With the opening of the new radio broadcast season of the Metropolitan Opera of New York on Saturday (5 December) the EBU is celebrating 25 years of bringing the productions of one of the world's greatest opera houses to its Members.

A quarter-century might seem like a mere drop in the bucket in the history of a radio programme that stretches back to 1931, when the Metropolitan Opera began its legendary Saturday afternoon opera broadcasts within the United States. Euroradio can nonetheless point with pride to making the “Met” a household word to millions of European radio listeners, long before the HD live transmissions to cinemas throughout the world had even been thought of.

Back in 1990, the very first European transmission of a Metropolitan Opera matinee performance was Verdi’s “La Traviata”, with Diana Soviero and Jerry Hadley in the lead roles. 

Listen to the opening scene of "La Traviata" from 8 December 1990 (introduction by Mary Jo Heath)

That performance was heard live or deferred in six countries, three of which no longer exist in the same form: Czechoslovakia, West Germany and the Soviet Union. The signal, digitally encoded at the Met, was sent via satellite to Frankfurt, then passed on to individual broadcasters.

Launched in 1931, the Met's 85th radio broadcast season will open on Saturday, 5 December with Puccini’s “La Bohème”, starring Barbara Frittoli (Mimì) and Ramón Vargas (Rodolfo). An interview with the two singers, filmed in the wings especially for Euroradio Members, is available on Euroradio 2See and on the EBU FTP server.

Mary Jo Heath interviews Barbara Frittoli (Mimì) and Ramón Vargas (Rodolfo)

Participating EBU Members

“La Bohème” will be transmitted by the following Euroradio Active and Associate Members:

• ATORF (Austria)
• AUABC (Australia)
• BGBNR (Bulgaria)
• DESR (Germany)
• DKDR (Denmark)
• ESCAT (Spain)
• FIYLE (Finland)
• HUMTVA (Hungary)
• IERTE (Ireland)
• ITRAI (Italy)
• NZNRZ (New Zealand)
• PTRTP (Portugal)
• ROROR (Romania)