We at the Jussi Björling Society - USA are delighted to announce that Jussi's performance of Don Carlo, first broadcast on November 11, 1950, has won the 2026 Metropolitan Opera's Listeners' Choice competition, and will be re-broadcast on May 16, 2026 at 1 pm EDT over The Robert K. Johnson Foundation-Metropolitan Opera International Radio Network.
SAVE THE DATE
May 16, 2026, 1pm EDT
DON CARLO
The Met’s Saturday Matinee Broadcast
As part of its 2025-26 lineup of Saturday Matinee Broadcasts, the Met will present this historic broadcast, chosen by its listeners this year from a list of the Met's magnificent archive of Verdi performances. Listeners were invited to select from the list and vote for a favorite. Don Carlo won handily.
THE CAST:
Jussi Björling (Don Carlo)
Delia Rigal (Elisabeth of Valois)
Cesare Siepi (Philip II)
Fedora Barbieri (Princess Eboli)
Robert Merrill (Rodrigo)
Jerome Hines (Grand Inquisitor)
Lucine Amara, the Celestial Voice
Fritz Stiedry, cond.
The stellar cast were all in their youthful prime: at age 39, Jussi was the oldest in the principal cast, alongside the 29 year old Delia Rigal, Fedora Barbieri, age 30; Robert Merrill age 33; Jerome Hines age 29; Cesare Siepi, age 27; and Lucine Amara, age 23! Making their Met debuts in the production were Rigal, Barbieri, Amara, and Siepi, who, except for Amara, were also making their American debuts.
November 11 was the second performance of this production, which opened the Met season on the previous Monday, November 6th. It was also the first Opening Night of the recently installed new General Manager Rudolf Bing, and as such generated much attention and extra publicity. The performance was televised and carried by TV stations as far away as Chicago.
According to Anna-Lisa Björling, "By this time, Jussi's repertoire was, for the most part, complete. Un ballo in Maschera, Rigoletto, Trovatore, Tosca, La bohème and Faust were among his best classical parts - and the ones for which he was in the greatest demand. Apart from Des Grieux, he hadn't added a new role for years. But Jussi looked upon Don Carlo as a challenge … He learned the role specifically for this production. [That night] the audience in the theater and the TV viewers at home were witnessing an extraordinary opera production. Vocally and visually the Met delivered its best." Anna-Lisa Björling, Andrew Farkas: Jussi, Amadeus Press, pp. 203, 205.
Join us to hear the best once again! Tune in to the Met Saturday afternoon broadcast on May 16, 2026 at 1 pm EDT. If you missed the broadcast in 1950, and voted for Don Carlo in 2026, this one's for you!
