MET Orchestra

MET Orchestra

약력

Thrilling audiences with more than 200 performances each season, the MET Orchestra is one of the world’s great performing ensembles, both on stage and in the opera pit. Since its founding in 1883, the MET Orchestra’s performances have encompassed not only the entire opera repertoire, but symphonic and chamber programs at Carnegie Hall, international tours, and countless musician activities outside of the Metropolitan Opera House. The MET Orchestra has grown in the past four decades into an ensemble noted by singers, critics, conductors, and audiences as one of today’s most stylistically versatile and musically satisfying orchestras.

프로필 사진

MET Orchestra

참여 작품

The Metropolitan Opera: Don Giovanni
Tony Award–winning director Ivo van Hove makes a major Met debut with a new take on Mozart’s tragicomedy, re-setting the familiar tale of deceit and damnation in an abstract architectural landscape and shining a light into the dark corners of the story and its characters. Maestro Nathalie Stutzmann makes her Met debut conducting a star-studded cast led by baritone Peter Mattei as a magnetic Don Giovanni, alongside the Leporello of bass-baritone Adam Plachetka. Sopranos Federica Lombardi, Ana María Martínez, and Ying Fang make a superlative trio as Giovanni’s conquests—Donna Anna, Donna Elvira, and Zerlina—and tenor Ben Bliss is Don Ottavio.
방황하는 네덜란드인
달란트는 심한 폭풍우 속에 간신히 닿은 해안가에서 네덜란드인 선장을 만난다. 그는 저주를 받아 영원히 바다를 떠돌고 있으며 이 저주를 풀기 위해서는 진실한 사랑이 필요하다고 말한다. 네덜란드인은 달란트에게 하룻밤 숙박의 사례로 금은보화를 약속한다. 욕심에 눈이 먼 달란트는 네덜란드인을 집으로 초대해 딸 젠타와 만나게 한다. 마침 전설 속 네덜란드인을 사랑으로 구원하고 싶다고 소망하던 젠타는 운명적 사랑을 느끼고 결혼을 맹세한다.
The Metropolitan Opera: Agrippina
As the imperious title empress, mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato leads the Met premiere of Handel’s tale of deception and deceit. Harry Bicket conducts Sir David McVicar’s wry new production, which gives this Baroque black comedy a politically charged, modern updating.
포기와 베스
장애를 지닌 걸인 포기와 마약에 중독된 베스의 사랑을 그렸다. 포기 역은 에릭 오웬스, 베스 역은 엔젤 블루가 맡았다. 잔인한 폭력배 크라운 역을 알프레드 워커, 마약판매상 스포팅라이프 역을 프레데릭 밸런타인, 어부 제이크 역을 도노반 싱글터리, 그의 아내 클라라 역을 골다 슐츠, 남편을 잃은 강인한 여성 세레나 역을 라토니아 무어, 마리아 역을 데니스 그레이브스가 맡은 이 최고의 캐스팅을 데이비드 로버트슨이 지휘했다. 시대를 초월한 불후의 명곡 ‘서머타임’, ‘베스, 당신은 이제 내 사람’ 등을 들을 수 있는 이 새 프로덕션은 메트, 잉글리시 내셔널 오페라, 더치 내셔널 오페라의 공동제작 프로덕션이다.
보체크
약자를 괴롭히는 사악한 사회에 희생당하는 병사 보체크가 주인공인 이 오페라는 알반 베르크가 1차 대전 중에 스스로의 체험을 반영해 작곡한 작품이다. 금방이라도 무너질 듯한 계단, 경사로, 버려진 가구들, 쓰레기 더미로 이루어진 무대에 켄트리지의 트레이드마크인 목탄화 애니메이션, 프로젝션, 영화 클립 등으로 거꾸러진 전투기, 서치라이트, 가스마스크, 전쟁터 등의 이미지를 조합한 연출이 대단히 생생하고 인상적이다. 돈 조반니 역으로 유명한 바리톤 페터 마테이가 보체크 역에 처음으로 도전하며, 엘자 반 덴 히버가 보체크의 아내 마리 역을 열연한다. 보체크를 괴롭히는 군악대장 역은 바그너 전문 테너 크리스토퍼 벤트리스가, 희극적인 연기가 탁월한 테너 게르하르트 지겔이 대위 역, 크리스티안 반 호른이 의사 역을 맡았다. 앤드류 스테이플스는 보체크의 동료 안드레스 역으로 메트에 데뷔한다.
아크나텐
필립 글래스의 오페라 "사티아그라하" 프로덕션으로 엄청난 성공을 기록한 연출가 펠림 맥더모트가 글래스의 새 프로덕션 "아크나텐"으로 메트에 돌아왔다. 지휘자 카렌 카멘세크는 이번 작품으로 메트에 데뷔했다. 타이틀 롤인 이집트의 파라오 아크나텐 역은 앤서니 로트 코스탄초가 맡았다. 그는 오래 된 신들에 대한 숭배를 그만두고 새로운 종교를 믿으라고 백성들을 부추긴다. 아크나텐의 아내가 되는 네페르티티 역은 즈나이 브리지스가 노래하며, 디젤라 라루스도티르는 아크나텐의 어머니 치에 역을 맡았다. 간디니 저글링 컴퍼니가 음악과 완벽하게 일치하는 신체 움직임으로 관객에게 대단한 시각적 즐거움을 제공한다. 이 "아크나텐"의 프로덕션은 원래 LA오페라에서 제작한 것으로, 잉글리시 내셔널 오페라에서 초연되어 2017년에 올리비에 어워드의 ‘베스트 뉴 오페라 프로덕션 상’을 수상했다.
마농
순진한 시골 처녀에서 화려한 코티잔(상류사회 남성들에게 향락을 제공하는 여성)으로, 그리고 추방당하는 죄수로 삶이 급변하는 마농의 스토리는 문학과 오페라 분야에서 가장 인상적인 비극의 하나다. 소프라노 리제트 오로페사가 거부할 수 없는 매력을 지닌 마농 역을 노래한다. 삶에서 섬세하고 아름다운 것들을 추구하다 파멸하는 비극적인 미인의 초상을 로랑 펠리는 대담한 연출로 그려냈다. 테너 마이클 파비아노는 열정에서 벗어나지 못하는 백작의 아들 데 그리외 역을 맡았다. 마농을 향한 그의 절절한 사랑은 결국 그들 두 사람을 파멸로 이끈다. 마우리치오 베니니가 마스네의 이 관능적인 음악을 지휘했다.
투란도트
중국 베이징의 전설 시대, 극은 북경 성벽 앞 광장에서 한 관리가 등장해 율령을 반포하며 시작한다. 투란도트 공주와 혼인하려면 수수께끼를 풀어야하고, 실패하면 참수된다는 내용의 이 울령으로 말미암아 많은 남자들이 수수께끼에 도전하게 되는데...
가르멜회 수녀들의 대화
프랑스혁명이 한창인 무렵, 젊고 아름다운 블랑슈 드 라 포르스(Blanche de la Force)의 오빠와 아버지는 블랑슈가 매사에 너무 두려움이 많아 걱정이다. 블랑슈는 혼란한 세상에 환멸을 느끼고 있다. 특히 언젠가 마차를 타고 가다가 폭도들에게 잡혀 곤욕을 치른 뒤로는 세상에 대한 두려움이 한층 더 커졌다. 블랑슈는 속세를 떠나 수녀가 되기로 결심하고 가르멜회 수녀원의 수습 수녀로 들어간다. 그녀는 수녀명을 ‘그리스도의 고뇌 블랑슈’로 정한다. 젊은 수습 수녀 콩스탕스(Constance)가 혼돈스러워 하는 블랑슈의 친구가 되어준다. ‘아기 예수의 콩스탕스’라는 이름의 젊은 수습 수녀는 천성이 명랑하고 쾌활하다. 어려운 일이 있으면 주님께 기도하고 도움을 청한다. 친구가 된 두 사람은 주님을 위해 같은 날 함께 죽기를 기원하는데...
연대의 딸
19세기 초 스위스의 산골 마을. 전쟁 중인 이 마을에는 프랑스 제 21연대가 주둔하고 있다. 주인공 마리는 이 제 21 연대의 마스코트다. 병사들은 마리를 ‘연대의 딸’ 이라고 부르며 무척 사랑한다. 어릴 때 전쟁터에서 발견되어 연대의 보살핌을 받으며 자라난 마리는 얼마 전 벼랑에서 꽃을 따다가 미끄러져 위험에 처했을 때 한 청년이 구해주었다고 말하며, 자꾸 그 사람 생각이 나서 슬퍼한다. 한편, 병영을 엿보는 스파이로 토니오라는 청년이 체포되어 처형당할 위기에 놓인다. 이 때, 토니오를 발견한 마리는 이 청년이 자신을 구해주었다고 말하며 풀어줄 것을 요청하게 되는데...
카르멘
스페인의 세빌리아 거리의 위병근무를 서고 있는 하사관 돈 호세는 담배 공장에서 동료와 싸워 감옥으로 가게된 집시여인 카르멘을 호송하는 임무를 맡게 된다. 그러나 카르멘의 유혹에 넘어간 호세는 고의로 그녀를 도망치게 하고 결국 그가 대신 감옥에 들어가게 되는데...
아드리아나 르쿠브뢰르
1730년 파리의 프랑세즈 극장. 대감독 미쇼네(Michonnet)는 여배우 아드리아나 르쿠브뢰르(Adriana Lecouvreau)를 사랑하지만 그녀는 다른 이를 사랑한다고 선언했기 때문에 내색하지 않는다. 한편 이 극장의 후원자 드 부이용(De Buillon) 공작은 누군가가 왕족이면서 한량인 프랑스군 사령관 마우리치오(Maurizio)에게 보낸 편지를 우연히 발견하는데...
라 트라비아타
비올레타의 집에서 파티가 열리고, 그녀를 본 젊은 귀족인 알프레도는 곧 사랑에 빠진다. 그러나 비올레타는 폐병을 앓고 있었고, 그동안 순간적인 향락에 젖어 살았기에, 순수한 그의 구애를 받는 것에 주저한다. 그러나 그의 끈질긴 구애로 둘은 파리 교외에서 동거를 시작한다. 그러나 생활 감각이 없던 알프레도를 대신하여, 비올레타가 생활비를 대고, 곧 자금이 바닥난다. 이를 알게 된 알프레도는 돈을 구하러 잠시 집을 비우고, 그 사이 그의 부친 제르몽이 비올레타를 찾아온다.
마니
2017년 제작 및 초연한 현대 오페라로서, 니코 뮬리가 작곡하였다. 알프레드 히치콕의 서스펜스 영화 마니의 토대가 되었던 윈스턴 그레이엄의 소설을 원작으로 하는 이 작품은 거짓과 협박으로 물고 물리는 남녀 관계 뒤에 숨은 진실을 파헤치는 과정에서, 스릴러와 로맨스의 성격을 동시에 띄고 있다. 이자벨 레너드가 타이틀 롤을 맡으며, 마니를 협박해 결혼하는 남편 역으로 크리스토퍼 몰트만, 그리고 이스틴 데이비스와 재니스 켈리 등이 캐스팅되었다. 관록의 메조소프라노 데니스 그레이브스가 마니의 어머니 역할을 맡으며, 로버트 스파노가 지휘자로 메트에 데뷔하였다. 도벽이 있는 마니의 결점을 알면서도 매력에 빠져버린 젊은 기업가 마틴 리트랜드는 그녀를 고용한다. 그러나 그녀는 버릇을 버리지 못하고 돈을 훔치고 마는데...
삼손과 데릴라
가자(Gaza) 지구의 어떤 마을 광장에 히브리 사람들이 모여 여호와에게 블레셋(Philistines)의 억압에서 자유스럽게 해달라고 기도한다. 사사(재판관이자 지도자)인 삼손(Samson)이 나와 믿음이 부족하다고 사람들을 책망한다. 블레셋 장군 아비멜렉(Abimelech)이 히브리 백성들의 유일신 여호와를 부인하자 삼손이 아베멜렉을 죽이는데...
아이다
이집트와 에티오피아 간의 전쟁에서 라다메스가 승리하여 돌아오지만 그와 동시에 아이다의 아버지인 에티오피아 왕도 포로로 잡혀온다. 이집트 왕은 승리의 주인공인 라다메스에게 암네리스 공주와 결혼하여 왕위를 물려받으라고 하고 아이다를 사랑하는 라다메스는 갈등한다. 아이다는 포로로 잡혀온 아버지로부터 이집트군대의 기밀을 캐라는 말을 듣고 조국과 사랑 사이에서 주저하는데...
사랑의 묘약
시골의 젊은 농부 네모리노는 지주의 딸 아디나를 짝사랑한다. 그는 자신의 사랑을 이루기 위해 약장수 둘카마라에게 약을 사서 마신다. 하지만 약의 정체는 싸구려 포도주였고 아무런 효력을 발휘하지 못한다. 아디나는 이때 마을을 방문한 군인 벨코레에게 청혼을 받는다. 새로운 묘약을 살 돈을 구하기 위해 입대한 네모리노는 막대한 유산을 상속받아 부자가 되고, 많은 여자들이 관심을 표한다. 이를 모르던 네모리는 묘약의 효력이 드는 것이라 믿고, 후에 자신을 위해 입대까지 한 것을 안 아디나는 감동받아 네모리노와 행복한 결말을 맞는다.
신데렐라
마스네의 매혹적인 오페라가 베르트랑 드 비이의 지휘와 희극오페라 연출의 대가 로랑 펠리의 연출로 메트에서 초연된다. 로랑 펠리는 메트에서 이미 도니체티의 '연대의 딸'과 마스네의 '마농' 연출로 찬사를 받았다. 프랑스어 원제는 ‘샹드리용’이며 여주인공 신데렐라의 이름도 이 오페라 속에서는 ‘샹드리용’으로 불린다. 조이스 디도나토가 이 작품의 타이틀 롤을 맡아 자신의 메트 배역을 또 하나 첨가했다. 이 작품은 로열오페라하우스, 바르셀로나 리세우 대극장, 브뤼셀 왕립극장, 릴 오페라와 메트 오페라가 공동으로 제작했으며, 산타페 오페라에서 첫 공연이 이루어졌다.
루이자 밀러
17세기 초기, 티롤의 한 마을에서 벌어진 처녀를 둘러싼 사랑과 음모를 다룬 작품. 루이자는 백작의 아들이지만 평범한 청년으로 위장한 로돌포를 사랑한다. 여기에 아들을 부유한 미망인과 결혼시키려는 백작, 그리고 루이자를 탐하는 그의 비서관 부름이 개입하게 된다. 루이자는 백작에게 체포되어 죽음의 위험에 빠진 아버지를 구하고자 로돌포가 아니라 부름을 사랑한다는 거짓 고백을 담은 편지를 쓴다. 이로 인해 루이자는 로돌포의 오해를 사게 되고 여러 사람의 죽음을 초래하게 되는데...
코지 판 투테
자매간인 피오르딜리지와 도라벨라는 젊은 장교 굴리엘모, 페란도와 며칠 전 약혼한 사이다. 철학자 돈 알폰소는 24시간 안에 약혼녀들이 다른 남자에게 넘어가는지 약혼남들과 시험해 보기로 하고 돈내기를 한다. 돈 알폰소는 변장 후 자매들에게 접근해 연인들이 전쟁터에 나가게 되었다고 거짓말을 하며 적극 구애한다. 결국 그녀들은 남자들의 유혹에 차례로 넘어가고 마는데...
라 보엠
가난하지만 예술을 사랑하는 젊은 보헤미안들의 이야기. 화가 마르첼로와 시인 로돌포가 사는 다락방에 철학자 콜리네와 음악가 쇼나르가 찾아온다. 이들은 가난하지만 즐겁게 살아간다. 어느 크리스마스 이브, 로돌포는 촛불을 빌리러 온 이웃집 미미와 우연히 만나 한눈에 사랑에 빠진다. 그러나 얼마 지나지 않아 미미는 자신이 폐병으로 죽어가고 있다는 사실을 알게 되고 병세는 점점 심각해진다.
토스카
화가인 카바라도시는 쫓기고 있는 옛 친구 안젤로티를 숨겨주다 곤경에 빠진다. 그의 애인인 토스카는 카바라도시를 살리기 위해 자신에게 몸을 바치라는 경감 스카르피아의 협박을 받다 그를 찔러 죽이고 만다. 결국 그녀가 스카르피아를 죽인 사실이 발각되고 토스카는 애인을 따라 성벽아래로 몸을 던진다.
죽음의 천사
“왜 나갈 수 없다는 거죠? 이해가 안 돼요. 무엇이 방에서 그들을 붙들고 있는 거죠?” 한정된 공간에 갇힌 사람들이 생사가 오가는 과정에서 인간의 본능을 표출한다. 협력과 반목이 나타나고 하고 싶은 것을 하지 못하는 인간의 내면 발견한다. 점점 보이지 않는 세계에 대한 상상과 탐구 속으로 빠져들어 가는데...
노르마
로마 제국 시절 갈리아 민족의 여제 노르마는 로마 총독과 몰래 사통하여 아이를 낳아 기른다. 로마 총독은 젊은 여사제 아달지아와 바람이 나고, 이를 알게 된 노르마는 자식까지 죽이려 한다. 결국 모든 잘못은 자신에게 있다고 생각한 노르마는 스스로 목숨을 청하는데...
Der Rosenkavalier
In his new production, Robert Carsen places the action at the end of the Habsburg Empire, underscoring the opera’s subtext of class and conflict against a rich backdrop of gilt and red damask
The Metropolitan Opera: Eugene Onegin
Tchaikovsky’s setting of Pushkin’s timeless verse novel is presented on the Met stage in Deborah Warner’s moving production, starring Anna Netrebko as Tatiana and Mariusz Kwiecien and Peter Mattei sharing the title role. Alexey Dolgov sings the role of Lenski, and Robin Ticciati conducts.
The Metropolitan Opera: Idomeneo
Mozart’s early masterpiece returned to the Met for the first time in more than a decade with Music Director Emeritus James Levine, who led the work’s company premiere in 1982, again on the podium. Tenor Matthew Polenzani brings both steely resolve and compassionate warmth to the title king of Crete, who is faced with an impossible decision. With her rich mezzo-soprano, Alice Coote sings the trouser role of Idomeneo’s son Idamante, who loves the Trojan princess Ilia, sung with delicate lyricism by Nadine Sierra. Elza van den Heever gives a thrillingly unhinged portrayal of the jealous Elettra. Jean Pierre-Ponnelle’s timeless production blends the grandeur of ancient myth with the elegance of Enlightenment ideals.
The Metropolitan Opera: La Traviata
La Traviata’s sumptuous melodies and timeless depiction of doomed love have made the work a favorite of generations of operagoers. In his approach to this classic drama, director Willy Decker sets the action on a nearly bare stage, focusing the audience’s full attention on the three main characters. As Violetta, the ailing courtesan desperate to escape her past, soprano Sonya Yoncheva offers a fearless and sympathetic performance from beginning to end. American tenor Michael Fabiano sings with ardent longing as her devoted lover Alfredo, delivering emotionally wrought phrases and ringing top notes. Thomas Hampson brings a burnished baritone to Germont, Alfredo’s protective father whose stern demands spell disaster for the young couple. On the podium, maestro Nicola Luisotti leads an electric performance of Verdi’s unforgettable score.
Verdi: Nabucco
The legendary Plácido Domingo brings another new baritone role to the Met under the baton of his longtime collaborator James Levine. Liudmyla Monastyrska is Abigaille, the warrior woman determined to rule empires, and Jamie Barton is the heroic Fenena. Dmitri Belosselskiy is the stentorian voice of the oppressed Hebrew people.
The Metropolitan Opera: L’Amour de Loin
Robert Lepage’s dreamlike production, with its thousands of twinkling LED lights stretching across the stage to represent the sea, encapsulates the mystic feeling of L’Amour de Loin, Saariaho’s haunting opera of distant love. Eric Owens is Jaufré Rudel, a troubadour in 12th century France who has become tired of his hedonistic life and longs for an idealized love. Enter the Pilgrim (Tamara Mumford) who tells him his perfect love does, in fact, exist, far across the sea. She is Clémence, Countess of Tripoli (Susanna Phillips). The magic of the characters’ inner lives as they explore the meaning of love, longing, life, and death is heightened by Saariaho’s hypnotic and bewitching score, conducted by Susanna Mälkki.
The Metropolitan Opera: Tristan und Isolde
Met audiences were fascinated by Mariusz Treliński’s gripping, visionary production of Wagner’s epic opera. In the daunting title roles of the doomed lovers, Nina Stemme and Stuart Skelton are passionate, overwhelming, and heartbreaking as they battle every obstacle that separates them from their true destiny. René Pape is King Marke, betrayed not only by Isolde but by Tristan, the man he most trusts and loves like a son. With Ekaterina Gubanova as Isolde’s confidante Brangäne and Evgeny Nikitin as Kurwenal, Tristan’s loyal lieutenant. Simon Rattle conducts a surging, shimmering account of Wagner’s monumental score.
Strauss: Elektra
Self
The great singing actress Nina Stemme gives a heart-wrenching performance in the title role of Strauss’s blazing one-act drama, adapted from the ancient Greek myth. Patrice Chéreau’s acclaimed production—the last staging he worked on before his death in 2013—also stars Waltraud Meier as Klytämnestra, Elektra’s nightmare-haunted mother, Adrianne Pieczonka as Chrysothemis, her sister, and Eric Owens as Orest, their brother, whose return home brings their family story to a terrifying climax. Esa-Pekka Salonen conducts the monumental and highly influential score.
The Metropolitan Opera: Turandot
Franco Zeffirelli’s golden production stars the great dramatic soprano Nina Stemme as Turandot, the icy Chinese princess who has renounced all men. Marco Berti is Calàf, the unknown prince who solves Turandot’s riddles and wins her love. Anita Hartig sings Liù, the faithful slave girl who gives her life to save Calàf, and Alexander Tsymbalyuk is Timur. Paolo Carignani conducts.
Bizet: The Pearl Fishers
Bizet’s rarely heard opera returned to the Met for the first time in a century on New Year’s Eve 2015, in Penny Woolcock’s acclaimed new production. Star soprano Diana Damrau sings Leïla, the virgin priestess at the center of the story. Matthew Polenzani and Mariusz Kwiecien are Nadir and Zurga, rivals for Leïla’s love who have sworn to renounce her to protect their friendship—and who get to sing one of opera’s most celebrated duets, “Au fond du temple saint.” Nicolas Testé is the high priest Nourabad and Gianandrea Noseda conducts Bizet’s supremely romantic score.
The Metropolitan Opera: Lulu
William Kentridge’s multi-layered production of Berg’s masterpiece stars charismatic soprano Marlis Petersen in the title role—the enigmatic and alluring woman who is equal parts femme fatale, innocent girl, and abused victim. The men around her, whose lives she forever alters, are Johan Reuter as newspaper publisher Dr. Schön; Daniel Brenna as his composer son, Alwa; Paul Groves as the Painter; and Franz Grundheber as Schigolch. Susan Graham sings Countess Geschwitz, and Lothar Koenigs conducts Berg’s landmark score.
Verdi: Otello
Tony Award winner Bartlett Sher’s bold new production probes the psychological underpinnings of Verdi’s dynamic setting of Shakespeare’s great tragedy. At the helm of this performance is riveting conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin, who brings out all the cascading emotions in Verdi’s turbulent score. Aleksandrs Antonenko is the Moor Otello, the triumphant general of the Venetian army who is ultimately brought down by the sly insinuations of his friend Iago (Željko Lučić). Sonya Yoncheva continues to win fans as Desdemona, Otello’s faithful and long-suffering wife. With Günther Groissböck as Lodovico and Dimitri Pittas as Cassio.
The Met — Il Trovatore
Soprano Anna Netrebko appears in her highly anticipated Met role debut as Leonora, the tortured heroine who sacrifices her own life for the love of the Gypsy troubadour. Dmitri Hvorostovsky sings Count di Luna, Yonghoon Lee is Manrico in his Met role debut as the title character, Dolora Zajick sings her signature role of the gypsy Azucena, and Štefan Kocán is Ferrando. Marco Armiliato conducts Sir David McVicar’s Goya-inspired production.
Mascagni: Cavalleria Rusticana / Leoncavallo: Pagliacci
Director David McVicar’s new production brings opera’s favorite double bill to new life, setting the two operas in the same Sicilian setting, separated by two generations. Marcelo Álvarez takes on the rare feat of singing both leading tenor roles. In Cavalleria, he is Turiddu, the young man who abandons Santuzza (Eva-Maria Westbroek) in his pursuit of the married Lola (Ginger Costa-Jackson)—and ends up being killed in a duel with her husband, Alfio (George Gagnidze). In Pagliacci, Álvarez is Canio, the leader of a traveling vaudeville troupe. Patricia Racette sings Nedda, his unfaithful young wife, whose plans to run away with her lover are foiled by her spurned admirer Tonio (George Gagnidze)—with equally tragic consequences. Met Principal Conductor Fabio Luisi is on the podium.
Tchaikovsky: Iolanta / Bartók: Bluebeard's Castle
Valery Gergiev conducts Mariusz Trelinski’s thrilling new production of these rarely heard one-act operas. Anna Netrebko stars as the blind princess of the title in Tchaikovsky’s lyrical work, opposite Piotr Beczala as Vaudémont, the man who wins her love—and wakes her desire to be able to see. Nadja Michael and Mikhail Petrenko are Judith and Bluebeard in Bartók’s gripping psychological thriller about a woman discovering her new husband’s murderous past.
메리 위도우
우아한 소프라노 르네 플레밍이 이 레하르의 오페레타에서 독특한 매력으로 온 파리를 사로잡은 팜 파탈을 연기한다. 이번 새 프로덕션의 연출은 브로드웨이 최고의 연출가이자 안무가의한 사람인 수전 스트로먼(, , )이 맡았다. 줄리언 크로우치(, )의 디자인 팀, 의상디자이너 윌리엄 아이비 롱(, , )의 의상이 스트로먼의 연출과 함께 아르누보 무대를 창조한다. 전설적인 카페 ‘막심’에서 쇼걸들이 노래하며 춤추는 장면은 이 프로덕션의 백미다. 바리톤 네이선 건이 다닐로 백작 역, 켈리 오하라가 발랑시엔 역을 열연하고, 앤드류 데이비스가 지휘봉을 잡는다.
The Metropolitan Opera: The Master-Singers of Nuremberg
James Levine leads a stirring performance of Wagner’s epic comedy, seen in Otto Schenk’s classic production. Baritone Michael Volle stars as Hans Sachs, the cobbler-poet at the heart of this story of love, art, and youth vs. age. Leading Wagnerian tenor Johan Botha is Walther von Stolzing, the young knight whose new ideas upset the traditional ways of the mastersingers, and Annette Dasch sings Eva, the girl he loves, whose hand has been promised to the winner of a singing contest. Johannes Martin Kränzle as the pedantic town clerk Beckmesser, Hans-Peter König as Pogner, Eva’s father, and Paul Appleby as David, Sachs’s apprentice complete the stellar cast.
Rossini: Il Barbiere di Siviglia
A youthful cast brings Rossini’s immortal comedy to sparkling life, led by Christopher Maltman as Figaro, the resourceful barber and man-about-town of the title. The lovely Isabel Leonard is Rosina, the clever young woman at the center of the story, and Lawrence Brownlee sings Count Almaviva, the man who loves her and—with Figaro’s help—rescues her from the house of her elderly and smitten guardian, Bartolo, played by Maurizio Muraro. Paata Burchuladze is the bumbling music master Basilio, and rising conductor and bel canto specialist Michele Mariotti leads the Met’s musical forces in Bartlett Sher’s lively production.
Bizet: Carmen
Georgian mezzo-soprano Anita Rachvelishvili gives a dynamic performance as Bizet’s iconic gypsy, the woman who lives by her own rules. Aleksandrs Antonenko is Don José, the soldier who falls under her spell, and Ildar Abdrazakov plays Escamillo, the swaggering bullfighter who takes Carmen away from Don José—an action that seals Carmen’s tragic fate. Anita Hartig is Micaëla, and Pablo Heras-Casado conducts Richard Eyre’s hit production, set in 1930s Spain.
The Metropolitan Opera: The Marriage of Figaro
Richard Eyre’s elegant production, which opened the Met’s 2014–15 season, sets the action of Mozart’s timeless social comedy in a manor house in 1930s Seville. Ildar Abdrazakov leads the cast as the resourceful Figaro set on outwitting his master, the philandering Count Almaviva, played by Peter Mattei. Marlis Petersen sings Susanna, the object of the Count’s affection and Figaro’s bride-to-be, Amanda Majeski is the Countess, and Isabel Leonard gives a standout performance as the pageboy Cherubino. Music Director James Levine on the podium brings out all the humor, drama, and humanity of Mozart’s score.
Macbeth
Star soprano Anna Netrebko created a sensation with her riveting performance as the malevolent Lady Macbeth, the central character in Verdi’s retelling of Shakespeare’s tragedy. She is joined by Željko Lučić, who brings dramatic intensity and vocal authority to the title role of the honest general driven to murder and deceit by his ambitious wife. The great René Pape is Banquo and Joseph Calleja gives a moving performance as Macduff. Adrian Noble’s powerful production provides an ideal setting for this dark drama, which is masterfully presided over by Met Principal Conductor Fabio Luisi.
The Metropolitan Opera: Così Fan Tutte
Met Music director James Levine conducts a cast of youthful stars in Mozart’s sophisticated comedy about testing the ties of love. Susanna Phillips and Isabel Leonard are the sisters Fiordiligi and Dorabella, who are led to believe their fiancés have gone off to war. Matthew Polenzani and Rodion Pogossov are Ferrando and Guglielmo, the lovers who return in disguise to test their girls' fidelity. Danielle de Niese sings the scheming maid Despina and Maurizio Muraro is Don Alfonso, the philosopher and mastermind pulling the strings.
The Metropolitan Opera: Rusalka
Renée Fleming sings one of her signature roles, the title character in Dvořák’s sumptuously melodic Rusalka. The story of the opera, which is about a water spirit’s tragic romance with a human prince, is drawn from several folktale sources including Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Little Mermaid.” Star conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin leads a cast that also includes Piotr Beczala as the handsome Prince whom Rusalka yearns to love; Dolora Zajick as the cackling swamp witch Ježibaba; Emily Magee as the Foreign Princess, Rusalka’s rival; and John Relyea as Rusalka’s father, the Water Sprite.
The Metropolitan Opera: Falstaff
Music Director James Levine conducts his first new Met production after a two-year absence: Robert Carsen’s hit staging of Verdi’s great human comedy. Ambrogio Maestri is an ideal Falstaff, leading an extraordinary ensemble cast of veteran and up-and-coming Met stars, including Angela Meade (Alice), Stephanie Blythe (Mistress Quickly), Franco Vasallo (Ford), and Jennifer Johnson Cano (Meg). Lisette Oropesa and Paolo Fanale are the young lovers, Nannetta and Fenton.
Tchaikovsky: Eugene Onegin
The imperious Onegin rejects naive Tatiana's proposal of love and also incites a duel with his best friend turned rival Lenski (Piotr Beczala). This sets the scene for a dramatic story of love, loyalty and betrayal. Acclaimed theatre director Deborah Warner presents this lavish new interpretation of the timeless tale. Set in the 19th century and moving episodically from farmhouse to ballroom, the production culminates in an unforgettable finale set during a snowstorm.
Wagner: Die Walküre
As a storm rages, Siegmund the Wälsung, exhausted from pursuit by enemies in the forest, stumbles into an unfamiliar house for shelter. Sieglinde finds the stranger lying by the hearth, and the two feel an immediate attraction. But they are soon interrupted by Sieglinde's husband, Hunding, who asks the stranger who he is. Calling himself "Woeful," Siegmund tells of a disaster-filled life ("Friedmund darf ich nicht heissen"), only to learn that Hunding is a kinsman of his foes. Hunding, before retiring, tells his guest to defend himself in the morning. Left alone, Siegmund calls on his father, Wälse, for the sword he once promised him. Sieglinde reappears, having given Hunding a sleeping potion.
The Metropolitan Opera: Das Rheingold
In the depths of the Rhine, the three Rhinemaidens guard the Rhinegold, a treasure of immeasurable value. The Nibelung dwarf Alberich is dazzled by the sight of it. The girls explain that whoever wins the gold and forges it into a ring will gain power over the world, but must first renounce love. Frustrated by his unsuccessful attempts to catch one of the girls, Alberich curses love and steals the gold. Wotan, lord of the gods, is reproached by his wife Fricka: he has promised to give Freia, goddess of youth, to the giants Fasolt and Fafner in return for their building a fortress for the gods. When the giants demand their reward, Loge, the god of fire, suggests an alternative payment: the ring Alberich has forged from the Rhinegold, and his other treasures. The giants agree, and Wotan and Loge leave for the Nibelungs’ underground home.
Parsifal
The Met assembled an ideal cast for François Girard’s acclaimed new production of Wagner’s final masterpiece: Jonas Kaufmann in the title role of the fool “made wise by compassion”, René Pape as Gurnemanz, the veteran Knight of the Grail, Katarina Dalayman as Kundry, Peter Mattei is Amfortas, the anguished ruler of the Grail’s kingdom, and Evgeny Nikitin sings the evil magician Klingsor.
The Metropolitan Opera: Rigoletto
Michael Mayer’s acclaimed production, first seen in the 2012–13 season, sets the action of Verdi’s masterpiece in 1960 Las Vegas—a neon-lit world ruled by money and ruthless, powerful men. Piotr Beczała is the Duke, a popular entertainer and casino owner who will stop at nothing to get what he wants. Željko Lučić sings Rigoletto, his sidekick and comedian, and Diana Damrau is Rigoletto’s innocent daughter, Gilda. When she is seduced by the Duke, Rigoletto sets out on a tragic course of murderous revenge. Štefan Kocán is the assassin Sparafucile and Michele Mariotti conducts.
Berlioz: Les Troyens
Berlioz’s epic masterpiece retells the magnificent saga of the aftermath of the Trojan War and the exploits of Aeneas. Rising tenor Bryan Hymel, in his Met debut, stars as the hero charged by the gods with the founding of the city of Rome. Susan Graham is Dido, Queen of Carthage, who becomes Aeneas’s lover, and Deborah Voigt sings Cassandra, the Trojan princess whose warnings about the impending destruction of Troy go unheeded. Francesca Zambello’s atmospheric production, featuring choreography by Doug Varone, is led by Met Principal Conductor Fabio Luisi.
The Enchanted Island, a Baroque pastiche
A contemporary take on the 17th-century genre of the pastiche, this delightful Baroque fantasy brings together some of the greatest arias and ensembles by Handel, Vivaldi, Rameau, Purcell, and other composers with a new English libretto by Jeremy Sams, inspired by Shakespeare’s The Tempest and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The all-star cast is headed by David Daniels as Prospero, Joyce DiDonato as Sycorax, Danielle de Niese as Ariel, Luca Pisaroni as Caliban, and the legendary Plácido Domingo as Neptune. Early music specialist William Christie conducts this dazzling world-premiere production, designed and directed by Phelim McDermott and Julian Crouch.
The Metropolitan Opera: The Tempest
Composer Thomas Adès conducts the Met premiere of his powerful opera based on Shakespeare’s last play, in Robert Lepage’s brilliantly inventive production. Simon Keenlyside is the magician Prospero, who conjures the storm that shipwrecks his enemies and sets in motion the course of events. Rising Met stars Isabel Leonard and Alek Shrader are the young lovers, Miranda and Ferdinand, Alan Oke sings the sinister Caliban, and Audrey Luna gives a memorable performance as the sprite Ariel.
The Metropolitan Opera: L'Elisir d'Amore
Anna Netrebko as the beautiful and wealthy Adina leads the cast in Barlett Sher’s production of Donizetti’s charming comedy, first seen on Opening Night of the Met’s 2012–13 season. Matthew Polenzani is Nemorino, the poor but good-hearted country boy who wins her love—with the help of the magic “elixir” sold by the quack Dulcamara, played by Ambrogio Maestri. Mariusz Kwiecien is the swaggering Sergeant Belcore and Maurizio Benini conducts.
The Metropolitan Opera: Götterdämmerung
Ring Cycle, pt 4. Siegfried is drugged and tricked into kidnapping his wife, since she has the Ring now. More double-crossings, Siegfried ends up dead. Brunnhilde has had enough of this, tosses the Ring into the river and torches the place.
Gounod: Faust
Tenor Jonas Kaufmann is riveting as the title character of Gounod’s popular opera, seen in this Live in HD presentation of Des McAnuff’s thrilling 2011 production that places the mythical and timeless story in an early 20th-century setting. René Pape as Méphistophélès is menacing and elegant in equal measure, and Marina Poplavskaya delivers a searingly intense portrayal of the innocent Marguerite. Russell Braun as her brother, Valentin, shines in his Act II aria. On the podium, Yannick Nézet-Séguin brings out all the lyricism and drama of Gounod’s score.
Händel: Rodelinda
Renée Fleming stars in the title role of one of Handel’s greatest dramas, seen in Stephen Wadsworth’s 2004 Met premiere production. Rodelinda is faced with an impossible dilemma: With her husband Bertarido believed dead, she either has to marry the despised Grimoaldo (the elegant Joseph Kaiser), who has usurped her husband’s throne, or see him murder her son. But Bertarido (leading countertenor Andreas Scholl) is alive and eventually reclaims both throne and wife—and makes peace with his enemies. Stephanie Blythe is marvelous as Eduige, Bertarido’s sister, who is betrothed to Grimoaldo but turns against him. Baroque authority Harry Bicket conducts.
Philip Glass: Satyagraha
Following the success of his first foray into opera, Einstein on the Beach, revolutionary American composer and musician Philip Glass soon turned to another great figure of the 20th century for inspiration. Set to lines from the Hindu Bhagavad Gita, Satyagraha depicts scenes from the life of Gandhi as he developed his philosophy of non-violent resistance in South Africa between 1896 and 1913. The opera became the second installment of Glass’s Portrait Trilogy, focused on innovators from across history. Satyagraha arrived at the Met during the 2007–08 season, when director Phelim McDermott made his debut with a production that employed everyday materials like newspaper and corrugated tin to create towering puppets and striking tableaus. In 2011, his staging returned, this time recorded live in HD. In this performance, tenor Richard Croft gives a moving performance as Gandhi, leading a remarkable ensemble cast conducted by Dante Anzolini.
The Metropolitan Opera: Siegfried
Robert Lepage’s remarkable Met Opera production of Wagner’s Der Ring des Nibelungen, the 2013 Grammy Award Winner for Best Opera Recording, is now available as individual DVDs. Siegfried features Bryn Terfel, Jay Hunter Morris, and Deborah Voigt, with Fabio Luisi conducting.
The Metropolitan Opera: Don Giovanni
Imbuing the familiar Don Juan myth with a captivating combination of comedy, seductiveness, danger, and damnation, Mozart created an enduring masterpiece that has been a cornerstone of the repertory since its 1787 premiere. The opera offers a rare opportunity for two baritones to star alongside one another as the title Lothario and his faithful yet conflicted servant, Leporello, as well as three memorable female roles—multifaceted women who both suffer the Don’s abuses and plot their revenge.
The Metropolitan Opera: Die Walküre
Robert Lepage’s landmark staging of Wagner’s Der Ring des Nibelungen, unveiled over the course of the 2010–11 and 2011–12 seasons, was the first new Met production of the complete cycle in more than 20 years. Combining state-of-the-art technology with traditional storytelling, it brings Wagner’s vision into the 21st century. With Die Walküre, the story of the Ring enters the world of human beings. Jonas Kaufmann and Eva-Maria Westbroek are Siegmund and Sieglinde, the twin children of Wotan, sung by Bryn Terfel. Deborah Voigt stars in the title role of the Valkyrie Brünnhilde, Wotan’s favorite daughter. James Levine conducts.
The Metropolitan Opera: Il Trovatore
Verdi’s IL TROVATORE again storms the Met stage in a star-studded, anvil-wielding cast , including Sondra Radvanovsky, Dolora Zajick and Dmitri Hvorostovsky. Marcelo Álvarez sings Manrico, the troubadour of the title. The story is well-known already: The gypsy Azucena has harbored a grudge for thirty years, but she is about to have revenge at last. Meanwhile, her son Manrico is in love with Leonora, but so is his arch-enemy, the Count Di Luna. A pot-boiler, where every tune is a hit.
The Metropolitan Opera: Capriccio
Renée Fleming is Countess Madeleine, the beautiful, enigmatic woman at the center of Strauss’s sophisticated “Conversation Piece for Music.” She is being courted by two men: Joseph Kaiser sings the composer, Flamand, and Russell Braun is Olivier, the poet. The stellar cast also includes Peter Rose as the theater director La Roche, Sarah Connolly as the actress Clairon, and Morten Frank Larsen as the Countess’s brother. John Cox’s elegant production places the action in the 1920s. Andrew Davis conducts.
Le comte Ory
Rossini's "Le Comte Ory" tells the story of a libidinous and cunning nobleman who disguises himself first as a hermit and then as a nun in order to gain access to the virtuous Countess Adele, whose brother is away at the Crusades. The 2011 Met production was directed by Tony Award winner Bartlett Sher, who presented the action as an opera within an opera, updating the action by a few centuries and giving the costume designer, Catherine Zuber, the opportunity to create some particularly extravagant headgear. Juan Diego Florez starred as the title role while Diana Damrau plays Countess Adele, and Joyce DiDonato was in breeches as his pageboy Isolier. Conducted with verve and finesse by Maurizio Benini, the production also features the stylish French baritone Stephane Degout as Ory's bibulous conspirator Raimbaud, charismatic Italian bass Michele Pertusi as the Count's long-suffering Tutor, and, formidable as Adele's housekeeper Ragonde, the Swedish dramatic mezzo Susanne Resmark.
John Adams: Nixon in China
John Adams’s groundbreaking work vividly brings to life US President Nixon’s 1972 visit to the People’s Republic of China. Peter Sellars’s Metropolitan Opera production, based on his 1987 world-premiere staging, features choreography by Mark Morris and stars James Maddalena as Nixon, Robert Brubaker as Chairman Mao, Janis Kelly as First Lady Pat Nixon, Russell Braun as Chinese Premier Chou En-lai, and Kathleen Kim as Chiang Ch’ing, Mao’s wife. From the pomp of the public displays to the intimacy of the protagonists most private moments, Adams, Sellars and librettist Alice Goodman reveal the real characters behind the headlines in this landmark American opera.
Puccini: La Fanciulla del West
This excellent Deutsche Grammophon Blu-ray DVD was made during a Metropolitan Opera company performance of “La Fanciulla del West” in December 2010. The performance marked the centenary of the world premiere of the opera at the old Metropolitan Opera in 1910 with Caruso as Ramirrez or Dick Johnson, Emmy Destinn as Minnie, Pasquale Amato as Jack Rance and Arturo Toscanini as the conductor. Puccini helped in the production of the opera and was present in the audience on the night of the premiere.
The Metropolitan Opera: Don Carlo
Family jealousy, threat of rebellion, political back-stabbing and the Inquisition weigh heavy on the court of King Phillip II. The tension finally ignites at the King's coronation, where a number of heretics are to be burnt at the stake.
The Metropolitan Opera: Don Pasquale
Donizetti’s timeless comedy shines in Otto Schenk’s enchanting production, conducted by James Levine and featuring a remarkable cast. The incomparable Anna Netrebko is Norina, the young widow beloved by Ernesto (a suave Matthew Polenzani), who is about to be disinherited by his miserly uncle, Don Pasquale (John Del Carlo). It takes the clever scheming of Dr. Malatesta (Mariusz Kwiecien) to set things right and to teach the old curmudgeon a lesson—fits of temper, mistaken identities, and all kinds of comic confusion included.
The Metropolitan Opera: Boris Godunov
Stephen Wadsworth’s production of Mussorgsky’s epic masterpiece brilliantly captures the suffering and ambition of the Russian people at a critical time in their nation’s history. René Pape is riveting as the Tsar of the title, giving a commanding and charismatic performance of one of the greatest bass roles in the repertoire—his Boris is dominating, tortured, flawed and utterly unforgettable. The extraordinary cast and the Met Orchestra and Chorus are led by Russian maestro Valery Gergiev, the foremost Mussorgsky interpreter of our time.
Wagner: Das Rheingold
Robert Lepage’s landmark staging of Wagner’s Der Ring des Nibelungen, unveiled over the course of the 2010–11 and 2011–12 seasons, was the first new Met production of the complete cycle in more than 20 years. Combining state-of-the-art technology with traditional storytelling, it brings Wagner’s vision into the 21st century. In this first part of the epic, the theft of the Rhinegold treasure sets in motion the course of events that will change the world and end the rule of the gods. Met Music Director James Levine conducts a cast of some of the greatest Wagnerian singers of our time, including Bryn Terfel as Wotan, Stephanie Blythe as Fricka, and Eric Owens as Alberich.
Bizet: Carmen
Richard Eyre’s stunning new production of Bizet’s opera was the talk of the town when it was unveiled on New Year’s Eve 2009. Elīna Garanča leads the cast as the iconic gypsy of the title—a woman desired by every man but determined to remain true to herself. Roberto Alagna is Don José, the soldier who falls under her spell and sacrifices everything for her love, only to be cast aside when the toreador Escamillo (Teddy Tahu Rhodes) piques Carmen’s interest. With dances created by star choreographer Christopher Wheeldon and conducted by rising maestro Yannick Nézet-Séguin, this Carmen brings every aspect of Bizet’s tale to thrilling life, from its lighthearted beginning to its inevitably tragic climax.
Offenbach: Les Contes d'Hoffmann
Live from the Metropolitan Opera 19 December 2009.
Puccini: Turandot
Franco Zeffirelli's magnificient staging of Puccini's final opera - a fairy tale set in a mythical China - is one of the most popular in the Met repertory. In this Live in HD production, Maria Guleghina takes on the title role and Marcello Giordani is Calaf, the unknown prince. Marina Poplavskaya and Samuel Ramey co-star, and Andris Nelsons conducts in his Met debut.
The Met — Tosca
Puccini’s musical thriller of lust, murder, and politics is one of the most dramatically riveting operas in the repertoire. Luc Bondy’s production, with sets by Richard Peduzzi and costumes by Academy Award-winning designer Milena Canonero, opened the Met’s 2009–10 season. Karita Mattila stars as the beautiful and dangerously impulsive singer Floria Tosca. Marcelo Álvarez is her lover, the painter Cavaradossi, a political enemy of the powerful chief of police, Scarpia (George Gagnidze), who wants Tosca for himself.
Rossini: La Cenerentola
"Irresistible" (Opera News) rising-star mezzo Elina Garanca triumphs as Rossini's Cinderella in this delightful Metropolitan Opera production. "As close to pure joy as you will find in a big-time opera house" (New Yorker), conquering audiences and critics alike, "Garanca has a gorgeous voice that she uses with exceptional skill, melting tenderness; but when the part calls for coloratura fireworks, she unleashes a flawless technique and ringing high notes of impressive power" (Associated Press). Filmed in High Definition Widescreen.
La Sonnambula
Just as a young woman is about to marry her sweetheart, she is discovered—by the entire village, to say nothing of her fiancé—asleep in the bedroom of a stranger. It takes the young man two acts to figure out that sleepwalking is to blame, and everything ends happily. Natalie Dessay as Amina and Juan Diego Flórez as Elvino deliver bel canto magic and vocal fireworks in Mary Zimmerman’s 2009 production. The Tony award-winning director transfers Bellini’s bucolic tale to a rehearsal room in contemporary New York, where an opera company rehearses La Sonnambula—and where the singers are truly in love with each other.
Gluck: Orfeo ed Euridice
Director and choreographer Mark Morris’s production of Gluck’s masterpiece updates the immortal story from its ancient Greek roots to the timeless present, where, he says, “the union of chorus and dancers feels inevitable and inseparable.” With costumes by Isaac Mizrahi and a set designed by Allen Moyer, this production surrounds the action with the superb Met chorus dressed as a crowd of historic characters who bear witness to the transformative power of love. Orfeo (Stephanie Blythe) is so consumed with grief at the death of his beloved Euridice (Danielle de Niese) that the gods (Heidi Grant Murphy as Amor) allow him to lead her back from the underworld—if he will not look at her on the way. Of course he can’t resist looking, but the gods are truly merciful.
Massenet: Thaïs
When the most voluptuous, sought-after courtesan in the world meets an ascetic monk whose life is devoted to God, you know erotic sparks are going to fly. And when the clash takes place in a glorious, but rarely performed, opera by Massenet, it’s a delight to the ear just as much as to the eye. Renée Fleming is every inch the glamorous Thaïs, swathed in elegant gowns designed by Christian Lacroix. Thomas Hampson is Athanaël, the tortured man of God. This production by John Cox, which premiered in December 2008, brilliantly sets the stage for a confrontation as old as civilization itself.
Berlioz: La Damnation de Faust
Radiant mezzo-soprano Susan Graham and dashing Italian tenor Marcello Giordani are unlucky lovers in La Damnation de Faust, Hector Berlioz’s classic take on dancing with the devil.
Adams: Doctor Atomic
John Adams’s mesmerizing score, in the powerful production of Penny Woolcock, tells the story of one of the pivotal moments in human history—the creation of the atomic bomb. Conducted by Alan Gilbert in his Met debut, this gripping opera presents the human face of the scientists, military men, and others who were involved in the project, as they wrestled with the implications of their work. Baritone Gerald Finley gives a powerful star turn in the title role as the brilliant J. Robert Oppenheimer.
Puccini: La Bohème
Puccini’s evergreen paean to young love and the bohemian life has captivated generations of Met-goers through Franco Zeffirelli’s iconic production. Movie theater audiences for the high-definition transmission of this staging got to see it with fresh eyes in a touching performance starring Angela Gheorghiu and Ramón Vargas as the frail seamstress and her poetic lover.
The Metropolitan Opera: La Fille du Régiment
Themselves - Orchestra
Madcap physical comedy and impeccable coloratura come together for Natalie Dessay’s indelible portrayal of the feisty tomboy raised by a regiment of French soldiers. Juan Diego Flórez is the young Swiss villager who conquers her heart—and a slew of high Cs. Also featuring uproarious performances by Felicity Palmer and Alessandro Corbelli, as well as a cameo by Tony Award winner Marian Seldes, this laugh-out-loud production was a runaway hit that left audiences exhilarated.
The Metropolitan Opera – Verdi: Macbeth
Verdi’s admiration for Shakespeare led to such masterpieces as Othello and Falstaff, and if the earlier Macbeth isn’t on their exalted level it’s still a powerfully dramatic opera that hews closely to the original’s story line. The MET’s production retains the dark aura of the opera while updating it to a vaguely post-modern context. So the witches are bag ladies in various stages of decrepitude, with children in tow. The Banquet Scene features lowered chandeliers, a plethora of chairs, and a slew of extras dressed in tuxedos and party gowns. Macbeth sports a leather coat, the soldiers are in drab brown uniforms and seem to have fingers on their triggers even when they’re supposed to be in non-threatening situations. Director Adrian Noble also has Lady Macbeth do an inordinate amount of writhing around and singing from a lying-down position, adding to the feeling that a less interventionist directorial hand might have generated more impact.
Britten: Peter Grimes
Anthony Dean Griffey creates a haunting portrait of the outcast fisherman who struggles under the burden of presumed guilt. This chilling production by Tony Award-winning director John Doyle also features the superb Patricia Racette as the sympathetic Ellen Orford and the Met chorus in a truly hair-raising performance as the oppressively judgmental fishing village.
The Metropolitan Opera: Hansel and Gretel
This deliciously dark take on the beloved Brothers Grimm fairy tale, appealing to audiences of all ages, was part of the Met’s popular English-language holiday series. Alice Coote and Christine Schäfer star as the famous siblings lost in the woods, who battle the ravenous Witch—a zany portrayal by tenor Philip Langridge—while the Met orchestra, under the baton of Vladimir Jurowski, glories in the rich, folk-inspired score.
The Metropolitan Opera HD Live Gounod's Romeo et Juliette
The world’s most famous love story comes to operatic life with superstars Anna Netrebko and Roberto Alagna playing the star-crossed young couple. The abandon and ardor of their performances brought audiences to their feet in both the opera house and in movie theaters. And the unique, up-close-and-personal camerawork takes the viewer onstage to witness some of the production’s most memorable images and sultriest moments as never before.
Il Barbiere di Siviglia
Audiences went wild for Bartlett Sher’s dynamic production, which found fresh and surprising ways to bring Rossini’s effervescent comedy closer to them than ever before. The stellar cast leapt to the challenge with irresistible energy and bravura vocalism. Juan Diego Flórez is Count Almaviva, who fires off showstopping coloratura as he woos Joyce DiDonato’s spirited Rosina—with assistance from Peter Mattei as the one and only Figaro, Seville’s beloved barber and man-about-town.
The Magic Flute
Tamino, a handsome prince, and Papageno, a bird-catcher, are sent by the Queen of Night to rescue her daughter Pamina from captivity under the high priest Sarastro. Julie Taymor's abridged, English-language production of the classic Mozart opera.
Ludwig van Beethoven: Fidelio
Two years prior to the opening scene, the nobleman Florestan has exposed or attempted to expose certain crimes of the nobleman Pizarro. In revenge, Pizarro has secretly imprisoned Florestan in the prison over which Pizarro is governor. The jailer of the prison, Rocco, has a daughter, Marzelline, and a servant (or assistant), Jaquino. Florestan’s wife, Leonore, came to Rocco’s door dressed as a boy seeking employment, and Rocco hired her. On orders, Rocco has been giving Florestan diminishing rations until he is nearly starved to death. Place: A Spanish state prison, a few miles from Seville; Time: Late 18th century.
Ariadne auf Naxos
Elijah Moshinsky’s witty production deftly walks the line between the lighthearted humor and the profound philosophical underpinnings of Strauss and Hofmannsthal’s opera, masterfully conducted here by Met Music Director James Levine. Deborah Voigt stars as Ariadne, the mythical heroine abandoned on the island of Naxos by her lover, and Richard Margison is Bacchus, the young god who eventually takes her away to a new life. The spectacular Natalie Dessay as Zerbinetta leads the troupe of comedians who unsuccessfully try to cheer Ariadne up. Susanne Mentzer is delightful as the young Composer of the opera-within-the-opera, and Wolfgang Brendel sings the Music Master.
Die Meistersinger Von Nürnberg
James Morris leads an all-star cast including Karita Mattila, Ben Heppner, Thomas Allen and René Pape, in this production of Wagner's comic opera, recorded live at New York's Metropolitan Opera in 2001. James Levine conducts.
The Metropolitan Opera - Mozart: The Magic Flute
Mozart’s allegorical fairy tale has charmed audiences and inspired artists, for more than 200 years. A few weeks before this telecast, the Met unveiled a new production of the opera featuring the colorful designs of acclaimed artist David Hockney. His bold colors and vivid images enchanted audiences and seemed to inspire the striking cast, led by James Levine’s affectionate conducting. Francisco Araiza is the young prince Tamino, who finds himself in a strange land, forced to undergo mysterious tests so he can rescue, then marry, the woman he loves, Pamina, played by Kathleen Battle. Kurt Moll is the compassionate Sarastro and Luciana Serra is the Queen of the Night.
Beethoven Fidelio
Orchestra
When Act 2 of Fidelio is being poured out in the most glorious tones imaginable from Mattila, Heppner and Pape - who can possibly complain? Who would honestly want to replace any of them? Who can fail to be overwhelmed with gratitude to own this disc? If I continue to count our blessings, I might mention the splendid Robert Lloyd drawing us to a thrilling finale as Don Fernando; and Falk Struckmann a convincingly evil Pizarro. So it is certainly not complaining, but fulfilling a reviewer's obligation to tell all, when I admit that Jennifer Welch-Babidge is little more than adequate as Marzelline. One might wish for a purer vocal line in this role - like a Bonney or an Isokoski.
Tristan und Isolde
Inspired by Wagner’s own tortured affair with the wife of his patron, this searing masterwork is based on Arthurian legend and tells of an illicit romance between a Breton nobleman and the Irish princess betrothed to his uncle and king. The composer’s larger-than-life sensibilities are on full display throughout the score: Along with intoxicating orchestral music that surges in tandem with the couple’s burgeoning passion and a chord left symbolically unresolved until the last moments of the opera, the opera also features one of the repertory’s most soaring and ecstatic final climaxes, as Isolde surrenders to a love so powerful that she transcends life itself.
Le Nozze di Figaro
The Met assembled a vocal dream team for Jonathan Miller’s stylish production of the eternal Mozart masterpiece: Renée Fleming as the Countess, Cecilia Bartoli as Susanna, and Bryn Terfel as Figaro. With James Levine—one of the world’s great conductors of Mozart—in the pit, Bartoli interpolating two rarely heard alternate arias, and Dwayne Croft as the Count and Susanne Mentzer as Cherubino, this is a performance for the record books.
Giordano: Andrea Chénier
This live from the Met telecast from October 1996 of Giordano’s infrequently performed verismo gem is an absolute pleasure to watch and listen to and I highly recommend it. Nicholas Joel’s production is extremely elegant while at the same time being simple and uncluttered. Act I, for example, is dominated by an enormous gilt-framed mirror precariously tilted. I assume that it is a metaphor for the imminent downfall of the decadent aristocracy at the party given by the Contessa di Coigny. The costumes designs by Hubert Monloup are terrific. The prerevolutionary costumes in Act I are simply stunning each one individually tailored for the choristers and major performers.
Metropolitan Opera Gala James Levine's 25th Anniversary
This tribute to James Levine, first shown on PBS, was only part of that glorious evening. Here we have the whole performance, up to three hours. I could not stop watching these discs. Let me say this much; Levine has done for the Met, making it the premier opera house in the world, what Karajan did with the Berlin, making it one of the finest orchestras ever. So sit back and enjoy.
Otello
Verdi’s monumental score is fully the equal of Shakespeare’s famous tragedy—and both demand great actors. This is one performance where both playwright and composer are well served. Plácido Domingo’s Otello is one of the glories of the operatic world, beautifully sung and so commandingly acted that audiences are devastated by the end. Renée Fleming’s ravishingly beautiful Desdemona is deeply moving, and as Iago, James Morris is as beguiling as he is menacing. Under James Levine’s conducting the Met orchestra and chorus are vital characters in the drama.
Giuseppe Verdi: Simon Boccanegra
This evocative production by Giancarlo Del Monaco sumptuously captures the look and feel of 14th century Genoa and is a perfect compliment to Verdi’s setting of this story of searing conflict between public duty and private grief. Plácido Domingo is Gabriele Adorno, sworn enemy of the doge of Genoa, Simon Boccanegra (Vladimir Chernov). Gabriele is in love with the beautiful Amelia (Kiri Te Kanawa at her most affecting) who turns out to be none other than the long-lost daughter the doge. James Levine’s authoritative conducting of the Met orchestra and chorus reveals the dark power of Verdi’s score. Performed January 26th, 1995.
Arabella
Arabella, Op. 79, is a lyric comedy or opera in three acts by Richard Strauss to a German libretto by Hugo von Hofmannsthal, their sixth and last operatic collaboration.
Il Tabarro & Pagliacci
Orchestra
Puccini's Il Tabarro & Leoncavallo's Pagliacci; Pavarotti and Domingo star in MET 1994-1995 season opener.
Elektra
The Otto Schenk production of Richard Strauss's "Elektra", filmed live at the Metropolitan Opera in January, 1994. Hildegard Behrens stars as Elektra, with Deborah Voigt as Chrysothemis, Brigitte Fassbaender as Klytämnestra, Donald McIntyre as Orest, and James King as Aegisth. James Levine conducts.
Richard Wagner: Parsifal
The Met production easily has the most beautiful staging, designed by Otto Schenck, who also produced the fabulous set for the Met's previous Ring cycle. Kurt Moll is a wonderful Gurnemanz, but compared to his studio recording under Karajan a decade earlier it has lost some of its original velvety body and luster. As Parsifal, Jerusalem is starting to show some wear and tear on his voice at the Met in 1992 as opposed to his prime form at Bayreuth in 1981, but is still quite good; only Placido Domingo could compete with him in the role at that time.
Falstaff
It is to composer and librettist Arrigo Boito and his constant pestering of the octogenarian Verdi that there remained within him one last great comedy fighting to get out that we owe this absolute miracle of an opera. Produced in 1893 as Verdi turned 80 there is much in this masterpiece that can be identified as a modernist neoclassical work. The use of short motifs instead of long arioso melodic lines, the spry and reduced orchestral textures and the lack of a single 'stand and deliver' dramatic declamatory aria all serve to make this more of a 20th century work than an example of 19th century late-Romanticism.
The Ghosts of Versailles
What happened to Figaro and his friends after the events told in Rossini’s and Mozart’s operas? One possible sequel is told in John Corigliano’s “grand opera buffa” The Ghosts of Versailles—an uproariously funny and deeply moving work inspired by Beaumarchais’s third Figaro play, La Mère Coupable, and commissioned by the Met to celebrate its 100th anniversary. This telecast captures its world premiere run, conducted by James Levine. Håkan Hagegård is Beaumarchais, Figaro’s creator, who is deeply in love with Marie Antoinette (Teresa Stratas in a heart-searing performance) and determined to rewrite history and save her from the guillotine. A young Renée Fleming, at the beginning of her international career, sings the unfaithful Rosina. Gino Quilico is the wily Figaro who tries to take matters in his own hands, and Marilyn Horne stops the show as the exotic entertainer Samira.
L'Elisir d'Amore
John Copley’s colorful production, with designs by Beni Montresor, was created around the beloved superstar Luciano Pavarotti. As the simple, good-hearted Nemorino, he enchanted audiences with his larger-than-life personality as well as his golden voice. Enzo Dara as the quack Dr. Dulcamara provides the elixir of the title that helps Nemorino win the heart of Adina, the girl of his dreams, sung with youthful energy by Kathleen Battle.
Un Ballo in Maschera
Verdi's opera performed by the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Chorus, conducted by James Levine.
Götterdämmerung
The stupendous climax to Wagner’s four-part Ring cycle is brilliantly realized by the Otto Schenk/Günther Schneider-Siemssen production and byJames Levine’s monumental conducting. The Met orchestra, chorus, and an all-star cast make this Götterdämmerung one that truly rises to the occasion. Hildegard Behrens’s Brünnhilde must be experienced to be believed, as does Matti Salminen’s richly sung, domineering Hagen. At the center of the drama is Siegfried Jerusalem as Siegfried, who does not realize he has been drawn into a plot of betrayal until it is too late. Christa Ludwig is magnetic as Waltraute and Ekkehard Wlaschiha is a compelling Alberich.
Das Rheingold
From the gorgeous scene deep in the river Rhine that opens the opera, up to the magic Rainbow Bridge that appears at the end, leading to a glistening Valhalla, Otto Schenk’s production captures the scenic world of Wagner’s Ring as brilliantly as James Levine and the Met orchestra capture the musical world. The cast is incomporable: an astounding James Morris as the young god Wotan, the great Christa Ludwig as his wife Fricka, incandescent Siegfried Jerusalem as Loge, the wily god of fire, and Ekkehard Wlaschiha as a complex Alberich.
Die Walküre
The gorgeous and evocative Otto Schenk/Günther Schneider-Siemssen production continues with this second opera in Wagner’s Ring cycle. Hildegard Behrens brings deep empathy to Brünnhilde, the favorite daughter of the god Wotan (James Morris) who nevertheless defies him. Morris’s portrayal of Wotan is deservedly legendary, as is Christa Ludwig, as Fricka. Jessye Norman and Gary Lakes are Sieglinde and Siegmund, and Kurt Moll is the threatening Hunding. James Levine and the Met orchestra provide astonishing color and drama. (Performed April 8, 1989)
Siegfried
Siegfried is the third of the four operas that constitute Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring of the Nibelung), by Richard Wagner.
An Evening with Joan Sutherland and Luciano Pavarotti
Opera greats Luciano Pavarotti and Joan Sutherland -- one of the most acclaimed tenors and one of the most beloved sopranos of the 20th century -- take the stage at the Met for a gala evening of opera scenes with special guest Leo Nucci. Filmed in 1987, the memorable program includes scenes from the first and third acts of Donizetti's "Lucia di Lammermoor," the third act of Verdi's "La Traviata" and the third act of Verdi's "Rigoletto."
Carmen
This all-star cast is framed by Peter Hall’s gritty, realistic production and conducted by James Levine, who brings out all the surging emotion and gripping drama in Bizet’s score. At the center of the story is Agnes Baltsa, whose smoky mezzo is tailor-made for the gypsy Carmen, an independent woman who glories in obeying only her own rules, but who is haunted by fate. Superstar tenor José Carreras is Don José, the solider from a small town who catches Carmen’s eye and is destroyed by his growing obsession with her. Samuel Ramey is the charismatic matador Escamillo, who lures Carmen away from Don José with tragic result. Leona Mitchell is Micaëla, the simple girl from Don José’s hometown who cannot save him. March 21, 1987 Matinee Broadcast.
Il Trovatore
Luciano Pavarotti brings his spectacular voice and artistry to one of the most famous of all tenor roles—Manrico, the ardent troubadour, trapped in an impossible situation by forces beyond his control. The sensational Dolora Zajick, only days after her Met debut, gives an incandescent performance as the demented gypsy Azucena, thirsting for revenge against Count Di Luna (Sherrill Milnes). Eva Marton is the passionate Leonora, desired by both Manrico and the Count, and James Levine brilliantly leads the Met’s orchestra and chorus in some of Verdi’s best-known music.
Richard Strauss: Elektra
It's hard to imagine confirmed Straussians not wanting this starry Metropolitan Opera performance of Elektra. Strauss and his librettist, Hugo von Hofmannstahl, transformed Sophocles' take on Homer's tale into a harrowing opera noir. Elektra lives for one reason, to kill her mother, Klytämnestra, and her stepfather, Aegisth, the murderers of her father, Agamemnon. In contrast to Elektra's vengeful obsession, her sister Chrysothemis desires to get on with life. When their long-missing brother, Orestes, returns to do the deed, Elektra celebrates with a dance of death and, her sole purpose in life fulfilled, dies. Strauss joined the hermetic plot to music of the utmost opulence, violent and yearning by turns, evoking the cardinal principles of Greek tragedy - pity and terror.
Ariadne auf Naxos
Jessye Norman is a regal Ariadne, the mythological Greek heroine in this opera-within-an-opera, opposite the passionate Bacchus of the great James King. Kathleen Battle delivers the coloratura fireworks of Zerbinetta, the leader of a commedia dell’arte troupe that finds itself stranded on Ariadne’s island. Tatiana Troyanos and Franz Ferdinand Nentwig star as the young Composer and the Music Master in the opera’s prologue. James Levine brings out all the color and charm of Strauss’s brilliant chamber-sized score with its equal amounts of pathos and humor. Bodo Igesz’s production features sets by esteemed designer Oliver Messel.
Turandot
The Franco Zeffirelli production of Puccini's "Turandot", recorded live at the Metropolitan Opera in April, 1987. Éva Marton stars as Turandot, with Plácido Domingo as Calaf, Leona Mitchell as Liù, Paul Plishka as Timur, and Hugues Cuenod as L'Imperatore Altoum. James Levine conducts.
Die Fledermaus
Live performance from the Metropolitan Opera, 31 December 1986.
L'italiana in Algeri
Orchestra
L'ITALIANA IN ALGERI is an operatic dramma giocoso in two acts by Gioachino Rossini to an Italian libretto by Angelo Anelli. Rossini composed L'italiana in Algeri when he was 21 in either 18 or 27 days, depending on which source one believes (Rossini, not surprisingly, pegged it at 18). It premiered at the Teatro San Benedetto in Venice on 22 May 1813. The music is characteristic of Rossini's style, remarkable for its fusion of sustained, manic energy with elegant, pristine melodies. The plot, in brief: Isabella’s lover Lindoro has been kidnapped, and in her search for him she is shipwrecked and taken captive by Mustafa, Bey of Algiers. To her amazement and delight, she finds Lindoro among the Bey’s prisoners. Isabella hatches a plot that involves flirtation and stealth, and together she and Lindoro escape. Marilyn Horne, Pablo Montarsolo, Douglas Ahistedt, and Allan Monk star in this legendary Metropolitan Opera production conducted by James Levine.
Lohengrin
Wagner’s Romantic opera demands singing actors who can truly inhabit their parts, and that’s just what we have here. Is it possible for a Knight of the Holy Grail to look more enticing than Peter Hofmann? No wonder Elsa (Eva Marton) falls in love at first sight. Marton’s heroine is innocent, but she is also a passionate, real-life young woman—which is good, because Leonie Rysanek is positively demented as Ortrud, the sorceress who accuses Elsa and Lohengrin of using magic. With James Levine’s superb conducting, the orchestra and chorus are similarly magical.
Le Nozze di Figaro - The Met
From the "James Levine: Celebrating 40 Years at the Met" DVD box set. Jean-Pierre Ponnelle’s landmark production of Mozart’s most human comedy provides the perfect setting for this superb cast under James Levine’s ebullient leadership. The philandering and arrogant Count Almaviva (Thomas Allen) is no match for his wily servant Figaro (Ruggero Raimondi), whose soon-to-be-wife Susanna (Kathleen Battle) is as manipulative as she is charming. Add in one beautiful, disillusioned Countess (Carol Vaness) and one irrepressible, testosterone-laden teenage boy (Cherubino, played by Federica von Stade), and it’s no wonder some critics say this is the perfect opera.
Francesca da Rimini
Live performance at the Metropolitan Opera, 1984. James Levine conducting Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Chorus. Stage direction by Piero Faggioni.
La Forza del Destino
Leonora plans to elope with Don Alvaro, but he accidentally shoots and kills her father, who curses them as he dies. The lovers go on the run, but get separated. Bent on revenge, Leonora's brother Don Carlo, hunts them down. Verdi painted an immense canvas with this dark but tuneful opera, vividly brought to life in John Dexter’s production, with sets by the great Eugene Berman. The legendary Leontyne Price is seen in one of her greatest roles, Leonora. Price’s soaring voice encompasses every nuance of Leonora’s emotion as she moves from joy through resignation to ultimate heartbreak. James Levine’s brilliant leading of the Met orchestra and chorus is a lesson in Verdi style. Giuseppe Giacomini is Alvaro, the man Leonora loves, and Leo Nucci is Don Carlo, the dark instrument of their Fate.
Ernani
Orchestra
Verdi's early masterpiece is based on a Victor Hugo play with a complicated plot concerning a young woman and the three men vying for her affections—her elderly uncle, a king destined to become Holy Roman Emperor, and a bandit who is actually an overthrown nobleman. Though there is plenty of action arising from the various passions and grudges scattered among these characters, the opera is best appreciated as a feast of beautiful and dramatic Italianate singing. With virtuosic roles for a quartet of principals, the opera delivers one feat of heroic vocalism after another.
Berlioz: Les Troyens
Berlioz’s colossal masterpiece requires stupendous forces—dozens of soloists, enormous chorus, orchestra and ballet, a superb conductor who understands the uniqueness of the score—plus a production that does visual justice to the work. “A stupendous achievement” was one critic’s assessment of Peter Wexler’s inventive production. And with James Levine’s wizardry galvanizing the marvelous all-star cast, this is truly a gem. Plácido Domingo is the legendary hero Aeneas, Jessye Norman the obsessed prophetess Cassandra, and Tatiana Troyanos is Queen Dido, who commits suicide when Aeneas leaves her.
Lucia di Lammermoor
This telecast offers a rare opportunity to see the legendary Joan Sutherland in the role that first catapulted her to international stardom. She drove audiences wild by the way her opulent voice caressed the music’s long phrases and sprinted effortlessly through the fiendish runs, trills, embellishments and stratospheric high notes. One of the glories of the operatic world, her portrayal of Donizetti’s hapless heroine is a multifaceted and moving characterization. The incomparable tenor Alfredo Kraus is Edgardo, the man Lucia loves but cannot have. (Performance taped November 13, 1982. Broadcasted September 28, 1983.)
Don Carlo
Ghiaurov, Freni, and Bumbry were great voices in their time, and they are still effective here -- good enough musicians to put over the quite heavy vocal and expressive demands of their roles. Louis Quilico was never quite in that league, and he sounds a bit spread and woofy in places here, but he works hard and effectively to bring Rodrigo to life. Placido Domingo recorded his first Don Carlo, for EMI with Giulini, about 15 years before this production, but he looks and sounds fine here -- in the early 1980's he was doing very good Otellos and Lohengrins too, and Furlanetto, still in his 30's, brings a rich, young voice to an old part and succeeds in making the Grand Inquisitor vocally as well as expressively formidable. Levine brings both weight and energy to the score, and that reading fits well with the overall "traditional" design and production -- the Met's wardrobe budget must have been severely taxed, but everybody looks splendid.
In Concert at The Met
In Concert at the Met (DVD) - Highlights Five of the Met's greatest stars - Price, Horne, Troyanos, Domingo, and Milnes - joined James Levine for a series of irresistible concert programs, originally telecast in the 1980s. Featuring works by composers ranging from Handel to Meyerbeer to Puccini and Verdi, these performances include some of opera's favorite moments, delivered by a stunning group of legendary artists. Plàcido Domingo, Tatiana Troyanos (February 28, 1982) Leontyne Price, Marilyn Horne (March 28, 1982) Plàcido Domingo, Sherrill Milnes (January 30, 1983)
The Metropolitan Opera Centennial Gala
In celebration of its 100th anniversary in 1983, the Metropolitan Opera hosts a four-hour performance uniting some of the world's most spellbinding opera singers and conductors. The event includes a ballet from Samson et Dalila and boasts incredible classical performances from Kathleen Battle, Plácido Domingo, Jose Carerras, Leonard Bernstein, Marilyn Horne, Leona Mitchell, Luciano Pavarotti and many more.
The Metropolitan Opera - Wagner: Tannhäuser
As renowned for its harmonious overture as for its romantic storybook characters, this three-act masterwork features some of the composer’s most groundbreaking and unforgettable music, as well as a theme the young Wagner would revisit again and again later in his career—the redemptive and transcendent power of a woman’s love. The enchanting plot harks back to medieval history: Wolfram is a lovesick troubadour who desires the virtuous Elisabeth. She, however, has eyes for another: the rebellious knight Tannhäuser, who in turn cannot get over an overwhelming sensual experience in the realm of the goddess Venus, and is banished for singing her praises at court. Only saintly Elisabeth’s death can atone for his misdeeds.
Hansel & Gretel - The Met
The Metropolitan Opera's performance of "Hansel and Gretel" features music by Engelbert Humperdinck and is conducted by Thomas Fulton. The Met's storybook production cheerfully evokes a magic world of woodland sprites and candy dreams and yet brings as well the entire apparatus of Wagnerian music and drama to bear on a German fairy tale. This production is sung in English, and features the Metropolitan Opera, Chorus, and Ballet.
Der Rosenkavalier
In this stunning performance from 1982, Strauss’s enchanting fairy tale for adults is blessed with a cast, conductor, and production that have made it legendary—complete with superstar Luciano Pavarotti in the cameo role of the Italian Singer. Gorgeous Kiri Te Kanawa is the Marschallin, the gracious noblewoman who understands that her affair with a younger man cannot last. Tatiana Troyanos is every bit the passionate seventeen year old Octavian who swears he will never love another woman—until he meets the bewitching Sophie (Judith Blegen) when he presents her with a silver rose on behalf of the loutish Baron Ochs (Kurt Moll). James Levine’s inspired leading of the Met orchestra and the enthralling production by Nathaniel Merrill and Robert O’Hearn combine to bring Old Vienna, with its timeless elegance, to life once again.
라 트라비아타
사교계의 스타 비올레타를 본 알프레도는 첫눈에 사랑에 빠진다. 비올레타는 순수한 알프레도의 끈질긴 구애에 동거를 시작한다. 알프레도가 잠시 집을 비운 사이 그의 부친 조르지오 제르몽이 비올레타를 찾아와 알프레도와 헤어져 달라고 부탁한다. 비올레타는 그의 말에 따르고 알프레도는 버림받았다고 오해한다. 알프레도가 진실을 알게 된 후 비올레타를 찾아갔을 땐 그녀는 이미 병으로 죽어가고 있었다. 이들은 지난날의 아름다웠던 시절을 추억하고 비올레타는 그의 품 속에서 숨을 거둔다.
Idomeneo
Opera royalty Luciano Pavarotti brings dignity and power to the title role in this 1982 production. During a squall at sea, Idomeneo -- the king of Crete -- swears to Neptune that if the monarch survives, he'll sacrifice the first person he encounters onshore. Tragically, that person ends up being his son, Idamante (Frederica Von Stade). Maestro James Levine masterfully conducts the orchestra and chorus of the Metropolitan Opera. A musical production that was designed for the "Live From the Met" series, this program was produced by Jean-Pierre Ponnelle.
Puccini: La Boheme
"La Bohème" is one of Giacomo Puccini's most popular and timeless works and the second-most performed opera at New York's Metropolitan Opera. This production, directed by the legendary Franco Zeffirelli, features José Carreras, Teresa Stratas, Renata Scotto and Richard Stilwell. The opera is replete with extraordinary visual beauty as it presents the tragic story of young bohemians struggling to make it in the world.
Rigoletto
The opera's dramatic structure frames and enhances the characters. Scenes of magnificence regularly alternate with scenes of darkness and squalor. From sumptuous interiors, we move to a dark street, a lonely inn. The secondary figures are astutely counterpoised: the plotting courtiers against the plotting Sparafucile and Maddalena (also ambiguously tender-hearted). When Rigoletto says "Pari siamo", he could be expressing the motto of the whole work: the beautiful and the ugly can be equally good, equally evil.
Un Ballo in Maschera
Live from the Metropolitan Opera, 14 February 1980. This version takes place in Boston rather than Sweden.
Don Pasquale
This John Dexter production, designed by Desmond Heeley, was a parting gift to the great American soprano Beverly Sills, who bid farewell to the Met as Norina, the smart young widow at the center of Donizetti’s comedy. The sensational Alfredo Kraus sings her beloved Ernesto. Håkan Hagegård, in his Met debut role and season, is Dr. Malatesta, the man who helps the young couple trick the crusty old bachelor of the title (Gabriel Bacquier at his comical best) into a fake marriage. This being a Donizetti comedy, it all turns out perfectly well at the end—and getting there is pure operatic fun.
Tosca
A stellar cast brings Puccini’s spellbinding opera to life, seizing every opportunity to thrill the audience. Luciano Pavarotti is Cavaradossi, the painter and political revolutionary in love with the beautiful and famous singer Tosca (the riveting Shirley Verrett). Rome’s diabolical chief of police, Baron Scarpia (Cornell MacNeil), wants Tosca for himself—but he underestimates the fury of a woman in love. With torture, murder, and a suicide in its final moments, Tosca packs more dramatic punches than most other operas—and this classic telecast captures them all. James Conlon conducts in a production by the incomparable Tito Gobbi, one of the great Scarpias of the 20th century.
Cavalleria Rusticana/Pagliacci
Plácido Domingo accomplishes the rare feat of singing both leads on the same night at the Met in 1978 on opera's most popular double-bill.
Rigoletto
A Victor Hugo play, haunting and scandalous, provided the inspiration for Verdi’s mid-career masterpiece. A vengeful but misguided court jester strives to save his daughter from a duke’s licentious clutches, but can't part with the feeling that a curse looms over all of his actions. In Rigoletto, the composer introduces several of his most iconic arias and duets—as well as an 11th-hour quartet that counts among the finest moments in opera.
La Bohème
Puccini’s heartbreaking story of young love in the garrets of Belle Epoque Paris has attracted many famous singers through the years. But with James Levine at the helm and the starry duo of Luciano Pavarotti and Renata Scotto as Rodolfo and Mimi, every bit of emotion in the score pours across the footlights and seduces the audience. In this case, the audience was in the millions since this was the very first in the “Live from the Met” series of telecasts. The evocative production is by Fabrizio Melano, designed by Pier Luigi Pizzi.