John Macurdy

Don Giovanni, séducteur et manipulateur, multiplie les conquêtes jusqu'au jour où le fantôme du Commandeur (que Don Giovanni a tué) revient pour se venger.

This was one of the most emotional evenings in Met history—the night Leontyne Price bid farewell to opera. Aida is the role that inspired audiences around the world to acclaim her as the greatest Verdi soprano of her time. And this telecast shows why: the famous soaring phrases that seemed to never end, the shimmering top to her lustrous voice, undimmed by the years. But most of all, there is the ennobling heart and soul Price lavished on every performance—captured here forever. With James Levine conducting the Met orchestra, chorus, and ballet.

Otto Schenk’s brilliant production captures both the dark romanticism of the story as well as its fairy-tale magic. It is a superb setting for Neil Shicoff’s vivid portrayal of the tortured poet Hoffmann, as he recounts the loves of his life and the way he has been foiled by his nemesis—a marvelous James Morris in a tour-de-force performance of the opera’s four villains. Gwendolyn Bradley is the doll Olympia, Tatiana Troyanos sings the courtesan Giulietta, and Roberta Alexander portrays the innocent Antonia.

As renowned for its harmonious overture as for its romantic storybook characters, this three-act masterwork features some of the composer’s most groundbreaking and unforgettable music, as well as a theme the young Wagner would revisit again and again later in his career—the redemptive and transcendent power of a woman’s love. The enchanting plot harks back to medieval history: Wolfram is a lovesick troubadour who desires the virtuous Elisabeth. She, however, has eyes for another: the rebellious knight Tannhäuser, who in turn cannot get over an overwhelming sensual experience in the realm of the goddess Venus, and is banished for singing her praises at court. Only saintly Elisabeth’s death can atone for his misdeeds.

L’opéra romantique de Wagner exige des acteurs chanteurs capables de véritablement occuper leur rôle, et c’est exactement ce que nous avons ici. Est-il possible pour un chevalier du Saint Graal d'avoir l'air plus séduisant que Peter Hofmann ? Pas étonnant qu'Elsa (Eva Marton) tombe amoureuse au premier regard. L’héroïne de Marton est innocente, mais c’est aussi une jeune femme passionnée et réelle – ce qui est une bonne chose, car Leonie Rysanek est positivement démente dans le rôle d’Ortrud, la sorcière qui accuse Elsa et Lohengrin d’utiliser la magie. Sous la superbe direction de James Levine, l’orchestre et le chœur sont tout aussi magiques.

Imbuing the familiar Don Juan myth with a captivating combination of comedy, seductiveness, danger, and damnation, Mozart created an enduring masterpiece that has been a cornerstone of the repertory since its 1787 premiere. An early entry in the Met’s series of PBS telecasts, this 1978 performance captures a young James Morris in a smooth portrayal of the title role, with the legendary Joan Sutherland showing off her unsurpassed technique as Donna Anna and Gabriel Bacquier as a masterful Leporello.