Macbeth Feb. 3, 1973, Broadcast Is Feb. 4, 2023, Saturday Broadcast

Summary: Macbeth Feb. 3, 1973, broadcast is Feb. 4, 2023, Saturday matinee broadcast, airing as eighth of the 2022-2023 season's 24 Saturday radio broadcasts.

1972-1973 season photo of Sherrill Milnes as Verdi's Macbeth by Met Opera official photographer Louis Melancon (Sep. 19, 1901-Aug. 10, 1974): Sherrill Milnes, via Facebook Nov. 18, 2021

Macbeth Feb. 3, 1973, broadcast is the Feb. 4, 2023, Saturday matinee broadcast, airing at 1:00 p.m., Eastern Time, as the eighth of the 2022-2023 Met Opera season's lineup of 24 Saturday matinee opera broadcasts.

Macbeth, the 10th opera by Italian opera composer Giuseppe Verdi (Oct. 10, 1813-Jan. 27, 1901), premiered Sunday, March 14, 1847, at Teatro della Pergola in Florence, capital of central Italy’s Tuscany region. Verdi composed Macbeth as the first of his three completed Shakespearean operas. The opera's Italian libretto was written largely by Italian librettist Francesco Maria Piave (May 18, 1810-March 5, 1876), with additional contributions by Italian poet and translator Andrea Maffei (April 19, 1798-Nov. 27, 1885). Piave and Maffei’s libretto was based upon the same-named play by Elizabethan playwright William Shakespeare (bapt. April 26, 1564-April 23, 1616), first printed in 1623 in Mr. William Shakespeare’s Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies, commonly referred to as the First Folio.

The Metropolitan Opera premiere of Verdi’s Macbeth was held Thursday, Feb. 5, 1959. The opera received seven performances during the 1958-1959 season.

In the 1972-1973 season, Macbeth received 17 performances. The first nine and closing, 17th performances, which were held at the Metropolitan Opera House, took place Thursday, Jan. 25; Wednesday, Jan. 31; Saturday matinee broadcast, Feb. 3; Wednesday, Feb. 7; Tuesday, Feb. 13; Saturday, Feb. 17; Friday, Feb. 23; Saturday, March 3; Monday, March 12; and June 4.

Macbeth's 10th through 16th performances participated in the opera company's 1972-1973 tour. The 10th through 16th performances took place, respectively, Friday, April 27, at Hynes Civic Auditorium in Boston, Massachusetts; Friday, May 4, in Ohio at the Cleveland Public Auditorium; Friday, May 11, in Georgia at the Atlanta Civic Center; Tuesday, May 15, in Memphis, Tennessee; Friday, May 18, at the State Fair Music Hall in Dallas, Texas; Monday, May 21, in Minneapolis, Minnesota; Thursday, May 31, in Detroit, Michigan.

Francesco Molinari-Pradelli conducted Macbeth in 16 of the season's 17 Macbeth performances. He held the baton in the first eight performances, including the Saturday, Feb. 3, broadcast, and also in the 10th through closing, 17th performances. The Bolognese Italian conductor had made his Met Opera debut Monday, Feb. 7, 1966, in the opera company's 92nd performance of Verdi's Un Ballo in Maschera.

Sherrill Milnes sang the title role of insecure, prophecy-dependent General, then King, Macbeth, in all 17 Macbeth performances, including the Saturday, Feb. 3, broadcast, in the 1972-1973 season. The American dramatic baritone had made his Met Opera debut Wednesday, Dec. 22, 1965, as Valentin in the opera company’s 594th performance of Faust by 19th century French composer Charles-François Gounod (June 17, 1818-Oct. 18, 1893).

Martina Arroyo sang ambitious, haunted Lady Macbeth in eight of the season's 17 Macbeth performances. She appeared in the first six performances, including the Saturday, Feb. 3, broadcast, and also in the 10th and 11th performances. The American operatic soprano had made her Met Opera debut Saturday, March 14, 1959, as the Celestial Voice in the opera company's 48th performance of Verdi's Don Carlo.

Ruggero Raimondi sang Banquo, Macbeth-ordered assassinee for witches' royal line-founder prophecy, in 13 of the season's 17 Macbeth performances. He appeared in the first seven performances, including the Saturday, Feb. 3, broadcast and also in the 10th through 14th and closing, 17th performances. The Italian bass-baritone had made his Met Opera debut Monday, Sep. 14, 1970, as Don Ruy Gomez de Silva in the opera company's 44th performance of Verdi's Ernani.

Franco Tagliavini sang Macduff, heroic, Macbeth-slaying thane ("baron"), in seven of the season's 17 Macbeth performances. He appeared in the first three performances, including the Saturday, Feb. 3, broadcast, and also in the fifth through eighth performances. The Italian operatic tenor had made his Met Opera debut Friday, March 27, 1970, as Pollione in the opera company's 70th performance of Norma by 19th-century Italian opera composer Vincenzo Bellini (Nov. 3, 1801-Sep. 23, 1835).

Rod MacWherter sang Malcolm, rightful King of Scotland as son of Lord and Lady Macbeth-assassinated King Duncan, in 12 of the season's 17 Macbeth performances. He appeared in the first nine performances, including the Saturday, Feb. 3, broadcast, and also in the 13th through 15th performances. The American tenor had made his Met Opera debut Thursday, Oct. 17, 1968, as the Captain in the opera company's 54th performance of Verdi's Simon Boccanegra.

The 1972-1973 season's production was under the direction of Carl Ebert (Feb. 20, 1887-May 14, 1980). The German-born opera director had made his Met Opera debut Thursday, Feb. 5, 1959, in the Metropolitan Opera premiere of Verdi's Macbeth.

Ebert's production team in the 1972-1973 season comprised Dutch stage director Bodo Igesz (Feb. 7, 1935-Dec. 25, 2014) as stage director and Austrian-German scenographer Caspar Neher (April 11, 1897-June 30, 1962) as designer. Bodo Igesz had made his Met Opera debut Sunday, April 19, 1964, in the opera company's 317th performance of Lucia di Lammermoor by Italian opera composer Gaetano Donizetti (Nov. 29, 1797-April 8, 1848). Caspar Neher had made his Met Opera debut Thursday, Feb. 5, 1959, in Macbeth's Metropolitan Opera premiere.

The 1972-1973 season's presentation of Ebert's production was staged as a "revised production." Revisions were created by American lighting, set and stage designer Neil Peter Jampolis (March 14, 1943-Dec. 15, 2019), who made his Met Opera debut in his position of "Projections and additional design." For his revision, ". . . Jampolis utilized elements from the previous production of Caspar Neher, adding sets costumes and projections," as noted in the Metropolitan Opera Archives Database (MetOpera Database) for the revised production's opening night, Thursday, Jan. 25, 1973, in the 1972-1973 season.

The 2022-2023 Met Opera season's lineup of Saturday matinee opera broadcasts pauses on Feb. 11. Instead of an opera, "Celebrating Franco Zeffirelli" broadcasts at 1:00 p.m. as a commemoration of ". . . the centenary of Franco Zeffirelli’s birth with a special presentation drawn from the company’s radio archives.

The 2022-2023 Met Opera season's Saturday matinee opera broadcasts resume one week later. Verdi’s Don Carlo airs Feb. 18 at 1:00 p.m. as the ninth of the season's lineup of 24 Saturday matinee opera broadcasts.

1972-1973 season photo of Sherrill Milnes as Verdi's Macbeth and Martina Arroyo as Lady Macbeth by Met Opera official photographer Louis Melancon (Sep. 19, 1901-Aug. 10, 1974); Sherrill Milnes sang Macbeth to Martina Arroyo's Lady Macbeth in eight, including the Saturday, Feb. 3, matinee broadcast, of the 1972-1973 season's 17 Macbeth performances; Elinor Ross and Grace Bumbry sang as Lady Macbeth with Sherrill Milnes in three (7th through 9th) and six (12th through 17th) performances, respectively: Sherrill Milnes la leggenda, via Facebook Oct. 26, 2021

Acknowledgment

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

Image credits:

1972-1973 season photo of Sherrill Milnes as Verdi's Macbeth by Met Opera official photographer Louis Melancon (Sep. 19, 1901-Aug. 10, 1974): Sherrill Milnes, via Facebook Nov. 18, 2021, @ https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=310809347534006&set=pb.100058148284920.-2207520000.&type=3

1972-1973 season photo of Sherrill Milnes as Verdi's Macbeth and Martina Arroyo as Lady Macbeth by Met Opera official photographer Louis Melancon (Sep. 19, 1901-Aug. 10, 1974); Sherrill Milnes sang Macbeth to Martina Arroyo's Lady Macbeth in eight, including the Saturday, Feb. 3, matinee broadcast, of the 1972-1973 season's 17 Macbeth performances; Elinor Ross and Grace Bumbry sang as Lady Macbeth with Sherrill Milnes in three (7th through 9th) and six (12th through 17th) performances, respectively: Sherrill Milnes la leggenda, via Facebook Oct. 26, 2021, @ https://www.facebook.com/shmilnes/posts/pfbid02rgFvzKK1nTFbMBfxCvXCJXceXzKUtjKb9wVxg6wmz97Npqo3LEQ6NqgDkw7sEdvFl

For further information:

"Debut: Bodo Igesz." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 197980 Lucia di Lammermoor {317} Matinee ed. Metropolitan Theater, Boston, Massachusetts: 04/19/1964. (Debut: Bodo Igesz Review). Boston, Massachusetts. April 19, 1964 Matinee.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=197980

"Debut: Francesco Molinari-Pradelli." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 205340 Un Ballo in Maschera {92} Metropolitan Opera House: 02/7/1966. (Debut: Francesco Molinari-Pradelli Review). Metropolitan Opera House. February 7, 1966.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=220900

"Debut: Franco Tagliavini." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 220900 Norma {70} Metropolitan Opera House: 03/27/1970. (Debut: Franco Tagliavini). Metropolitan Opera House. March 27, 1970.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=220900

"Debut: Martina Arroyo." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 181440 Don Carlo {48} Metropolitan Opera House: 03/14/1959. (Debut: Martina Arroyo Review). Metropolitan Opera House. March 14, 1959. In Italian.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=181440

"Debut: Ruggero Raimondi." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 223000 Ernani {44} Metropolitan Opera House: 09/14/1970. (Opening Night {86} Rudolf Bing, General Manager Debut: Ruggero Raimondi Review). Metropolitan Opera House. September 14, 1970. Opening Night. Rudolf Bing, General Manager.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=223000

"Debuts: Glenn Bater, Linore Aronson, Neil Peter Jampolis." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 232310 Macbeth {26} Metropolitan Opera House: 01/25/1973. (Debuts: Glenn Bater, Linore Aronson, Neil Peter Jampolis). Metropolitan Opera House. January 25, 1973. Revised production.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=232310

"Debuts: Leonie Rysanek, Harold Sternberg, Carl Ebert, Caspar Neher." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 181040 Metropolitan Opera Premiere Macbeth {1} Metropolitan Opera House: 02/5/1959. (Metropolitan Opera Premiere) (Debuts: Leonie Rysanek, Harold Sternberg, Carl Ebert, Caspar Neher Reviews). Metropolitan Opera House February 5, 1959 Benefit sponsored by the Metropolitan Opera Guild for the production funds. Metropolitan Opera Premiere.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=181040

"Debuts: Montserrat Caballé, Sherrill Milnes." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 204850 Faust {594} Metropolitan Opera House: 12/22/1965. (Debuts: Montserrat Caballé, Sherrill Milnes Review). Metropolitan Opera House. December 22, 1965.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=204850

"Debuts: Rita Orlandi-Malaspina, Rod MacWherter, Ann Florio." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 216310 Simon Boccanegra {54} Metropolitan Opera House: 10/17/1968. (Debuts: Rita Orlandi-Malaspina, Rod MacWherter, Ann Florio Review). Metropolitan Opera House. October 17, 1968.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=204850

Marriner, Derdriu. "Met Opera's 2022-2023 Season Has 24 Saturday Matinee Opera Broadcasts." Earth and Space News. Monday, Nov. 28, 2022.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2022/11/met-operas-2022-2023-season-has-24.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "Verdi’s Macbeth Is Dec. 21, 2019, Met Opera Saturday Matinee Broadcast." Earth and Space News. Monday, Dec. 16, 2019.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/12/verdis-macbeth-is-dec-21-2019-met-opera.html

“Metropolitan Opera Premiere: Macbeth.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 181040 Metropolitan Opera Premiere Macbeth {1} Metropolitan Opera House: 02/5/1959.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=181040

Morrogh, Debbie G. "Louis Abel “Te-Coon” Melancon." Find a Grave > Memorial > Find a Grave Memorial ID: 187832154. March 6, 2018.
Available @ https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/187832154/louis-abel-melancon

"Revised Production: Macbeth." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 232310 Macbeth {26} Metropolitan Opera House: 01/25/1973. (Debuts: Glenn Bater, Linore Aronson, Neil Peter Jampolis). Metropolitan Opera House. January 25, 1973. Revised production.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=232310

Sherrill Milnes. "On this day in 1982, a new production of Macbeth opened at the Metropolitan Opera. This production starred Maestro Milnes alongside Renata Scotto as Lady Macbeth and Giuseppe Giacomini as Macduff, conducted by James Levine." Facebook. Nov. 18, 2021.
Available via Facebook @ https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=310809347534006&set=pb.100058148284920.-2207520000.&type=3

Sherrill Milnes la leggenda. "Con Martina Arroyo." Facebook. Oct. 26, 2021.
Available via Facebook @ https://www.facebook.com/shmilnes/posts/pfbid02rgFvzKK1nTFbMBfxCvXCJXceXzKUtjKb9wVxg6wmz97Npqo3LEQ6NqgDkw7sEdvFl