Though the first season of the Metropolitan Opera came in 1883-1884, efforts to found the New York-based company began in 1880, led by the Morgan and Vanderbilt families. Its first season was launched with Henry Abbey as company manager and Auguste Vianesi as music director and conductor. Vianesi's tenure was short-lived. The Opera's board appointed its secretary, Edmund Stanton, to contract singers appropriate for German opera, which he ablyRead more did. He also engaged Wagner protégé Anton Seidl to become music director and conductor in 1886.
Seidl worked well with the singers, and also helped shape the orchestra into a first-rate ensemble. Irish-American composer Victor Herbert, then one of the finest cellists in Europe, joined the orchestra in 1886. His wife, Therese Herbert-Förster, had been engaged to sing at the Met by Stanton. Solid and talented though the orchestra was in its early days, it was the singers, of course, who drew the attention. Indeed, some were making over $50,000 per year by the late 1890s, where orchestra players earned one-tenth that amount and less. Even in the 1930s orchestra members typically were offered starting salaries of less than $10,000, far less than that of the singers, but substantially more than most orchestras in the United and States and Europe were paying personnel.
In 1908, Toscanini made his debut at the Met. He would serve as music director for seven years, and arguably his tenure resulted in stronger musicianship in the orchestra's ranks, even though he did not always have full control. Indeed, Toscanini shared the podium for two years with Gustav Mahler and for another with Sicilian conductor Francesco Spetrino. The orchestra was then, as it had been throughout its early years, comprised largely of players from Germany. Gradually it would draw on other European nationalities and even employ a fair number of American players.
On December 25, 1931, the Metropolitan Opera began radio broadcasts, which have endured to this day. In this venue, the orchestra's role in performance became more conspicuous, since the audience could obviously not see the action, but only hear the music. Television broadcasts began on March 10, 1940, featuring excerpts from various operas. The next one would not take place until November 29, 1948, with a performance of Verdi's Otello. Television broadcasts have endured up to the current day, with semi-regular appearances on the PBS network.
In the war and postwar eras, the orchestra was led by some of the greatest conductors of the day, like George Szell, a regular from 1942 to 1946, and Fritz Reiner, music director from 1949 to 1953. By this time the orchestra was probably the finest opera house ensemble in the world. At least some of their success could be credited to the dynamic directorship of Rudolph Bing, who held the post from 1950 to 1972. Under his leadership not only did the number of subscribers more than triple, but, by general consensus, artistic standards of the individual singers, chorus, and orchestra rose considerably.
In 1986, James Levine took over as artistic director and has held the post into the new century. He has made a number of successful recordings with the Met organization, which returned to the recording studio after a several-decades long absence. The orchestra has been called upon to perform in a number of new works, including modern ones like Glass' The Voyage (1992) and Harbison's The Great Gatsby (1999), as well as early twentieth century masterpieces like Busoni's Doktor Faust and Prokofiev's The Gambler, both in the 2000-2001 season. Read less
Label: Decca
Catalog: 4832417
Release Date: 12/01/2017
Number of Discs: 101
Composer:
Vincenzo Bellini,
Gaetano Donizetti,
Giuseppe Verdi,
Pietro Mascagni
...
Performer:
Dame Joan Sutherland,
Luciano Pavarotti,
Josephine Veasey,
Cornelius Opthof
...
Conductor:
Richard Bonynge,
Sir Georg Solti,
Gianandrea Gavazzeni,
Bruno Bartoletti
...
Orchestra/Ensemble:
London Symphony Orchestra,
Ambrosian Opera Chorus,
Royal Opera House Covent Garden Orchestra
...
Label: Decca
Catalog: 002758509
Release Date: 12/01/2017
Number of Discs: 2
Composer:
Richard Strauss
Performer:
Erin Morley,
Markus Brück,
Elina Garanca,
Renée Fleming
...
Conductor:
Sebastian Weigle
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Metropolitan Opera Chorus,
Metropolitan Opera Orchestra
Label: Decca
Catalog: 002758459
Release Date: 12/01/2017
Number of Discs: 1
Composer:
Richard Strauss
Performer:
Matthew Polenzani,
Günther Groissböck,
Renée Fleming,
Elina Garanca
...
Conductor:
Sebastian Weigle
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Metropolitan Opera Chorus,
Metropolitan Opera Orchestra
Label: Decca
Catalog: 002735402
Release Date: 09/22/2017
Number of Discs: 2
Composer:
Giacomo Puccini,
Giuseppe Verdi,
Gaetano Donizetti,
Georges Bizet
...
Performer:
Luciano Pavarotti,
Nicolai Ghiaurov,
Dame Joan Sutherland,
Cecilia Bartoli
...
Conductor:
Zubin Mehta,
Oliviero de Fabritiis,
Richard Bonynge,
Robin Stapleton
...
Orchestra/Ensemble:
London Philharmonic Orchestra,
John Alldis Choir,
Wandsworth School Boys' Choir
...
Label: Deutsche Grammophon
Catalog: 4797477
Release Date: 08/04/2017
Number of Discs: 40
Composer:
Claude Debussy,
Maurice Ravel,
Alexander Scriabin,
Johannes Brahms
...
Performer:
Gaston Litaize,
Alain Moglia,
Luben Yordanoff,
Christa Ludwig
...
Conductor:
Claudio Abbado,
Daniel Barenboim,
Leonard Bernstein,
Karl Böhm
...
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Boston Symphony Orchestra,
New England Conservatory Chorus,
London Symphony Orchestra
...
Label: Datum
Catalog: 90003
Release Date: 08/04/2017
Number of Discs: 2
Composer:
Igor Stravinsky
Performer:
Martha Lipton,
Eugene Conley,
Hilde Gueden,
Norman Scott
...
Conductor:
Fritz Reiner
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Metropolitan Opera Orchestra,
Metropolitan Opera Chorus
Label: Rhino Warner Classic (Dvd)
Catalog: 559206
Release Date: 02/24/2017
Composer:
Georges Bizet
Performer:
Matthew Polenzani,
Diana Damrau
Conductor:
Gianandrea Noseda
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Metropolitan Opera Orchestra,
Metropolitan Opera Chorus
Label: Rhino Warner Classic
Catalog: 559206
Release Date: 02/24/2017
Composer:
Georges Bizet
Performer:
Matthew Polenzani,
Diana Damrau
Conductor:
Gianandrea Noseda
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Metropolitan Opera Chorus,
Metropolitan Opera Orchestra
Label: Nonesuch
Catalog: 556120
Release Date: 10/28/2016
Number of Discs: 2
Composer:
Alban Berg
Performer:
Marlis Petersen,
Susan Graham,
Daniel Brenna,
Paul Groves
...
Conductor:
Lothar Koenigs
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Metropolitan Opera Orchestra
Label: Sony
Catalog: 88875194772
Release Date: 04/29/2016
Number of Discs: 2
Composer:
Giuseppe Verdi
Performer:
Florence Quivar,
Paul Plishka,
Aprile Millo,
Jan-Hendrik Rootering
...
Conductor:
James Levine
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Metropolitan Opera Chorus,
Metropolitan Opera Orchestra
Recommendation
Label: Decca
Catalog: 002459302
Release Date: 03/25/2016
Number of Discs: 75
Composer:
Giuseppe Verdi
Performer:
Violeta Urmana,
Stuart Neill,
Maria Guleghina,
Samuel Ramey
...
Conductor:
Sir Neville Marriner,
Lamberto Gardelli,
James Levine,
Richard Bonynge
...
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Academy of St. Martin in the Fields,
London Voices,
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
...
Label: Dg Deutsche Grammophon
Catalog: 002422702
Release Date: 12/11/2015
Number of Discs: 111
Composer:
Johannes Brahms,
Ludwig van Beethoven,
Maurice Ravel,
Felix Mendelssohn
...
Performer:
David Oistrakh,
Igor Oistrakh,
Sviatoslav Richter,
Martha Argerich
...
Conductor:
Claudio Abbado,
Daniel Barenboim,
Lorin Maazel,
Franz Konwitschny
...
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra,
Amadeus Quartet,
Paris Orchestra
...
Label: Erato
Catalog: 542246
Release Date: 12/04/2015
Number of Discs: 1
Composer:
Gaetano Donizetti
Performer:
Matthew Polenzani,
Joyce DiDonato,
Elza van den Heever,
Joshua Hopkins
...
Conductor:
Maurizio Benini
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Metropolitan Opera Chorus,
Metropolitan Opera Orchestra
Label: Decca
Catalog: 002420359
Release Date: 12/04/2015
Number of Discs: 1
Composer:
Franz Lehár
Performer:
Renée Fleming,
Thomas Allen,
Carson Elrod,
Alek Shrader
...
Conductor:
Sir Andrew Davis
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Metropolitan Opera Chorus,
Metropolitan Opera Orchestra,
Metropolitan Opera Ballet
Label: Decca
Catalog: 002420209
Release Date: 11/20/2015
Number of Discs: 1
Composer:
Franz Lehár
Performer:
Renée Fleming,
Thomas Allen,
Carson Elrod,
Alek Shrader
...
Conductor:
Sir Andrew Davis
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Metropolitan Opera Chorus,
Metropolitan Opera Orchestra,
Metropolitan Opera Ballet
Recommendation
Label: Sony
Catalog: 502616
Release Date: 10/30/2015
Number of Discs: 57
Composer:
Igor Stravinsky,
Various
Performer:
Roger Sessions,
Aaron Copland,
Lukas Foss,
Samuel Barber
...
Conductor:
Igor Stravinsky,
Robert Craft,
Gregg Smith
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Columbia Symphony Orchestra,
CBC Symphony Orchestra,
American Concert Choir
...
Label: Deutsche Grammophon
Catalog: 002401309
Release Date: 10/30/2015
Number of Discs: 2
Composer:
Giuseppe Verdi
Performer:
René Pape,
Anna Netrebko,
Zeljko Lucic,
Joseph Calleja
Conductor:
Fabio Luisi
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Metropolitan Opera Orchestra,
Metropolitan Opera Chorus
Label: Deutsche Grammophon
Catalog: 002401259
Release Date: 10/30/2015
Number of Discs: 1
Composer:
Giuseppe Verdi
Performer:
Joseph Calleja,
Zeljko Lucic,
Anna Netrebko,
René Pape
Conductor:
Fabio Luisi
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Metropolitan Opera Chorus,
Metropolitan Opera Orchestra
Label: Decca
Catalog: 002390109
Release Date: 10/09/2015
Number of Discs: 1
Composer:
Giuseppe Verdi
Performer:
Stephanie Blythe,
Ambrogio Maestri,
Angela Meade,
Lisette Oropesa
...
Conductor:
James Levine
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Metropolitan Opera Chorus,
Metropolitan Opera Orchestra
Recommendation
Label: Decca
Catalog: 002390059
Release Date: 10/09/2015
Number of Discs: 1
Composer:
Giuseppe Verdi
Performer:
Angela Meade,
Ambrogio Maestri,
Stephanie Blythe,
Lisette Oropesa
...
Conductor:
James Levine
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Metropolitan Opera Chorus,
Metropolitan Opera Orchestra
Label: Decca
Catalog: 002191259
Release Date: 09/25/2015
Number of Discs: 1
Composer:
Antonín Dvorák
Performer:
Dolora Zajic,
Piotr Bezcala,
Renée Fleming,
John Relyea
...
Conductor:
Yannick Nézet-Séguin
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Metropolitan Opera Chorus,
Metropolitan Opera Orchestra
Label: Decca
Catalog: 002191109
Release Date: 09/25/2015
Number of Discs: 1
Composer:
Antonín Dvorák
Performer:
Renée Fleming,
Piotr Bezcala,
Dolora Zajic,
John Relyea
...
Conductor:
Yannick Nézet-Séguin
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Metropolitan Opera Chorus,
Metropolitan Opera Orchestra
Label: Decca
Catalog: 002359909
Release Date: 08/28/2015
Number of Discs: 6
Composer:
Giacomo Puccini,
Charles Gounod,
Jules Massenet,
Georges Bizet
Performer:
Thomas Hampson,
Jonas Kaufmann,
Emily Magee,
Marina Poplavskaya
...
Conductor:
Paolo Carignani,
Yannick Nézet-Séguin,
Michel Plasson,
Franz Welser-Möst
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Zurich Opera House Orchestra,
Zurich Opera House Chorus,
Metropolitan Opera Chorus
...