While we are on the subject of Galas...

I don't know why I have this, but here is a program for the Centennial Gala of the Metropolitan Opera, October 22, 1983. I got tired just typing it in.

Afternoon from 2:00

Smetana Overture to The Bartered Bride
Puccini “In questa reggia” from Turandot. Eva Marton
Wagner Duet, Act I Die Walkure. Jessye Norman, Jess Thomas
Mozart “Dove sono” Le Nozze di Figaro. Kiri Te Kanawa
Bizet Quintet from Act II of Carmen. Isola Jones, Shirley Love, etc.
Verdi “Dio! Me potevi" from Otello. James McCracken
Gershwin “Bess, you is my woman now” from Porgy and Bess. Evelyn Lear and Thomas Stewart
Offenbach “J’aime les militaires” from La Grande-Duchesse de Gerolstein. Regine Crespin
Bellini “Suoni la tromba” from I Puritani. Sherrill Milnes, Ruggero Raimondi
Donizetti Sextet from Lucia di Lammermoor. Roberta Peters, Loretta di Franco, etc.
Leigh Medley from Man of La Mancha. James Morris
Rossini “Bel raggio lusinghier" from Semiramide. Joan Sutherland

Intermission

Mascagni Prelude and Hymn of the Sun from Iris.
R. Strauss Presentation of the Rose from Der Rosenkavalier. Judith Blegen, Frederica von Stade
Weill Aria from Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny. Richard Cassilly
Mozart Duet, Papagena and Papageno from Die Zauberflote. Betsy Norden, Christian Boesch
Gounod Duet from Romeo et Juliette. Catherine Malfitano, Alfredo Kraus
Donizetti “Una furtive lagrima” from L’Elisir d’Amore. Nicolai Gedda
Verdi Act II duet from Falstaff. Bianca Berini, Louis Quilico
Verdi “Ernani, involami” from Ernani. Anna Tomowa-Sintow
R. Strauss Final trio from Der Rosenkavalier. Kathleen Battle, Elisabeth Soderstrom, Tatiana Troyanos
Verdi “Gia nella notte densa” from Otello. Mirella Freni, Placido Domingo

Evening 8:00

Beethoven Leonore Overture No. 3.
Giordano Final duet from Andrea Chenier. Montserrat Caballe, Jose Carreras
Tchaikovsky Prince Gremin’s Aria from Eugene Onegin. Paul Plishka
Puccini “Ch’ella mi creda” from La Fanciulla del West. Giuseppe Giacomini
Mozart “La ci darem la mano” from Don Giovanni. Myra Merritt, John Cheek
Puccini Duet from Act IV of La Boheme. Gosta Winbergh, Brent Ellis
Debussy Lia’s aria from L’Enfant Prodigue. Ileana Cortubas
Delibes Duet from Act I of Lakme. Mariella Devia, Jean Kraft
Donizetti Duet Act III from Don Pasquale. Barbara Daniels, Italo Tajo

Intermission

Wagner Duet from Act II of Der Fliegende Hollander. Carol Neblett, Simon Estes
Giordano L’Incredibile’s Aria from Andrea Chenier. Andrea Velis
Giordano “Nemico della patria” from Andrea Chenier. Cornell MacNeil
Verdi Duet from Aida Act II. Martina Arroyo, Mignon Dunn
Saint-Saens Baccanale from Samson et Dalila
Verdi Duet from Act I of Don Carlo. Ermanno Mauro, Pablo Elvira
Romberg “Sweethearts” from Maytime. Anna Moffo, Robert Merrill
Barber Quintet from Vanessa. Bunch of people
Puccini “Vecchia zimarra" from La Boheme. Jerome Hines
Ponchielli Duet Act II of La Gioconda. Lucine Amara, Fiorenza Cossotto
Verdi Duet Act III of Nabucco. Grace Bumbry, Renato Bruson

Intermission

Gounod Final Trio from Faust. Katia Ricciarelli, William Lewis, Nicolai Ghiaurov
Puccini Duet from Act I of Madama Butterfly. Leona Mitchell, Giuliano Ciannella
Wagner Prayer Act V from Rienzi. Timothy Jenkins
Rossini Finali to Act I from L’Italiana in Algeri. Lots of people.
Offenbach Aria, Prologue to Les Contes d’Hoffman. Neil Shicoff
Saint-Saens “Mon Coeur s’ouvre a ta voix” from Samson et Dalila. Marilyn Horne
Wagner Isolde’s Narrative and Curse from Act I of Tristan und Isolde. Who else? Birgit Nilsson
Verdi Duet, Act II from Un Ballo in Maschera. Leontyne Price and Luciano Pavarotti

End

People in both this gala and the one for Volpe are: Kiri Te Kanawa, James Morris, Placido Domingo, Frederica von Stade and Mirella Freni. Pride of place went to Leontyne and Luciano.

This program also includes a list of the operas, conductors and cast that opened each season. A time machine and a few inflated dollars would really come in handy here.

Lily Pons in Lakme. Bjoerling and de los Angeles in Faust. Yum