''The Metropolitan Opera Centennial Gala'' was a televised concert, lasting more than eight hours, that New York City's

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 oper ...

staged on 22 October 1983 to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of its first performance. A 230-minute selection of excerpts from the concert was first released in 1985 on a pair of Pioneer Artists Laserdiscs, subsequently appearing on a pair of Bel Canto Paramount Home Video VHS videocassettes in 1989 and on a Pioneer Classics DVD in 1998. A remastered double DVD of the film was issued by Deutsche Grammophon in 2009.

Background

The Metropolitan Opera's first performance was given on 22 October 1883 at its former home on the junction of

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

and 39th Street in New York City: a staging of

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 ...

's ''

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 crossroa ...

'' starring

Italo Campanini Italo Campanini (June 30, 1845 – November 14, 1896) was a leading Italian operatic tenor, whose career reached its height in London in the 1870s and in New York City in the 1880s and 1890s. He had a repertoire of 80 operas and was the brother o ...

in the title role and

Christine Nilsson Christina Nilsson, Countess de Casa Miranda, also called Christine Nilsson (20 August 1843 – 22 November 1921) was a Swedish dramatic coloratura soprano. Possessed of a pure and brilliant voice of first three then two and a half octaves tr ...

as Marguerite. With the one hundredth anniversary of that occasion chancing to fall on a Saturday, the Met chose to commemorate its centenary with a two-part gala comprising a matinée at 2 p.m. and an evening session at 8 p.m. More than seventy singers were invited to participate, chosen either for their eminence or their long association with the house. Performing on a series of sets created by the most distinguished designers in the Met's history, they sang arias, duets and ensembles from an eclectic range of operas as well as a few items drawn from other genres. There were also contributions from the Met's chorus and resident ballet company as well as some purely orchestral selections. The entire event was broadcast live on both radio and television in the United States and in some other countries. The US television broadcast was supported by a grant from the Texaco Philanthropic Foundation, Inc., with supplementary help from the Charles E. Culpeper 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 ...

. The production of Deutsche Grammophon's DVD of the gala was supported by the Charles A. Dana Foundation.

Deutsche Grammophon DVD chapter listing

Disc 1: matinée session

* 1 (0:44) Opening credits Set design for ''

Les Mamelles de Tirésias ''Les Mamelles de Tirésias'' (''The Breasts of Tiresias'') is an ''opéra bouffe'' by Francis Poulenc, in a prologue and two acts based on the eponymous play by Guillaume Apollinaire. The opera was written in 1945 and first performed in 1947. Ap ...

'' by

David Hockney David Hockney (born 9 July 1937) is an English painter, draftsman, printmaker, stage designer, and photographer. As an important contributor to the pop art movement of the 1960s, he is considered one of the most influential British artists o ...

(b. 1937)

Bedřich Smetana Bedřich Smetana ( , ; 2 March 1824 – 12 May 1884) was a Czech composer who pioneered the development of a musical style that became closely identified with his people's aspirations to a cultural and political "revival." He has been regarded i ...

Prodaná nevěsta ''The Bartered Bride'' ( cz, Prodaná nevěsta, links=no, ''The Sold Bride'') is a comic opera in three acts by the Czech composer Bedřich Smetana, to a libretto by Karel Sabina. The work is generally regarded as a major contribution towards the ...

'' (''The Bartered Bride'', Prague, 1866), with a libretto by Karel Sabina * 2 (7:21) Overture, 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 ...

Giacomo Puccini Giacomo Puccini ( Lucca, 22 December 1858Bruxelles, 29 November 1924) was an Italian composer known primarily for his operas. Regarded as the greatest and most successful proponent of Italian opera after Verdi, he was descended from a long ...

, posthumously completed by

Franco Alfano Franco Alfano (8 March 1875 – 27 October 1954) was an Italian composer and pianist, best known today for his opera '' Risurrezione'' (1904) and for having completed Puccini's opera ''Turandot'' in 1926. He had considerable success with several ...

Turandot ''Turandot'' (; see below) is an opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini, posthumously completed by Franco Alfano in 1926, and set to a libretto in Italian by Giuseppe Adami and Renato Simoni. ''Turandot'' best-known aria is " Nessun dorma", ...

'' (Milan, 1926), with a libretto by

Giuseppe Adami Giuseppe Adami (4 February 187812 October 1946) was an Italian librettist, playwright and music critic, he was best known for his collaboration with Giacomo Puccini on the operas ''La rondine'' (1917), ''Il tabarro'' (1918) and ''Turandot'' (1926 ...

and

Renato Simoni Renato Simoni (Verona, 5 September 1875 – Milan, 5 July 1952) was an Italian journalist, playwright, writer and theatrical critic noted for his collaboration work with Giuseppe Adami for Giacomo Puccini's ''Turandot''. Simoni's career was entire ...

after ''

'' (1762) by Carlo Gozzi * 3 (6:57) "In questa reggia", with

Éva Marton Éva Marton (born 18 June 1943) is a Hungarian dramatic soprano, particularly known for her operatic portrayals of Puccini's ''Turandot'' and ''Tosca'', and Wagnerian roles. Vocal training and early years Marton was born in Budapest, where ...

(Turandot), conducted by James Levine

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 ...

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 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 ...

after '' La folle journée, ou le Mariage de Figaro'' ("The mad day, or the marriage of Figaro", 1784) 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, ...

* 4 (7:24) " E Susanna non vien! ... Dove sono i bei momenti", with Kiri Te Kanawa (La Contessa Almaviva), conducted by James Levine Giuseppe Verdi '' Otello'' (Milan, 1887), with a libretto by

Arrigo Boito Arrigo Boito (; 24 February 1842 10 June 1918) (whose original name was Enrico Giuseppe Giovanni Boito and who wrote essays under the anagrammatic pseudonym of Tobia Gorrio) was an Italian poet, journalist, novelist, librettist and composer, best ...

after '' The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice'' (?1603) 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 ...

* 5 (5:04) "Dio! Mi potevi scagliar", with James McCracken (Otello), conducted by James Levine

Gioachino Rossini Gioachino Antonio Rossini (29 February 1792 – 13 November 1868) was an Italian composer who gained fame for his 39 operas, although he also wrote many songs, some chamber music and piano pieces, and some sacred music. He set new standards ...

'' Il barbiere di Siviglia, ossia L'inutile precauzione'' ("The barber of Seville, or The useless precaution", Rome, 1816), with a libretto by Cesare Sterbini after ''

Le barbier de Séville ''The Barber of Seville or the Useless Precaution'' (french: Le Barbier de Séville ou la Précaution inutile) is a French play by Pierre Beaumarchais, with original music by Antoine-Laurent Baudron. It was initially conceived as an opéra comi ...

'' (1775) by Pierre Beaumarchais * 6 (5:13) "La calunnia è un venticello", with

Ruggero Raimondi Ruggero Raimondi (born 3 October 1941) is an Italian bass-baritone opera singer who has also appeared in motion pictures. Life and career Early training and career Ruggero Raimondi was born in Bologna, Italy, during World War II. His voice mat ...

(Basilio), conducted by Richard Bonynge Gaetano Donizetti ''

Lucia di Lammermoor ''Lucia di Lammermoor'' () is a (tragic opera) in three acts by Italian composer Gaetano Donizetti. Salvadore Cammarano wrote the Italian-language libretto loosely based upon Sir Walter Scott's 1819 historical novel '' The Bride of Lammermoo ...

'' (Naples, 1835), 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 ...

after ''

The Bride of Lammermoor ''The Bride of Lammermoor'' is a historical novel by Sir Walter Scott, published in 1819, one of the Waverley novels. The novel is set in the Lammermuir Hills of south-east Scotland, shortly before the Act of Union of 1707 (in the first editio ...

'' (1819) by Sir

Walter Scott Sir Walter Scott, 1st Baronet (15 August 1771 – 21 September 1832), was a Scottish novelist, poet, playwright and historian. Many of his works remain classics of European and Scottish literature, notably the novels '' Ivanhoe'', '' Rob Roy ...

) * 7 (5:13) "Chi mi frena in tal momento?", with

Dano Raffanti Dano Raffanti (born 5 April 1948) is an Italian tenor, particularly associated with the Italian baroque and bel canto repertory. Life and career Born in Lucca, Raffanti trained in Milan with Rodolfo Celletti, and made his debut at La Scala in ...

(Edgardo), Brian Schexnayder (Enrico),

Roberta Peters Roberta Peters (May 4, 1930 – January 18, 2017) was an American coloratura soprano. One of the most prominent American singers to achieve lasting fame and success in opera, Peters is noted for her 35-year association with the Metropolitan Oper ...

(Lucia), Julien Robbins (Raimondo), Loretta Di Franco (Alisa) and Robert Nagy (Arturo), conducted by Richard Bonynge Gioachino Rossini ''

Semiramide ''Semiramide'' () is an opera in two acts by Gioachino Rossini. The libretto by Gaetano Rossi is based on Voltaire's tragedy ''Semiramis'', which in turn was based on the legend of Semiramis of Assyria. The opera was first performed at La Feni ...

'' (Venice, 1823), with a libretto by

Gaetano Rossi Gaetano Rossi (; 18 May 1774 – 25 January 1855) was an Italian opera librettist for several of the well-known ''bel canto''-era composers including Gioachino Rossini, Gaetano Donizetti, and Saverio Mercadante in Italy and Giacomo Meyerbeer in one ...

after '' Sémiramis'' by

Voltaire François-Marie Arouet (; 21 November 169430 May 1778) was a French Enlightenment writer, historian, and philosopher. Known by his ''nom de plume'' M. de Voltaire (; also ; ), he was famous for his wit, and his criticism of Christianity—es ...

, a play based on the legend of

Semiramis ''Samīrāmīs'', hy, Շամիրամ ''Šamiram'') was the semi-legendary Lydian- Babylonian wife of Onnes and Ninus, who succeeded the latter to the throne of Assyria, according to Movses Khorenatsi. Legends narrated by Diodorus Siculus, who dr ...

Assyria Assyria ( Neo-Assyrian cuneiform: , romanized: ''māt Aššur''; syc, ܐܬܘܪ, ʾāthor) was a major ancient Mesopotamian civilization which existed as a city-state at times controlling regional territories in the indigenous lands of the ...

* 8 (8:27) "Bel raggio lusinghier", with Joan Sutherland (Semiramide), conducted by Richard Bonynge Set design for act 2 of '' Arabella'' by Günther Schneider-Siemssen

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 ...

Iris Iris most often refers to: *Iris (anatomy), part of the eye *Iris (mythology), a Greek goddess * ''Iris'' (plant), a genus of flowering plants * Iris (color), an ambiguous color term Iris or IRIS may also refer to: Arts and media Fictional ent ...

'' (Rome, 1898), 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 ...

* 9 (10:40) Prelude: "Son io! Son io la vita", with the Metropolitan Opera Chorus, conducted by David Stivender Richard Strauss ''

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-cl ...

after ''Les amours du chevalier de Faubles'' by Jean-Baptiste Louvet de Couvrai 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 worl ...

*10 (7:56) "Mir ist die Ehre widerfahren", 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 ...

(Octavian) and

Judith Blegen Judith Blegen (April 27, 1943, Lexington, Kentucky) is an American soprano, particularly associated with light lyric roles of the French, Italian and German repertories. Life and career Blegen was raised and attended high school in Missoula, Mon ...

(Sophie), conducted by

Jeffrey Tate Sir Jeffrey Philip Tate (28 April 19432 June 2017) was an English conductor of classical music. Tate was born with spina bifida and had an associated spinal curvature. After studying medicine at the University of Cambridge and beginning a me ...

'' 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.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 lib ...

after '' Romeo and Juliet'' (''circa'' 1593) by William Shakespeare *11 (13:18) "Va! Je t'ai pardonné... Nuit d'hyménée", 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 ...

(Juliette) and

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 ...

(Roméo), conducted by Jeffrey Tate Gaetano Donizetti '' L'elisir d'amore'' ("The elixir of love", Milan, 1832), with a libretto by

Felice Romani Giuseppe Felice Romani (31 January 178828 January 1865) was an Italian poet and scholar of literature and mythology who wrote many librettos for the opera composers Donizetti and Bellini. Romani was considered the finest Italian librettist betw ...

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 ma ...

for ' (1831) 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 ...

*12 (5:49) "Una furtive lagrima", with

Nicolai Gedda Harry Gustaf Nikolai Gädda, known professionally as Nicolai Gedda (11 July 1925 – 8 January 2017), was a Swedish operatic tenor. Debuting in 1951, Gedda had a long and successful career in opera until the age of 77 in June 2003, when he made h ...

(Nemorino), conducted by James Levine Giuseppe Verdi '' Ernani'' (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 ...

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 ...

*13 (7:54) "Surta è la note... Ernani! Ernani, involami", with Anna Tomowa-Sintow (Elvira), conducted by James Levine Richard Strauss ''Der Rosenkavalier'' *14 (6:17) "Hab mir's gelobt", with

Elisabeth Söderström Anna Elisabeth Söderström (married name Olow; 7 May 192720 November 2009) was a Swedish soprano who performed both opera and song, and was known as a leading interpreter of the works of Janáček, Rachmaninoff and Sibelius.Elizabeth Sleeman, ' ...

(Marschallin),

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 performance ...

(Sophie) and Frederica von Stade (Octavian), conducted by James Levine Giuseppe Verdi ''Otello'' *15 (13:30) "Già nella notte densa", 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 ...

(Otello) and

Mirella Freni Mirella Freni, OMRI (, born Mirella Fregni, 27 February 1935 – 9 February 2020) was an Italian operatic soprano who had a career of 50 years and appeared at major international opera houses. She received international attention at the Gl ...

(Desdemona), conducted by James Levine''The Metropolitan Opera Centennial Gala'', Deutsche Grammophon DVD, 00440-073-4548, 2009

Disc 2: evening session

* 1 (0:25) Opening Set design for act 2 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 ...

'' by

Franco Zeffirelli Gian Franco Corsi Zeffirelli (12 February 1923 – 15 June 2019), was an Italian stage and film director, producer, production designer and politician. He was one of the most significant opera and theatre directors of the post-World War II era, ...

Ludwig van Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 177026 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. Beethoven remains one of the most admired composers in the history of Western music; his works rank amongst the most performed of the classic ...

Fidelio ''Fidelio'' (; ), originally titled ' (''Leonore, or The Triumph of Marital Love''), Op. 72, is Ludwig van Beethoven's only opera. The German libretto was originally prepared by Joseph Sonnleithner from the French of Jean-Nicolas Bouilly, wi ...

'' (Op. 72, Vienna, 1805), with a libretto by

Joseph Sonnleithner Joseph Ferdinand Sonnleithner (3 March 1766 – 25 December 1835) was an Austrian librettist, theater director, archivist and lawyer. He was the son of Christoph Sonnleithner, brother of Ignaz von Sonnleithner and uncle of Franz Grillparzer and L ...

from the French of

Jean-Nicolas Bouilly Jean-Nicolas Bouilly (24 January 1763 – 14 April 1842) was a French playwright, librettist, children's writer, and politician of the French Revolution. He is best known for writing a libretto, supposedly based on a true story, about a woman who ...

* 2 (15:59) Overture: "Leonore III", conducted by Leonard Bernstein

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, ''Mari ...

'' Andrea Chénier'' (Milan, 1896), with a libretto by Luigi Illica 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 ...

* 3 (10:09) "Vicino a te s'acqueta l'irrequieta anima", with José Carreras (Andrea Chénier) and

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 v ...

(Maddalena), conducted by James Levine Claude Debussy '' L'enfant prodigue'' ("The prodigal son", Paris, 1884), with a text by Édouard Guinand * 4 (6:34) "L'année en vain chasse l'année", 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 ...

(Lia), conducted by John Pritchard Set design by

Robert O'Hearn Robert O'Hearn (July 19, 1921 – May 26, 2016) was an American set designer. Though known for his productions of theatre and ballet, he was particularly associated with opera. He designed productions for the Metropolitan Opera from 1960 through 19 ...

Camille Saint-Saëns ''

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 ( ...

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

in the Old Testament * 5 (8:23) Bacchanale, with Linda Gelinas (dancer), Ricardo Costa (dancer) and the Metropolitan Opera Ballet, conducted by James Levine Giuseppe Verdi ''

Nabucco ''Nabucco'' (, short for Nabucodonosor ; en, "Nebuchadnezzar") is an Italian-language opera in four acts composed in 1841 by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Temistocle Solera. The libretto is based on the biblical books of 2 Kings, J ...

'' (Milan, 1842), 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 ...

after Antonio Cortese's 1836 ballet version of a play by

Auguste Anicet-Bourgeois Auguste Anicet, later Auguste Anicet-Bourgeois (25 December 1806 – 12 January 1871) was a French dramatist. He was born in Paris. The first play to bear his name is ''L'Ami et le mari, ou le Nouvel Amphitryon'', a vaudeville in one act. It ...

and Francis Cornu that was in turn based on the Book of Jeremiah and the

Book of Daniel The Book of Daniel is a 2nd-century BC biblical apocalypse with a 6th century BC setting. Ostensibly "an account of the activities and visions of Daniel, a noble Jew exiled at Babylon", it combines a prophecy of history with an eschatology ...

in the Old Testament * 6 (13:37) "Donna, chi sei?", with

Renato Bruson Renato Bruson (born 13 January 1936) is an Italian operatic baritone. Bruson is widely considered one of the most important Verdi baritones of the late 20th and early 21st century. He was born in Granze near Padua, Italy. Biography and caree ...

(Nabucco) and

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 ...

(Abigaille), conducted by Thomas Fulton Set design for ''

Die Zauberflöte ''The Magic Flute'' (German: , ), K. 620, is an opera in two acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to a German libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder. The work is in the form of a ''Singspiel'', a popular form during the time it was written that includ ...

'' by Marc Chagall Charles Gounod ''

'' (Paris, 1859), with a libretto by Jules Barbier and Michel Carré 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 t ...

* 7 (4:00) "Alerte! Ou vous êtes perdus!", with

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 ...

(Méphistophélès),

Katia Ricciarelli Catiuscia Maria Stella Ricciarelli (born 16 January 1946), known as Katia Ricciarelli (), is an Italian soprano and actress. Biography Born in Rovigo, Veneto, to a very poor family, she struggled during her younger years when she studied music ...

(Marguerite) and William Lewis (Faust), conducted by James Levine Giacomo Puccini '' Madama Butterfly'' (Milan, 1904), with a libretto by Luigi Illica and

Giuseppe Giacosa Giuseppe Giacosa (21 October 1847 – 1 September 1906) was an Italian poet, playwright and librettist. Life He was born in Colleretto Parella, now Colleretto Giacosa, near Turin. His father was a magistrate. Giuseppe went to the University of ...

after ''

Madame Butterfly ''Madama Butterfly'' (; ''Madame Butterfly'') is an opera in three acts (originally two) by Giacomo Puccini, with an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. It is based on the short story " Madame Butterfly" (1898) by John Lut ...

'' (1898) by

John Luther Long John Luther Long (January 1, 1861 – October 31, 1927) was an American lawyer and writer best known for his short story "Madame Butterfly", which was based on the recollections of his sister, Jennie Correll, who had been to Japan with her husba ...

, in turn based on reminiscences of Long's sister, Jennie Correll, and '' Madame Chrysanthème'' (1887) by

Pierre Loti Pierre Loti (; pseudonym of Louis Marie-Julien Viaud ; 14 January 1850 – 10 June 1923) was a French naval officer and novelist, known for his exotic novels and short stories.This article is derived largely from the ''Encyclopædia Britannica El ...

* 8 (11:54) "Bimba dagli occhi pieni di malia", with Giuliano Ciannella (Pinkerton) and

Leona Mitchell Leona Pearl Mitchell (born October 13, 1949, Enid, Oklahoma) is an American operatic Grammy Award-winning soprano who sang for 18 seasons as a leading spinto soprano at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. In her home state of Oklahoma, she rec ...

(Ciò-Ciò-San), conducted by James Levine Gioachino Rossini ''

L'italiana in Algeri ''L'italiana in Algeri'' (; ''The Italian Girl in Algiers'') is an operatic ''dramma giocoso'' in two acts by Gioachino Rossini to an Italian libretto by Angelo Anelli, based on his earlier text set by Luigi Mosca. It premiered at the Teatro San ...

'' ("The Italian girl in Algiers", Venice, 1813), with a libretto 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 ...

after his libretto for ''L'italiana in Algeri'' (1808) by

Luigi Mosca Luigi Mosca (1775 – 30 November 1824) was Italian composer of operas and sacred music and a noted singing teacher. He composed eighteen operas, most of which were originally for theatres in Naples, but played throughout Italy in their day. Biog ...

* 9 (10:11) "Pria di dividerci de voi, signore", with Edda Moser (Elvira), Diane Kesling (Zulma), David Rendall (Lindoro),

Gail Dubinbaum Gail Dubinbaum (born 1957) is an American operatic coloratura mezzo-soprano and co-founder and Creative Director of the Phoenix Metropolitan Opera. Career A native of Long Island, New York, Dubinbaum first studied with her mother, Ruth Dubinbau ...

(Isabella), Ara Berberian (Mustafà), John Darrenkamp (Haly),

Sesto Bruscantini Sesto Bruscantini (10 December 1919 – 4 May 2003) was an Italian baritone, one of the greatest buffo singers of the post-war era, especially renowned in Mozart and Rossini. Biography and career Bruscantini was born in Civitanova Marche, Marche, ...

(Taddeo) and members of the Metropolitan Opera Chorus, conducted by James Levine Camille Saint-Saëns ''Samson et Dalila'' *10 (8:50) "

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

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 ...

(Dalila), conducted by James Levine 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 comp ...

'' (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) *11 (11:06) "Wie lachend sie mir Lieder singen", with Birgit Nilsson (Isolde), conducted by James Levine Traditional Swedish folk song *12 (3:29) "Fjorton år tror jag visst att jag var" ("When I was seventeen"), with Birgit Nilsson 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''. Th ...

'' ("A masked ball", 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 ...

after Eugène Scribe's libretto for Daniel Auber's '' Gustave III, ou Le bal masqué'' (1833) *13 (10:37) "Teco io sto" – "Gran dio!", with Luciano Pavarotti (Riccardo) and

Leontyne Price Mary Violet Leontyne Price (born February 10, 1927) is an American soprano who was the first African American soprano to receive international acclaim. From 1961 she began a long association with the Metropolitan Opera, where she was the first Af ...

(Amelia), conducted by James Levine

Patty Hill Patty Smith Hill (March 27, 1868 – May 25, 1946)Snyder, Agnes. ''Dauntless Women in Childhood Education, 1856–1931.'' 1972. Washington, D.C.: Association for Childhood Education International. p. 233-270. was an American composer and teacher w ...

and Mildred J. Hill (attributed), with a text attributed to Preston Ware Orem and Mrs R. R. Forman *14 (1:28) "

Happy birthday to you "Happy Birthday to You", also known as "Happy Birthday", is a song traditionally sung to celebrate a person's birthday. According to the 1998 ''Guinness World Records'', it is the most recognised song in the English language, followed by " Fo ...

" (1893), with the Company *15 (1:27) Closing credits

Personnel

Artists

, soprano * Ara Berberian, bass *

, soprano *

, baritone *

, mezzo-soprano *

, soprano * José Carreras,

tenor A tenor is a type of classical male singing 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 low extreme for tenors is wide ...

* Giuliano Ciannella, tenor *

, soprano * John Darrenkamp, baritone *

, tenor *

, mezzo-soprano * Loretta Di Franco, soprano *

, soprano *

, tenor *

, bass *

, mezzo-soprano * Kiri Te Kanawa, soprano * Diane Kesling, mezzo-soprano *

, tenor * William Lewis, tenor *

, soprano *

, soprano * James McCracken, tenor *

, soprano * Edda Moser, soprano * Robert Nagy, tenor * Birgit Nilsson, soprano * Luciano Pavarotti, tenor *

, soprano *

, tenor *

, bass-baritone * David Rendall, tenor *

, soprano * Julien Robbins, bass-baritone * Brian Schexnayder, baritone *

, soprano *

, mezzo-soprano * Joan Sutherland, soprano * Anna Tomowa-Sintow, soprano * Raymond Gniewek, concertmaster * The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra * The Metropolitan Opera Chorus * Roberto Costa, dancer * Linda Gelinas, dancer * The Metropolitan Opera Ballet * Donald Mahler, ballet director * Leonard Bernstein, conductor * Richard Bonynge, conductor * Thomas Fulton, conductor *

, conductor * John Pritchard, conductor * David Stivender, conductor and chorus master *

, conductor

Metropolitan Opera personnel

* Charles Riecker, gala coordinator * Phebe Berkowitz, stage director * Bruce Donnell, stage director * David Kneuss, stage director * Leslie Koenig, stage director * Pamela McRae, stage director * Paul Mills, stage director * David Sell, stage director * Joan Dornemann, prompter * William Vendice, prompter * Stephen R. Berman, stage manager * Stephen A. Brown, stage manager * Tom Connell, stage manager * Stanley Levine, stage manager * Chris Mahan, stage manager * William McCourt, stage manager * Gil Wechsler, lighting designer * Sander Hacker, master electrician * Stephen Diaz, master carpenter * Arthur Ashenden, properties master * Nina Lawson, wig and hair stylist * Victor Callegari, make-up artist * Millicent Hacker, wardrobe mistress

Broadcast personnel

* Michael Bronson, executive producer * Clemente d'Alessio, producer *

Kirk Browning Kirk Browning (March 28, 1921 – February 10, 2008) was an American television director and producer who had hundreds of productions to his credit, including 185 broadcasts of '' Live from Lincoln Center''. Born in New York City, Browning drop ...

, director * Karen Adler, associate producer * Alan Skog, associate director * John Leay, engineer-in-charge * Jay David Saks, audio director * Mark Schubin, transmission consultant * Paul C. York, senior technician * Emmett Loughran, technical director * Bill King, audio supervisor * Mel Becker, audio engineer * Michael Shoskes, audio engineer * Robert M. Tannenbaum, audio engineer * William Steinberg, video engineer * Bill Akerlund, camera operator * Juan Barrera, camera operator * Jim Covello, camera operator * John Feher, camera operator * Manny Gutierrez, camera operator * Jay Millard, camera operator * Jake Ostroff, camera operator * David Smith, camera operator * Ron Washburn, handheld camera operator * Alan Buchner, video recording engineer * Paul Ranieri, video recording engineer * Karen McLaughlin, electronic graphics * Kim Anway, television stage manager * Gerry Crosland, television stage manager * Kevin Tracy, television stage manager * Martha Yates, television stage manager * Howard Heller, score reader * John Rice, production assistant * Vivienne de Stefano, production assistant * Alfred Muller, post-production (Nexus Productions) * Unitel Mobile Video, production facilities

DVD production personnel

* Burkhard Bartsch, project manager * Veronika Holek, project coordinator * Johannes Müller, producer, msm-Studios GmbH, München * Hermann Enkemeier, screen designer, msm-Studios * Markus Ammer, video encoding and authoring, msm-Studios * Sven Mevissen, mSurround upmixing and encoding, msm-Studios * Monica Ling, subtitles * Eva Reisinger, booklet editor * Merle Kersten, booklet art director

Critical reception

Reviews

Donal Henahan reviewed the gala in ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...

'' on 24 October 1983. Financial considerations, he wrote, had led the Metropolitan Opera to stage a concert which, including intermissions, ran for some eleven hours. The result was that "there were many stretches of unremarkable singing by minor or obscure artists". Indeed, "there were so many obscure names or unfamiliar faces that the listener had to keep diving into the program to learn their identities, and even then was seldom the wiser". Every opera company needed singers who, although well schooled and competent, were more or less anonymous, but it was questionable whether such artists should figure prominently in what was a once-in-a-lifetime jamboree. The Met's brisk stage management had not helped matters by hustling singers through their contributions without allowing the customary encores or floral tributes, or even more than a few ovations. It was disappointing to spend a long time at an event such as this without finding oneself shedding a nostalgic tear. This was not to say that the Met had not done "a magnificent job of hugging itself". Dotted amongst the gala were many moments that were "thrilling" and even "euphoric". Éva Marton was "galvanizing" in Turandot's "In questa reggia". Ruggero Raimondi was "wickedly funny" in Basilio's "La calunnia". Joan Sutherland's "glittering" "Bel raggio lusinghier" was the most ecstatic item of the entire event, and the most enthusiastically applauded. The Met's chorus played only a small part in the proceedings, but acquitted themselves well in the Prelude and "Hymn to the sun" from Mascagni's ''Iris''. Catherine Malfitano and Alfredo Kraus were "touching" in a duet from Gounod's ''Roméo et Juliette''. Nicolai Gedda was "excitingly ardent" in "Una furtive lagrima". In the trio from the concluding pages of ''Der Rosenkavalier'', Kathleen Battle and Frederica von Stade sang "delectably", and Elisabeth Söderström was able to present a three-dimensional portrait of the Feldmarschallin despite having only a few minutes in which to do so. Mirella Freni and Plácido Domingo were "affecting" in a love duet from ''Otello''. Preceded by a "somewhat ludicrous caricature of opera ballet" in which the Met's dancers enacted the Bacchanale from ''Samson et Dalila'', Renato Bruson and Grace Bumbry performed a duet from ''Nabucco'' that was particularly enjoyable. Bruson was the epitome of cool serenity, but Bumbry sang electrifyingly in a voice that sounded "richer and more rested" than it had for a considerable while. It was after the final intermission, with midnight approaching, that the gala truly melted hearts. The curtain rose to reveal twenty-five of the Met's most distinguished former luminaries seated at the back of the stage like jurors in a vocal competition. Among them were

Helen Jepson Helen Jepson (November 28, 1904 – September 16, 1997) was an American lyric soprano. Early years Jepson was born in Titusville, Pennsylvania, on November 28, 1904, (Two sources give her birthday as November 28, 1906.) DeLong, Thomas A. (199 ...

Dorothy Kirsten Dorothy Kirsten (July 6, 1910, Montclair, New Jersey – November 18, 1992, Los Angeles, California) was an American operatic soprano. Biography Kirsten's mother was an organist and music teacher, her grandfather was a conductor, and her great-a ...

Zinka Milanov Zinka Milanov (; May 17, 1906 – May 30, 1989) was a Croatian operatic dramatic soprano who had a major career centered on the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. After finishing her education in Zagreb, Milanov made her debut in 1927 in Ljublj ...

Jarmila Novotná Jarmila Novotná (September 23, 1907, in Prague, Austria-Hungary – February 9, 1994, in New York City) was a celebrated Bohemian soprano and actress and, from 1940 to 1956, a star of the Metropolitan Opera. Early career A student of Emmy De ...

Bidu Sayão Balduína "Bidú" de Oliveira Sayão (11 May 1902 – 12 March 1999) was a Brazilian opera soprano. One of Brazil's most famous musicians, Sayão was a leading artist of the Metropolitan Opera in New York City from 1937 to 1952. Life and career ...

Eleanor Steber Eleanor Steber (July 17, 1914October 3, 1990) was an American operatic soprano. Steber is noted as one of the first major opera stars to have achieved the highest success with training and a career based in the United States. Biography Eleanor ...

Risë Stevens Risë Stevens (; June 11, 1913 – March 20, 2013) was an American operatic mezzo-soprano and actress. Beginning in 1938, she sang for the Metropolitan Opera in New York City for more than two decades during the 1940s and 1950s. She was most ...

Ferruccio Tagliavini Ferruccio Tagliavini (; 14 August 191329 January 1995) was an Italian operatic tenor mainly active in the 1940s and 1950s. Tagliavini was hailed as the heir apparent to Tito Schipa and Beniamino Gigli in the lyric-opera repertory due to the excep ...

Cesare Valletti Cesare Valletti (18 December 1922 - 13 May 2000) was an Italian operatic tenor, one of the leading tenore di grazia of the postwar era. Valletti was born in Rome, where he studied music. He also studied privately with Tito Schipa. He made h ...

and

Ramón Vinay Ramón Vinay (August 31, 1911 – January 4, 1996) was a famous Chilean operatic tenor with a powerful, dramatic voice. He is probably best remembered for his appearances in the title role of Giuseppe Verdi's tragic opera '' Otello''. Biography ...

. Their presence endowed the concert with a feeling of historical significance that it had thitherto lacked. It was worth the price of one's ticket just to watch the expressions on their faces as they listened to their successors singing in front of them. Leona Mitchell and Giuliano Ciannella sang the nuptial duet from ''Madama Butterfly'', and the last of three laudable selections from Rossini came in the form of a "delectable exhibition of ... ensemble precision" in the finale to act 1 of ''L'italiana in Algeri''. Marilyn Horne then lifted the occasion onto a new level of feeling and drama in a "sumptuous" rendition of "

", after which, to the manifest delight of the audience, she offered a wordless but eloquent embrace to Risë Stevens, the pre-eminent Dalila of her era. Birgit Nilsson, in a voice that betrayed her sixty-five years yet was still something to marvel at, performed Isolde's Narrative and Curse. One of her admirers was so overcome that an usher had to restrain him from invading the stage with a bouquet. In the evening's only encore, Nilsson then offered a Swedish folk song which, she explained, had been a favourite of her compatriot namesake, Christine Nilsson, who had been ''Fausts Marguerite on the opening night of the old Met in 1883. Leontyne Price and Luciano Pavarotti delivered a culminating, "soaring" love duet from ''Un ballo in maschera'', the tenor "in clarion voice", the soprano more slender of form than of late but "never in recent years ... more voluptuous or freer" in her singing. But neither of them was likely to linger in the memory as vividly as Horne putting her arms around Stevens, or Nilsson's simple melody from her homeland. It was episodes such as these that were "the real stuff that opera galas are made of". Joseph McLellan reviewed the gala on Laserdisc 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 31 May 1985. It was, he wrote, "the most spectacular event in the history of opera". From the very first note of the ''Bartered bride'' overture in the middle of the afternoon to Luciano Pavarotti and Leontyne Price duetting in Verdian ecstasy in the small hours of the morning, "it was operatic caviar". No previous concert had brought together such a dazzling constellation of opera stars for a single event. The quality of the performances was uneven, but the best of them were "stratospheric". Nothing like this gala had ever been presented before Pioneer's pair of Laserdiscs omitted the gala's weaker items and abbreviated singers' comings and goings. The audio quality that they offered far outclassed that of PBS's broadcast. Collectors who enjoyed concerts of operatic excerpts sung by first class artists were sure to find Pioneer's release the most important issue of the year, and maybe even of the decade. The gala was also reviewed in '' Gramophone'', ''Opera Quarterly'', Richard M. Jacobs's and Ed Schwartz's ''Music Videodiscs: An Annual Guide'', Rebecca Krafft's and

Brian O'Doherty Brian O'Doherty (4 May 1928 – 7 November 2022) was an Irish-American art critic, writer, visual artist, and academic. He lived in New York City for over 50 years, serving as an art critic for ''The New York Times'' and NBC, as well as an edit ...

's ''The Arts on Television, 1976–1990'' and Douglas Pratt's ''The Laser Video Disc Companion'' and ''Doug Pratt's DVD Video Guide''.

Accolades

The gala was recognized several times in the Emmy Awards of 1984. In the Performing Arts division of the Daytime Awards, the award for Outstanding Program Achievement was won by Michael Bronson and Clemente D'Alessio , and in the Outstanding Individual Achievement category, James Levine won the award for Music, Kirk Browning was nominated for the award for Directing and Jay David Saks won the award for Audio. In the Outstanding Individual Achievement – Classical Music/Dance Programming category of the Primetime Awards, Kirk Browning was nominated for the award for Directing, and James Levine won the award for Performance.

Broadcast and home media history

Both the afternoon and evening segments of the gala were broadcast in their entirety live on PBS television on 22 October 1983. The gala was also broadcast on radio, and, via satellite, to Europe.''The Metropolitan Opera Centennial Gala'', Pioneer Classics DVD, PC-94-046-D, 1998 All home media releases of the gala provide the same 230-minute selection of excerpts from it, with a 4:3 aspect ratio and NTSC colour. In 1985, Pioneer Artists released this edition on a pair of CLV (constant linear velocity) Laserdiscs (catalogue number PA-84-095) with CD-quality digital stereo audio and an accompanying booklet. In 1989, Bel Canto Paramount Home Video issued it on a pair of VHS videocassettes (catalogue number 2364) with stereo audio and with liner notes by Martin Mayer.''The Metropolitan Opera Centennial Gala'', Bel Canto Paramount Home Video VHS, 2364, 1989 In 1998, Pioneer Classics issued it on a DVD with Dolby Digital compressed stereo audio and English-only subtitles. Pioneer's disc was accompanied by an eight page leaflet including four photographs and essays on the Met's history by Frank E. Taplin and Anthony A. Bliss, as well as notes on each item in the concert by Charles Rizzuto. In 2009, Deutsche Grammophon supplanted Pioneer's DVD with a two-disc issue (catalogue number 00440-073-4538), one DVD being dedicated to the afternoon segment of the gala and one to its evening session. DG's Region 0 DVDs offer both uncompressed PCM stereo audio and an ersatz 5.1-channel DTS surround sound upmix, with subtitles in Chinese, English, French, German, Spanish and – although only for items sung in that language – Italian. DG's 16-page insert booklet includes two photographs and an essay by Richard Evidon in English, French and German.

Gallery of artists

File:Kathleen Battle.jpg,

File:Sesto Bruscantini.jpg,

File:Renato Bruson 1965.jpg,

File:Grace Bumbry 2009.jpg,

File:Montserrat Caballé 1971b.jpg,

File:Jose Carreras - World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2011 - cropped.jpg, José Carreras File:Concierto de Plácido Domingo con motivo del Año Jubilar Mariano (7-06-2019) 06 (cropped).jpg,

File:Mirella Freni 1970.jpg,

File:Nicolai Gedda 1959.jpg,

File:Nicolai Ghiaurov monument Velingrad Iz1.jpg,

File:Marilyn Horne 1961.jpg,

File:Kiri Te Kanawa 2013 (cropped).jpg, Kiri Te Kanawa File:Boadilla del Monte - monumento a Alfredo Kraus 1.jpg,

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

File:USIS - James McCracken crop 2.jpg, James McCracken File:Edda Moser - no watermark.jpg, Edda Moser File:Robert Nagy (kop), Bestanddeelnr 914-2680.jpg, Robert Nagy File:Birgitnhat.jpg, Birgit Nilsson File:Luciano Pavarotti (cropped).jpg, Luciano Pavarotti File:Roberta Peters 1974.JPG,

File:Leontyne Price (color) by Jack Mitchell.jpg,

File:RUGGERO RAIMONDI.jpg,

File:Katia Ricciarelli 73.jpg,

File:Elisabeth Söderström.jpg,

File:Frederica von Stade.jpg,

File:Dame Joan Sutherland, by Allan Warren.jpg, Joan Sutherland File:Leonard Bernstein 1971.jpg, Leonard Bernstein File:James Levine 2013.jpg,

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Metropolitan Opera Centennial Gala, The 1980s classical albums 1983 television films 1983 films Classical video albums Deutsche Grammophon albums Events in New York City Live classical albums Metropolitan Opera Opera recordings Films directed by Kirk Browning

Background

Deutsche Grammophon DVD chapter listing

Disc 1: matinée session

Disc 2: evening session

Personnel

Artists

Metropolitan Opera personnel

Broadcast personnel

DVD production personnel

Critical reception

Reviews

Accolades

Broadcast and home media history

Gallery of artists

See also

References