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On Monday night the Met Opera put on a dazzling show...Act 1 of Marriage of Figaro; Act 2 of Tosca; and Act 3 of Samson and Delilah. With great ease, Bryn Terfel went from Figaro to Scarpia and Placido Domingo was our Samson. They were both highly praised, and even my untutored ear could appreciate them. Angela Gheorghiu was Tosca and was quite magnificent in her red gown and abundant cape. I found her to be a low-key Tosca (I don't mean this vocally!); and I missed the passion of Callas; although, even to my ear, she has a better voice than the Divine Maria. The Philistines got to show off their debauchery in Samson and Delilah; the only positive note of the choreography is that they had to employ 30 dancers.

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Sounds like it was really exciting, atm7ll. The radio broadcast of Samson and Delilah -- with Domingo and Olga Borodina -- is scheduled for February 25. There also broadcasting Figaro (April 22), but with John Relyea instead of Terfel.

The Met website tells us to "stay tuned" for a TV schedule for the season, whatever that means. I don't know whether the series "The Metropolitan Opera Presents" even exists any more. I guess that means no TV performance of the new Tobias Picker "American Tragedy" (radio broadcast on Christmas Eve). Other than the Picker, only two post-19th century works make the radio list: Wozzeck and Franco Alfano's Cyrano de Bergerac (a revival for Domingo).

It's hard to remember that it wasn't so long ago that a new opera, Ghosts of Versailles, DID receive a highly publicized TV broadcast. But that had Marilyn Horne, Teresa Stratas, and Hakan Hagegard -- and a very young Renee Fleming.

New(ish) music really needs tv to bring it across to most audiences.

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The Met website tells us to "stay tuned" for a TV schedule for the season, whatever that means.    I don't know whether the series "The Metropolitan Opera Presents" even exists any more.  I guess that means no TV performance of the new Tobias Picker "American Tragedy"  (radio broadcast on Christmas Eve).  Other than the Picker, only two post-19th century works make the radio list:  Wozzeck and Franco Alfano's Cyrano de Bergerac (a revival for Domingo).

Bart,

The Met has trouble getting funding for the telecasts. They have taped some performances with no promise for the $$$$$ to put them on TV and just stored the tape.

Not too long ago PBS aired a Met Meistersinger. It had been on ice for three years.

Did they ever air the 2004 Salome? If not, maybe that's what we'll see this year.

The arts seem to be having a rough time on TV which is too bad. And I agree new pieces really make more impact when shown on TV.

Richard

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bart wrote:

Franco Alfano's Cyrano de Bergerac (a revival for Domingo)

They'd revive Adriana Lecouvreur for Domingo if he wanted to sing it. :P What will they do without him?

We do need more opera on television, although my impression is that it's still doing better than dance in that regard.

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