Met Opera's First Matinee Broadcast Season Had Two Full, 23 Cut Operas

Summary: Met Opera's first matinee broadcast season had two full, 23 cut operas that were aired on three Thursdays, six Fridays and 16 Saturdays.

February 1932 photo of German operatic bass Michael Bohnen, German operatic soprano Elisabeth Rethberg and Danish-American operatic tenor Lauritz Melchior traveling on German ocean liner Europa to New York City to sing in Met Opera's first matinee broadcast season's Wagnerian operas; German Federal Archive (Deutsches Bundesarchiv), Koblenz, Rhineland Palatinate, west central Germany: Bundesarchiv, Bild 102-13075, CC BY SA 3.0 Germany, via Wikimedia Commons

Met Opera's first matinee broadcast season had two full, 23 cut operas that were aired variously on three Thursdays, six Fridays and 16 Saturdays in the opera house's 1931-1932 season.

Twelve composers were represented in Met Opera's first matinee broadcast season. Airings of eight operas by Richard Wagner (May 22, 1813-Feb. 13, 1883) qualified the German Romantic Era composer-librettist as the first matinee broadcast season's most represented composer. Italian opera composer Giuseppe Verdi (Oct. 10, 1813-Jan. 27, 1901) contributed four operas to the first matinee broadcast season. French composer Charles-François Gounod (June 17, 1818-Oct. 18, 1893) was credited with two operas.

Two of the first matinee broadcast season's 23 operas were aired in their entirety. Hänsel und Gretel by German composer Engelbert Humperdinck (Sep. 1, 1854-Sep. 27, 1921) and Das Rheingold by German Romantic era composer-librettist Richard Wagner (May 22, 1813-Feb. 13, 1883) received complete broadcasts.

Met Opera's first matinee broadcast season comprised 25 dates distributed over 17 weeks. Richard Wagner's Die Walküre and Tannhäuser were the only two operas that were scheduled twice. The season began in late December and ended in mid-April.

Humperdinck's Hänsel und Gretel opened Met Opera's first matinee broadcast season. The fairy tale opera was aired in its entirety on Christmas Day, Dec. 25, 1931, as the season's first Friday matinee broadcast. Karl Riedel conducted, with Editha Fleischer and Queena Mario in the title roles.

Acts III and IV of Norma by 19th-century Italian opera composer Vincenzo Bellini (Nov. 3, 1801-Sep. 23, 1835) aired the next day, Saturday, Dec. 26. Norma numbered as the season's second matinee broadcast and first Saturday matinee broadcast. Tullio Serafin conducted, as Rosa Ponselle sang the title role to Giacomo Lauri-Volpi's Pollione.

Acts I and II of La Bohème by Italian opera composer Giacomo Puccini (Dec. 22, 1858-Nov. 29, 1924) aired Friday, New Year's Day, Jan. 1, 1932, as the season's second Friday matinee broadcast. Vincenzo Bellezza conducted, with Lucrezia Bori as Mimì and Beniamino Gigli as Rodolfo.

Act III of Wagner's Lohengrin aired the next day, Saturday, Jan. 9. Artur Bodanzky conducted the season's second Saturday matinee broadcast, with Max Lorenz in the title role and Maria Müller as Elsa.

Act II scene 2 and Act III of Verdi's Il Trovatore aired Saturday, Jan. 16. Vincenzo Bellezza conducted, with Giacomo Lauri-Volpi's title role of Manrico and Rosa Ponselle's Leonora.

Acts II and III of Il Barbiere di Siviglia by Italian composer Gioachino Rossini (Feb. 29, 1792-Nov. 13, 1868) aired Saturday, Jan. 23. Vincenzo Bellezza conducted. Giuseppe De Luca sang the title role of Figaro to Lily Pons as Rosina.

Act II of Wagner's Die Walküre aired Saturday, Jan. 30. Artur Bodanzky conducted, with Göta Ljungberg's Brünnhilde and Lauritz Melchior's Siegmund.

Act II of Verdi's Simon Boccanegra aired Saturday, Feb. 6. Tullio Serafin conducted, with Lawrence Tibbett's title role and Maria Müller's Amelia.

Act II of Wagner's Tannhäuser aired Friday, Feb. 12, as the season's third Friday matinee broadcast. Artur Bodanzky conducted, with Lauritz Melchior's title role and Maria Jeritza's Elizabeth.

Acts II and III of Gounod's Faust aired the next day, Saturday, Feb. 13. Louis Hasselmans conducted, with Georges Thill's title role and Elisabeth Rethberg's Marguerite.

Act II of Wagner's Tristan und Isolde aired Thursday, Feb. 18, as the season's first Thursday matinee broadcast. Artur Bodanzky conducted, with Lauritz Melchior and Gertrude Kappel in the title roles.

Acts III and IV of Verdi's La Traviata aired Saturday, Feb. 20. Tullio Serafin conducted, with Lucrezia Bori's title role of Violetta and Frederick Jagel's Alfredo.

Wagner's Das Rheingold aired Friday, Feb. 26, as the season's second fully-presented opera and as the season's fourth Friday matinee broadcast. Artur Bodanzky conducted, with Michael Bohnen's Wotan and Gertrude Kappel's Fricka.

Acts II and III of Lakmé by French Romantic Era composer Clément Philibert Léo Delibes (Feb. 21, 1836-Jan. 16, 1891) aired the next day, Saturday, Feb. 27. Louis Hasselmans conducted, with Lily Pons as Lakmé and Frederick Jagel as Gérald.

Act II of Wagner's Die Walküre aired Thursday, March 3. Artur Bodanzky conducted the season's second Thursday matinee. Gertrude Kappel sang Brünnhilde to Rudolf Laubenthal's Siegmund.

Acts III and IV of Manon by French Romantic Era composer Jules Massenet (May 12, 1842-Aug. 13, 1912) aired Saturday, March 5. Louis Hasselmans conducted, with Grace Moore's title role and Beniamino Gigli's Des Grieux.

Act II of Wagner's Siegfried aired Friday, March 11 as the season's fifth Friday matinee broadcast. Artur Bodanzky conducted, with Lauritz Melchior's title role and Göta Ljungberg's Brünnhilde.

Act II of Sadko by Russian composer Nikolai Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov (March 18, 1844-June 21, 1908) aired the next day, Saturday, March 12. Tullio Serafin conducted, with Georges Thill's title role and Editha Fleischer's Volkhova.

Act I scene 2 and Act II of Wagner's Götterdämmerung aired Thursday, St. Patrick's Day, March 17, as the season's third, last Thursday matinee broadcast. Artur Bodanzky conducted, with Gertrude Kappel's Brünnhilde and Lauritz Melchior's Siegfried.

Acts IV and V of L'Africaine by German Jewish opera composer Giacomo Meyerbeer (Sep. 5, 1791-May 2, 1864) aired Saturday, March 19. Tullio Serafin conducted, with Elisabeth Rethberg's Sélika and Beniamino Gigli's Vasco de Gama.

Act II of Wagner's Parsifal aired Friday, March 25, as the season's sixth, last Friday matinee broadcast. Artur Bodanzky conducted, with Lauritz Melchior's title role and Gertrude Kappel's Kundry.

Acts II and III of Peter Ibbetson by American composer Joseph Deems Taylor (Dec. 22, 1885-July 3, 1966) aired the next day, Saturday, March 26. Tullio Serafin conducted, with Edward Johnson's title role and Lucrezia Bori's Mary.

Acts III and IV of Verdi's Aida aired Saturday, April 2. Tullio Serafin conducted, with Elisabeth Rethberg's title role and Francesco Merli's Radamès.

Acts II and III of Gounod's Roméo et Juliette aired Saturday, April 9. Louis Hasselmans conducted, with Beniamino Gigli and Grace Moore in the title roles.

Wagner's Tannhäuser closed Met Opera's first matinee broadcast season as the 16th, last Saturday matinee broadcast. Acts II and III aired Saturday, April 16. Artur Bodanzky conducted, with Lauritz Melchior's title role and Elisabeth Rethberg's Elisabeth.

Austrian-American Jewish maestro Artur Bodanzky, who conducted the aired Wagnerian matinee performances, was the first matinee broadcast season's most frequent conductor. Italian operatic conductor Tullio Serafin qualified for second place with seven conductorships. French conductor Louis Hasselmans conducted four matinee broadcast performances. Italian opera and symphony conductor Vincenzo Bellezza held the baton for three matinee broadcast performances. German conductor and composer Karl Riedel claimed one matinee broadcast date with his conductorship of Humperdinck's Hänsel und Gretel as the season's first matinee broadcast.

The takeaways for Met Opera's first matinee broadcast season's two full, 23 cut operas are that the 1931-1932 season is credited with initiating Met Opera's nine decades of Saturday matinee broadcasts; that 19th-century German composer-librettist Richard Wagner had the greatest representation, with eight operas and 10 broadcasts, in the first matinee broadcast season; that Austrian-American Jewish conductor Artur Bodanzky conducted 10 of the season's 25 broadcasted matinee performances; that Hänsel und Gretel's Christmas Day matinee opened Met Opera's first matinee broadcast season; and that Wagner's Tannhäuser closed the 1931-1932 season's matinee broadcast lineup of 23 operas.

Met Opera's Dec. 25, 1931, Christmas Day broadcast of Humperdinck's Hänsel und Gretel, with Editha Fleischer and Queena Mario in the title roles, opened the opera house's first matinee broadcast season: The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera, via Facebook Dec. 25, 2020

Acknowledgment

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

Dedication

This post is dedicated to the memory of our beloved blue-eyed brother, Charles, who guided the creation of the Met Opera and Astronomy posts on Earth and Space News. We memorialized our brother in "Our Beloved Blue-Eyed Brother, Charles, With Whom We Are Well Pleased," published on Earth and Space News on Thursday, Nov. 18, 2021, an anniversary of our beloved father's death.

Image credits:

February 1932 photo of German operatic bass Michael Bohnen, German operatic soprano Elisabeth Rethberg and Danish-American operatic tenor Lauritz Melchior traveling on German ocean liner Europa to New York City for singing in Met Opera's first matinee broadcast season's Wagnerian operas; German Federal Archive (Deutsches Bundesarchiv), Koblenz, Rhineland Palatinate, west central Germany: Bundesarchiv, Bild 102-13075, CC BY SA 3.0 Germany, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bundesarchiv_Bild_102-13075,_Kammersänger_auf_dem_Weg_nach_New_York.jpg; via Das Bundesarchiv @ https://www.bild.bundesarchiv.de/dba/de/search/?query=Bild+102-13075

Met Opera's Dec. 25, 1931, Christmas Day broadcast of Humperdinck's Hänsel und Gretel, with Editha Fleischer and Queena Mario in the title roles, opened the opera house's first matinee broadcast season: The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera, via Facebook Dec. 25, 2020, @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/posts/10164690106165533

For further information:

Marriner, Derdriu. "Cav Pag Aired Thursday, Jan. 13, 1910, as Second Met Broadcast." Earth and Space News. Monday, Oct. 11, 2021.
Available @ https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/3924923240737597817/7910000040676076542

Marriner, Derdriu. "Met Opera's 2021-2022 Season Has 28 Saturday Matinee Broadcasts." Earth and Space News. Monday, Nov. 22, 2021.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2021/11/met-operas-2021-2022-season-has-28.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "Queena Mario Sang Gretel in Met Opera's First Broadcast, Dec. 25, 1931." Earth and Space News. Monday, May 24, 2021.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2021/05/queena-mario-sang-gretel-in-met-operas.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "Tosca's Last Two Acts Jan. 12, 1910, Aired as First Met Broadcast." Earth and Space News. Monday, Oct. 4, 2021.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2021/10/toscas-last-two-acts-jan-12-1910-aired.html

"Matinee Broadcast: Aida Acts III, IV." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 111030 Aida {371} Matinee Broadcast ed. Metropolitan Opera House: 04/2/1932. Broadcast April 2, 1932 Matinee Broadcast (Acts III, IV).
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=111030

"Matinee Broadcast: Das Rheingold." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 110520 Das Rheingold {69} Ring Cycle [53] Uncut. Matinee Broadcast ed. Metropolitan Opera House: 02/26/1932. Broadcast February 26, 1932 Matinee Broadcast.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=110520

"Matinee Broadcast: Die Walküre Act II." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 11015 Die Walküre {256} Matinee Broadcast ed. Metropolitan Opera House: 01/30/1932. Broadcast January 30, 1932 Matinee Broadcast (Act II).
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=11015

"Matinee Broadcast: Die Walküre Act II." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 110610 Die Walküre {259} Ring Cycle [53] Uncut. Matinee Broadcast ed. Metropolitan Opera House: 03/3/1932. Broadcast March 3, 1932 Matinee Broadcast (Act II).
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=110610

"Matinee Broadcast: Faust Acts II, III." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 110350 Faust {389} Matinee Broadcast ed. Metropolitan Opera House: 02/13/1932. Broadcast February 13, 1932 Matinee Broadcast (Acts II, III).
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=110350

"Matinee Broadcast: Götterdämmerung Act I, Scene 2, Act II." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 110800 Götterdämmerung {112} Ring Cycle [53] Uncut. Matinee ed. Metropolitan Opera House: 03/17/1932. Broadcast (Act I, Scene 2, Act II) March 17, 1932 Matinee Broadcast (Act I, Scene 2, Act II).
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=110800

"Matinee Broadcast: Hänsel und Gretel." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 109680 Hänsel und Gretel {125} Pagliacci {304} Matinee Broadcast ed. Metropolitan Opera House: 12/25/1931. Broadcast December 25, 1931 Matinee Broadcast.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=109680

"Matinee Broadcast: Il Barbiere di Siviglia Acts II, III." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 110060 Il Barbiere di Siviglia {150} Matinee Broadcast ed. Metropolitan Opera House: 01/23/1932. Broadcast January 23, 1932 Matinee Broadcast (Acts II, III).
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=110060

"Matinee Broadcast: Il Trovatore Act II, Scene 2, Act III." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 109960 Il Trovatore {178} Matinee Broadcast ed. Metropolitan Opera House: 01/16/1932. Broadcast January 16, 1932 Matinee Broadcast (Acts II, Scene 2, III).
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=109960

"Matinee Broadcast: La Bohème Acts I, II." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 109770 La Bohème {285} Matinee Broadcast ed. Metropolitan Opera House: 01/1/1932. Broadcast January 1, 1932 Matinee Broadcast (Acts I, II).
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=109770

"Matinee Broadcast: La Traviata Acts III, IV." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 110440 La Traviata {185} Matinee Broadcast ed. Metropolitan Opera House: 02/20/1932. Broadcast February 20, 1932 Matinee Broadcast (Acts III, IV).
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=110440

"Matinee Broadcast: L'Africaine Acts IV, V." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 110830 L'Africaine {66} Matinee Broadcast ed. Metropolitan Opera House: 03/19/1932. Broadcast March 19, 1932 Matinee Broadcast (Acts IV, V) In Italian.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=110830

"Matinee Broadcast: Lakmé Acts II, III." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 110540 Lakmé {13} Matinee Broadcast ed. Metropolitan Opera House: 02/27/1932. Broadcast (Acts II, III) February 27, 1932 Matinee Broadcast (Acts II, III).
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=110540

"Matinee Broadcast: Lohengrin Act III." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 109870 Lohengrin {383} Matinee Broadcast ed. Metropolitan Opera House: 01/9/1932. Broadcast January 9, 1932 Matinee Broadcast (Act III).
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=109870

"Matinee Broadcast: Manon Acts III, IV." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 110640 Manon {102} Matinee Broadcast ed. Metropolitan Opera House: 03/5/1932. Broadcast March 5, 1932 Matinee Broadcast (Acts III, IV).
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=110640

"Matinee Broadcast: Norma Acts III, IV." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 109700 Norma {34} Matinee Broadcast ed. Metropolitan Opera House: 12/26/1931. Broadcast December 26, 1931 Matinee Broadcast (Acts III, IV).
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=109700

"Matinee Broadcast: Parsifal Act II." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 110910 Parsifal {123} Matinee Broadcast ed. Metropolitan Opera House: 03/25/1932. Broadcast March 25, 1932 Matinee Broadcast (Act II).
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=110910

"Matinee Broadcast: Peter Ibbetson Acts II, III." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 110930 Peter Ibbetson {17} Matinee Broadcast ed. Metropolitan Opera House: 03/26/1932. Broadcast March 26, 1932 Matinee Broadcast (Acts II, III).
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=110930

"Matinee Broadcast: Roméo et Juliette Acts II, III." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 111120 Roméo et Juliette {167} Matinee Broadcast ed. Metropolitan Opera House: 04/9/1932. Broadcast April 9, 1932 Matinee Broadcast (Acts II, III).
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=111120

"Matinee Broadcast: Sadko Act II." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 110730 Sadko {17} Matinee Broadcast ed. Metropolitan Opera House: 03/12/1932. Broadcast March 12, 1932 Matinee Broadcast (Act II) In French.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=110730

"Matinee Broadcast: Siegfried Act II." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 110710 Siegfried {157} Ring Cycle [53] Uncut. Matinee Broadcast ed. Metropolitan Opera House: 03/11/1932. Broadcast March 11, 1932 Matinee Broadcast (Act II).
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=110710

"Matinee Broadcast: Simon Boccanegra Act II." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 110250 Simon Boccanegra {2} Matinee Broadcast ed. Metropolitan Opera House: 02/6/1932. Broadcast (Broadcast (Act II) February 6, 1932 Matinee Broadcast (Act II).
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=110250

"Matinee Broadcast: Tannhäuser Act II." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 110330 Tannhäuser {263} Matinee Broadcast ed. Metropolitan Opera House: 02/12/1932. Broadcast February 12, 1932 Matinee Broadcast (Act II).
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=110330

"Matinee Broadcast: Tannhäuser Acts II, III." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 111210 Tannhäuser {267} Matinee Broadcast ed. Metropolitan Opera House: 04/16/1932. Broadcast April 16, 1932 Matinee Broadcast (Acts II, III).
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=111210

"Matinee Broadcast: Tristan und Isolde Act II." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 110410 Tristan und Isolde {204} Matinee Broadcast ed. Metropolitan Opera House: 02/18/1932. Broadcast February 18, 1932 Matinee Broadcast (Act II).
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=110410

The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera. "On this day in 1931, the Met inaugurated the first season of live Saturday Matinee Radio Broadcasts with a performance of Hansel and Gretel. . . ." Facebook. Dec. 25, 2020.
Available @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/posts/10164690106165533

"Metropolitan Opera Premiere: La Bohème." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 25000 Metropolitan Opera Premiere La Bohème {1} Lucia di Lammermoor: Mad Scene. Los Angeles, California: 11/9/1900.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=25000z

Opera magazine @operamagazine. "A good day for tenors: Beniamino Gigli and Lauritz Melchior were both born #OTD in 1890!" Twitter. March 20, 2021.
Available @ https://twitter.com/operamagazine/status/1373189223499636736