The Metropolitan Opera: Centennial Gala

The excitement of the audience was palpable. Great DVD.

This DVD contains the majority of a two-day celebration of the Metropolitan Opera's first 100 years. While its origin in 1983 prevents it from being sonically 100%, the performances are simply fabulous! You'll see why the "three tenors", Pavarotti, Carrerras and Domingo, deserve the fame that they enjoy. You'll see and hear why Dame Joan Sutherland was called "La Stupenda" by her fans. You will see and hear the most ravishing singing of two scenes from Der Rosenkavalier, which will convert even the most ardent operaphobe. You will marvel, as I did, how sensitive and youthful the late Alfredo Krause sounds in the love duet with the simply splendid Catherine Malfitano) from Romeo et Juliette. With nearly four hours of marvellous singing, with arias, overtures, duets, trios and ensembles, this disc will be replayed over and over at our house -- and yours, too. My usually objective wife was clapping and exclaiming "bravo" as the performances progressed, and properly so. Don't miss this one; and its perfect as a gift for any opera lover or anyone who is curious about what opera is all about.ADDENDUM: When I initially reviewed this disc, it was a release on Pioneer Classics, not the re-mastered DGG edition featured here. I just added the DGG edition and can update this review accordingly. The picture is cleaner; the colors are more intense. The DTS surround sound is the biggest plus for me because it provides some ambience that suggests a sense of "being there". It is not as dramatic an effect as is the case with the new HD technology, but it is a significant upgrade that amply justified the expenditure for the 2 disc set. My earlier comments on the quality of the performances is unchanged. It's a chance to see some of the Golden Age singers of the second half of the 20th Century.

It is a cross-section of the best singers of the day. It is particularly interesting to compare these singers with the best singers of today.

This is a wonderful DVD for showing family or friends why you like "great singing."This gala performance celebrates the 100th anniversary of the Metropolitan Opera--and they do it in a way they can be proud of.There is more talent assembled on this stage than you can imagine!A quick glimpse:Roberta Peters stands out in the sextet from Lucia di Lammermoor, as she hits the high notes with grace and ease.Kiri te Kanawa presents Mozart as only she can do it.James McCracken brings down the house with his impassioned singing of Otello--it requires a (seemingly interminable) several seconds for him to recompose himself from his anguished aria about Desdemona.Alfredo Kraus and Catherine Malfitano sing Romeo and Juliet with such passion and love that it is not at all difficult to imagine them as the young star-crossed young lovers.Nicolai Gedda sings Una Furtiva Lagrima--Donizetti would be applauding!It's just one memorable aria after another!Jose Carreras and Montserrat Caballe with POWERFUL singing...The trio from Gounod's Faust will bring tears to your eyes--how can that melody be repeated so many times and still affect us so?!This is just one supreme performance after another, and I haven't even mentioned the performances of Pavarotti and Leontyne Price, Birgit Nilsson's Isolde, or the fabulous ballet baccanale from Samson and Delilah.At the end, all these talented performers appear together on stage, and sing a refrain of "Happy Birthday to You, Metropolitan Opera." It may sound corny, but when you look upon the tremendous appearance of so much talent together at one time on that immense stage, it is moving.Invite yourself--and some friends who enjoy great music--to this consummate musical feast!

This is a 2009 release of a 1983 telecast. As such, the video and audio quality is astonishingly good. Please note: some other reviews refer to an earlier release - there's nothing wrong with the sound on this one - DTS 5.1 is perfectly acceptable; one might say excellent. It's like a visit to the Eighties, in a time machine.There are some superb performances on this disk.Watching a very young Levine conducting the overture to The Bartered Bride, with frenetic zeal, is a joy to behold.Eva Marton's Turandot shows her superb voice at its best.(and so on... those are just the first two tracks, and there are many more).Rather than bore you with an exhaustive list, here are a few highlights (at least the ones that affected me - your results may vary):Joan Sutherland singing 'Bel raggio lusinghier', conducted by an adoring BonyngeAn outstanding performance of Mascagni's 'Son io, Son io la vita', sung by the Met Chorus, conducted by David Stivender, Chorusmaster (a piece which I didn't know, but now intend to look into. It brought the proverbial shiver down my spine).Bernstein, conducting the overture to LeonoreLevine conducting Carreras and Caballé in Andrea ChenierBirgit Nilsson in 'Wie lachend sie mir Lieder singer', the only Wagner of the evening.Oh dear; I'm back to listing tracks again.Bottom line: if you love opera, and the Met, buy it.(Just one quibble: according to the sleeve notes, the original was eight hours. The DVD only had four. When can we see the rest?)

When the Metropolitan Opera, New York, celebrates a milestone in that house you can bet that it will be pretty spectacular. To say that this celebration is spectacular is almost an understatement! This is a double dvd set of some of the finest singing on any opera stage. The lineup of singers alone is outstanding, but the fact that most of them were at the peak of their powers is absolutely mind-boggling! Highlights for me include Dame Kiri Te Kanawa singing Mozart's "Porgi amor" (and making a huge mistake in it!), Anna Tomowa-Sintow singing Verdi's "Ernani! Ernani involami" and Luciano Pavarotti & Leontyne Price in the gorgeous duet from Verdi's "Un ballo in maschera". It's also fascinating to hear Catherine Malfitano singing a duet with Alfredo Kraus from Gounod's "Romeo et Juliette", and to see Kathleen Battle, who was a good deal heavier back then (this was recorded in 1983) and didn't pull the horrendous faces I have seen her do more recently (the voice was, of course, still stunning). Other singers featured include Placido Domingo, Mirella Freni, Marilyn Horne, Dame Joan Sutherland, Renato Bruson, Grace Bumbry, Jose Carreras, Montserrat Caballe, Frederica Von Stade, Ruggero Raimondi, Eva Marton and Birgit Nilsson, who came out of retirement to appear one last time (among many others). Conductors include James Levine, Richard Bonynge, David Stivender, Jeffrey Tate, Sir John Pritchard, Thomas Fulton & Leonard Bernstein. The celebration was divided into four sections, each of these being performed on one of the opera sets from a past production. The sound and picture quality of the dvd are excellent. I had this concert on laser disc and the present quality far surpasses what was previously on offer.If you are a lover of opera and/or outstanding (and I do mean outstanding) singing I cannot recommend this dvd set highly enough. I only wish I could give it more than 5 stars! Go and buy it. You won't be disappointed!

The double dvd about the Metropolitan centennial gala is wonderful.Many real star and great performances are on the discs.Birgit Nilsson who is over sixty in 1983.is magnificent.For me one of the greatest moments in this evening is the chorus from Mascagnis opera:Iris.James Levine,Bernstein are great.We can see on the stage the stars of the past.I could recognize only Bidu Sayao and Rise Stephens.I would have like if somebody had introduced all of them.Leona Mitchell is beautiful.The tenors are excellent from James McCracken to Pavarotti.Leontyne Price,Marilyn Horne,Tomowa-Sintow,Judith Blegen,Joan Sutherland naturally wonderful.For us in Hungary naturally Eva Marton is one of the best moment of the evening.So the Metropolitan-gala is a very good pleasure for the opera funs.

Glad this was not NTSC as advertised.Superb recvording.

A rare opportunity to see and hear some of the finest performers of their day....Not to be missed

Wonderful music from some of the greatest opera singers.