Berg
Original Air Date: 12/27/2019
Nézet-Séguin; van den Heever, Mumford, Ventris, Siegel, Staples, Mattei, Van Horn
SID.19520000
After wowing audiences with his astounding production of Lulu in 2015, South African artist William Kentridge now focuses his extraordinary visual imagination on Berg’s other operatic masterpiece, set in an apocalyptic pre–World War I environment. Met Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin is on the podium for this important event, with baritone Peter Mattei making his highly anticipated role debut as the title character. Soprano Elza van den Heever is Wozzeck’s unfaithful mate, and the commanding cast also includes tenor Christopher Ventris as the Drum-Major, bass-baritone Christian Van Horn as the Doctor, and tenor Gerhard Siegel as the Captain.
Verdi
Original Air Date: 01/10/2020
Chichon; Kurzak, Popov, Kelsey
SID.20020000
Michael Mayer’s sumptuous staging, a highlight of the 2018–19 season, returns with two casts of bright stars. Sopranos Aleksandra Kurzak and Lisette Oropesa share the role of Violetta, the opera’s tragic heroine, opposite tenor Dmytro Popov as her ardent lover, Alfredo, and baritones Quinn Kelsey and Luca Salsi as Alfredo’s stern father, Germont. Karel Mark Chichon and Bertrand de Billy conduct one of opera’s greatest scores.
Berlioz
Original Air Date: 01/29/2020
Gardner; Garanca, Hymel, Abdrazakov
SID.20050000
LA DAMNATION DE FAUST:Berlioz
Gardner; Garanca, Hymel, Abdrazakov
Original Air Date: 01/29/2020
SID.20050321
Berlioz’s compelling take on the Faust legend returns for the first time in a decade, with an ideal lineup of stars. High-flying tenors Bryan Hymel and Michael Spyres sing the doomed and besotted Faust, opposite dazzling mezzo-soprano Elīna Garanča as the forsaken Marguerite and bass Ildar Abdrazakov as the malevolent Méphistophélès. Edward Gardner conducts. Please note that these are concert presentations on the Met stage. The decision to present La Damnation de Faust in its more usual concert version is driven by the unanticipated technical demands of reviving the Met’s staged production, which proved to be impossible to accommodate within the company’s production schedule.
LA DAMNATION DE FAUST:Berlioz
Gardner; Garanca, Hymel, Abdrazakov
Original Air Date: 01/29/2020
SID.20050321
Berlioz’s compelling take on the Faust legend returns for the first time in a decade, with an ideal lineup of stars. High-flying tenors Bryan Hymel and Michael Spyres sing the doomed and besotted Faust, opposite dazzling mezzo-soprano Elīna Garanča as the forsaken Marguerite and bass Ildar Abdrazakov as the malevolent Méphistophélès. Edward Gardner conducts. Please note that these are concert presentations on the Met stage. The decision to present La Damnation de Faust in its more usual concert version is driven by the unanticipated technical demands of reviving the Met’s staged production, which proved to be impossible to accommodate within the company’s production schedule.
AGRIPPINA:Handel
Bicket; Rae, DiDonato, Lindsey, Davies, Rock, Rose
Original Air Date: 02/06/2020
SID.20060000
Handel’s tale of intrigue and impropriety in ancient Rome receives its first Met performances, with star mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato as the controlling, power-hungry Agrippina and Harry Bicket conducting. Sir David McVicar’s production ingeniously reframes the action of this black comedy about the abuse of power to “the present,” where it should loudly resonate. The all-star cast features mezzo-soprano Kate Lindsey as Agrippina’s son and future emperor Nerone, soprano Brenda Rae as the seductive Poppea, countertenor Iestyn Davies as the ambitious officer Ottone, and bass Matthew Rose as the weary emperor Claudius. This production was originally created by the Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie / De Munt Brussels and adapted by the Metropolitan Opera
Mozart
Original Air Date: 02/18/2020
Bicket; Car, Malfi, Stober, Bliss, Pisaroni, Finley
SID.20080000
Coney Island once again comes to the stage of the Met with the first revival of Phelim McDermott’s popular staging inspired by the side shows of the boardwalk. The pairs of young lovers are a casting dream: soprano Nicole Car, mezzo-soprano Serena Malfi, tenor Ben Bliss, and bass-baritone Luca Pisaroni, with the glorious bass-baritone Gerald Finley as the cynical Don Alfonso and the charming soprano Heidi Stober as the mischievous maid Despina. Harry Bicket conducts.
Co-production of the Metropolitan Opera and English National Opera In collaboration with Improbable
Production a gift of William R. Miller, and John Sucich / Trust of Joseph Padula Additional funding from The Walter and Leonore Annenberg Endowment Fund, and the National Endowment for the Arts
COSÌ FAN TUTTE:Mozart
Bicket; Car, Malfi, Stober, Bliss, Pisaroni, Finley
Original Air Date: 02/18/2020
SID.20080000
Coney Island once again comes to the stage of the Met with the first revival of Phelim McDermott’s popular staging inspired by the side shows of the boardwalk. The pairs of young lovers are a casting dream: soprano Nicole Car, mezzo-soprano Serena Malfi, tenor Ben Bliss, and bass-baritone Luca Pisaroni, with the glorious bass-baritone Gerald Finley as the cynical Don Alfonso and the charming soprano Heidi Stober as the mischievous maid Despina. Harry Bicket conducts. Co-production of the Metropolitan Opera and English National Opera In collaboration with Improbable
COSÌ FAN TUTTE:Mozart
Bicket; Car, Malfi, Stober, Bliss, Pisaroni, Finley
Original Air Date: 02/18/2020
SID.20080214
Coney Island once again comes to the stage of the Met with the first revival of Phelim McDermott’s popular staging inspired by the side shows of the boardwalk. The pairs of young lovers are a casting dream: soprano Nicole Car, mezzo-soprano Serena Malfi, tenor Ben Bliss, and bass-baritone Luca Pisaroni, with the glorious bass-baritone Gerald Finley as the cynical Don Alfonso and the charming soprano Heidi Stober as the mischievous maid Despina. Harry Bicket conducts. Co-production of the Metropolitan Opera and English National Opera In collaboration with Improbable
DER FLIEGENDE HOLLÄNDER:Wagner
Gergiev; Kampe, Fujimura, Skorokhodov, Portillo, Nikitin, Selig
Original Air Date: 03/02/2020
SID.20100107
François Girard, whose revelatory 2013 take on Parsifal set the recent Met standard for Wagner stagings, now unveils a spellbinding new vision of the composer’s tale of a cursed sea captain doomed to sail the open ocean for eternity. With sweeping sets by John Macfarlane, Girard’s new production turns the Met stage into a rich, layered tableau reminiscent of a vast oil painting. Valery Gergiev conducts a brilliant cast led by bass-baritone Evgeny Nikitin as the Dutchman, with German soprano Anja Kampe making her anticipated Met debut as the devoted Senta, whose selfless love is what the Dutchman seeks. Bass Franz-Josef Selig is her father, Daland, and tenor Sergey Skorokhodov is her deserted former lover, Erik. A co-production of the Metropolitan Opera; Dutch National Opera, Amsterdam; The Abu Dhabi Festival; and Opéra de Québec
Massenet
Original Air Date: 03/16/2020
Nézet-Séguin; Fang, DiDonato, Beczala, Dupuis, Opie
SID.20120000
Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts Massenet’s tragedy, a perfect vehicle for outstanding tenors, starring Piotr Beczała, who certainly fits the bill. The magnificent mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato is Charlotte, the object of Werther’s misguided affections, alongside sopranos Erin Morley and Ying Fang as Sophie and baritone Etienne Dupuis as Albert, in Sir Richard Eyre’s arresting production.
Puccini
de Billy; Netrebko, Mavlyanov, Gagnidze, Carfizzi
Original Air Date: 03/26/2020
SID.20130431
Cancelled due to COVID-19.
Puccini
Original Air Date: 03/26/2020
de Billy; Netrebko, Mavlyanov, Gagnidze, Carfizzi
SID.20130000
Soprano Anna Netrebko, whom the New York Times hailed as “magnificent” when she made her role debut as Tosca in 2018, returns as Puccini’s explosive diva, back by popular demand. Tenors Najmiddin Mavlyanov and Brian Jagde alternate as the idealistic painter Cavaradossi, and baritones George Gagnidze and Michael Volle complete the opera’s fatal love triangle as the sinister Scarpia. Bertrand de Billy conducts Sir David McVicar’s stunning production.
LA BOHÈME:Puccini
Gaffigan; Car, Blue, Grigolo, Dupuis, Luciano, Rose, Maxwell
Original Air Date: 09/25/2018
SID.20140103
Puccini’s timeless masterpiece of love and loss features two casts of young stars. Sopranos Nicole Car (in her highly anticipated Met debut) and Ailyn Pérez share the role of the ill-fated Mimì, opposite tenors Vittorio Grigolo and Michael Fabiano as the ardent poet Rodolfo. After a celebrated Met debut as Mimì in 2017, Angel Blue returns as the spitfire Musetta, and Etienne Dupuis (in his Met debut) and Lucas Meachem share the role of Marcello. James Gaffigan conducts.
LA BOHÈME:Puccini
Gaffigan; Car, Blue, Grigolo, Dupuis, Luciano, Rose, Maxwell
Original Air Date: 09/25/2018
SID.20140320
Puccini’s timeless masterpiece of love and loss features two casts of young stars. Sopranos Nicole Car (in her highly anticipated Met debut) and Ailyn Pérez share the role of the ill-fated Mimì, opposite tenors Vittorio Grigolo and Michael Fabiano as the ardent poet Rodolfo. After a celebrated Met debut as Mimì in 2017, Angel Blue returns as the spitfire Musetta, and Etienne Dupuis (in his Met debut) and Lucas Meachem share the role of Marcello. James Gaffigan conducts.
Mimì………………..Nicole Car [Debut]
Rodolfo……………..Vittorio Grigolo
Musetta……………..Angel Blue
Marcello…………….Etienne Dupuis [Debut]
Schaunard……………Davide Luciano
Colline……………..Matthew Rose
Benoit………………Donald Maxwell
Alcindoro……………Donald Maxwell
Parpignol……………Jeremy Little
Sergeant…………….Daniel Peretto
Officer……………..Scott Dispensa
Conductor…………..James Gaffigan [Debut]
Production…………..Franco Zeffirelli
Set designer…………Franco Zeffirelli
Costume designer……..Peter J. Hall
Lighting designer…….Gil Wechsler
Stage Director……….J. Knighten Smit
LA BOHÈME:Puccini
Gaffigan; Car, Blue, Grigolo, Dupuis, Luciano, Rose, Maxwell
Original Air Date: 09/25/2018
SID.20140537
Puccini’s timeless masterpiece of love and loss features two casts of young stars. Sopranos Nicole Car (in her highly anticipated Met debut) and Ailyn Pérez share the role of the ill-fated Mimì, opposite tenors Vittorio Grigolo and Michael Fabiano as the ardent poet Rodolfo. After a celebrated Met debut as Mimì in 2017, Angel Blue returns as the spitfire Musetta, and Etienne Dupuis (in his Met debut) and Lucas Meachem share the role of Marcello. James Gaffigan conducts.
PARSIFAL:Wagner
Nezet-Seguin; Herlitzius, Vogt, Mattei, Nikitin, Pape
Original Air Date: 02/05/2018
SID.20150103
Met Music Director Designate Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts Wagner’s transcendental score, in François Girard’s remarkable production, a mystical theatrical journey. Tenor Klaus Florian Vogt, renowned across Europe, returns to the Met following his appearances in the 2016–17 season as Florestan in Fidelio. Evelyn Herlitzius is Kundry, and Peter Mattei and René Pape bring back their highly praised interpretations of Amfortas and Gurnemanz, respectively. Production a gift of the Gramma Fisher Foundation, Marshalltown, Iowa; Major funding from Rolex; Additional funding from Marina Kellen French, and the Edgar Foster Daniels Foundation; Revival a gift of Marina Kellen French
PARSIFAL:Wagner
Nezet-Seguin; Herlitzius, Vogt, Mattei, Nikitin, Pape
Original Air Date: 02/05/2018
SID.20150104
Met Music Director Designate Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts Wagner’s transcendental score, in François Girard’s remarkable production, a mystical theatrical journey. Tenor Klaus Florian Vogt, renowned across Europe, returns to the Met following his appearances in the 2016–17 season as Florestan in Fidelio. Evelyn Herlitzius is Kundry, and Peter Mattei and René Pape bring back their highly praised interpretations of Amfortas and Gurnemanz, respectively. Production a gift of the Gramma Fisher Foundation, Marshalltown, Iowa; Major funding from Rolex; Additional funding from Marina Kellen French, and the Edgar Foster Daniels Foundation; Revival a gift of Marina Kellen French
PARSIFAL:Wagner
Nezet-Seguin; Herlitzius, Vogt, Mattei, Nikitin, Pape
Original Air Date: 02/05/2018
SID.20150321
Met Music Director Designate Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts Wagner’s transcendental score, in François Girard’s remarkable production, a mystical theatrical journey. Tenor Klaus Florian Vogt, renowned across Europe, returns to the Met following his appearances in the 2016–17 season as Florestan in Fidelio. Evelyn Herlitzius is Kundry, and Peter Mattei and René Pape bring back their highly praised interpretations of Amfortas and Gurnemanz, respectively. Production a gift of the Gramma Fisher Foundation, Marshalltown, Iowa; Major funding from Rolex; Additional funding from Marina Kellen French, and the Edgar Foster Daniels Foundation; Revival a gift of Marina Kellen French
PARSIFAL:Wagner
Nezet-Seguin; Herlitzius, Vogt, Mattei, Nikitin, Pape
Original Air Date: 02/05/2018
SID.20150322
Met Music Director Designate Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts Wagner’s transcendental score, in François Girard’s remarkable production, a mystical theatrical journey. Tenor Klaus Florian Vogt, renowned across Europe, returns to the Met following his appearances in the 2016–17 season as Florestan in Fidelio. Evelyn Herlitzius is Kundry, and Peter Mattei and René Pape bring back their highly praised interpretations of Amfortas and Gurnemanz, respectively. Production a gift of the Gramma Fisher Foundation, Marshalltown, Iowa; Major funding from Rolex; Additional funding from Marina Kellen French, and the Edgar Foster Daniels Foundation; Revival a gift of Marina Kellen French
PARSIFAL:Wagner
Nezet-Seguin; Herlitzius, Vogt, Mattei, Nikitin, Pape
Original Air Date: 02/05/2018
SID.20150538
Met Music Director Designate Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts Wagner’s transcendental score, in François Girard’s remarkable production, a mystical theatrical journey. Tenor Klaus Florian Vogt, renowned across Europe, returns to the Met following his appearances in the 2016–17 season as Florestan in Fidelio. Evelyn Herlitzius is Kundry, and Peter Mattei and René Pape bring back their highly praised interpretations of Amfortas and Gurnemanz, respectively. Production a gift of the Gramma Fisher Foundation, Marshalltown, Iowa; Major funding from Rolex; Additional funding from Marina Kellen French, and the Edgar Foster Daniels Foundation; Revival a gift of Marina Kellen French
Verdi
Original Air Date: 04/10/2020
Rizzi; Pérez, Calleja, Álvarez, Azizov, Belosselskiy
SID.20150000
Audience favorite Ailyn Pérez takes on the touching role of Amelia Grimaldi, with legendary baritone Carlos Álvarez returning to the Met for the first time in more than a decade in the title role. Elegant tenor Joseph Calleja is her lover, Gabriele Adorno, and magisterial bass Dmitry Belosselskiy completes the principal cast as Amelia’s grandfather, Jacopo Fiesco. Carlo Rizzi takes the podium for Verdi’s timeless tale of political and family intrigue.
PARSIFAL:Wagner
Nezet-Seguin; Herlitzius, Vogt, Mattei, Nikitin, Pape
Original Air Date: 02/05/2018
SID.20150640
Met Music Director Designate Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts Wagner’s transcendental score, in François Girard’s remarkable production, a mystical theatrical journey. Tenor Klaus Florian Vogt, renowned across Europe, returns to the Met following his appearances in the 2016–17 season as Florestan in Fidelio. Evelyn Herlitzius is Kundry, and Peter Mattei and René Pape bring back their highly praised interpretations of Amfortas and Gurnemanz, respectively. Production a gift of the Gramma Fisher Foundation, Marshalltown, Iowa; Major funding from Rolex; Additional funding from Marina Kellen French, and the Edgar Foster Daniels Foundation; Revival a gift of Marina Kellen French
SIMON BOCCANEGRA:Verdi
Original Air Date: 02/05/2011 SID.20160000
THE CAST (in order of vocal appearance)
Paolo Albiani baritone, NICOLA ALAIMO
Pietro bass, RICHARD BERNSTEIN
Simon Boccanegra baritone, DMITRI HVOROSTOVSKY
Jacopo Fiesco bass, FERRUCCIO FURLANETTO
Amelia soprano, BARBARA FRITTOLI
Gabriele Adorno tenor, RAMÓN VARGAS
Amelia’s maid mezzo, EDYTA KULCZAK
Captain tenor, ADAM LAURENCE HERSKOWITZ
THE SCENES Timings (ET) (Genoa, 14th c.)
1:00- PROLOGUE A public square
-2:31 ACT I
Sc. 1 Grimaldi palace gardens, twenty-five years later
Sc. 2 Doge’s council chamber
3:00- ACT II Doge’s apartments
-3:59 ACT III The council chamber
NYTIMES Review
ELEKTRA:Strauss
Esa-Pekka Salonen; Nina Stemme, Waltraud Meier, Adrianne Pieczonka, Eric Owens
Original Air Date: 04/30/2016
Live in HD
SID.20170107
FALSTAFF:Verdi
Farnes; Schultz, Pérez, Lemieux, Johnson Cano, Demuro, Maestri, Rodríguez
Original Air Date: 02/22/2019
SID.20170321
Baritone Ambrogio Maestri brings his larger-than-life portrayal of the title role back for the first time since his Met role debut in the 2013–14 season. Robert Carsen’s insightful production—which moves the action to postwar England in the 1950s—features an exceptional cast that includes soprano Ailyn Pérez as Alice Ford and soprano Golda Schultz as Nannetta.
Donizetti
Original Air Date: 04/23/2020
Benini; Damrau, Barton, Costello, Filonczyk, Pertusi
SID.20170000
FALSTAFF:Verdi
Farnes; Schultz, Pérez, Lemieux, Johnson Cano, Demuro, Maestri, Rodríguez
Original Air Date: 02/22/2019
SID.20170538
Baritone Ambrogio Maestri brings his larger-than-life portrayal of the title role back for the first time since his Met role debut in the 2013–14 season. Robert Carsen’s insightful production—which moves the action to postwar England in the 1950s—features an exceptional cast that includes soprano Ailyn Pérez as Alice Ford and soprano Golda Schultz as Nannetta.
Puccini
Original Air Date: 04/28/2020
Farnes; Yoncheva, Álvarez, Wang, Azizov, Sherratt
SID.20180000
Powerful soprano Sonya Yoncheva takes on Puccini’s fiery and defiant heroine in Sir Richard Eyre’s grand production. Leading tenor Marcelo Álvarez is Chevalier des Grieux, who pursues Manon beyond the point of no return, and Richard Farnes conducts.
Janáček
Original Air Date: 05/02/2020
Koenigs; Phillips, Mack, Zajick, Cernoch, Margita, Appleby, Tomlinson
SID.20180000
Janáček’s gripping domestic drama makes a rare appearance on the Met stage, its first since 2005. The soaring soprano Susanna Phillips sings the title role, a young woman forced by fate to choose between true love and family honor, with beloved mezzo-soprano Dolora Zajick as her unyielding mother-in-law. Tenor Pavel Černoch is the young object of Káťa’s love, and legendary bass Sir John Tomlinson is his rich but cruel uncle. Lothar Koenigs conducts one of the defining operatic scores of the 20th century.