jpg,

File:Dolora Zajick at Berlin Opera, July 2016.jpg, Dolora Zajick File:James Levine 2013.jpg,

References

{{reflist 1996 classical albums 1996 television films 1996 films Classical video albums Deutsche Grammophon albums Events in New York City Live classical albums Metropolitan Opera Opera recordings

Background

DVD chapter listing

Disc 1

Disc 2

Laserdisc and VHS videocassette chapter listing

Laserdisc side 1

Laserdisc side 2

Laserdisc side 3

CD track listing

Personnel

Artists

Metropolitan Opera personnel

Broadcast personnel

DVD production personnel

Critical reception

Broadcast and home media history

Gallery of artists

See also

References