2017-18 Live Broadcasts

“NORMA : Bellini
Original Air Date: 09/25/2017
Cast: Rizzi; Radvanovsky, DiDonato, Calleja, Rose
Media: SID.17400640 Tags: LIVE; 2017
Opening Night 2017-2018 Season – Soprano Sandra Radvanovsky and mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato star in the Met’s new production of Norma. Tenor Joseph Calleja is Pollione, Norma’s unfaithful lover, and Carlo Rizzi conducts. Sir David McVicar’s evocative production sets the action deep in a Druid forest where nature and ancient ritual rule. Production a gift of Veronica Atkins

Reviews
Anthony Tommasini (NY Times): www.nytimes.com/2017/09/26/arts/music/norma-review-metropolitan-opera.html

Anne Midgette (The Washington Post) www.washingtonpost.com/news/style/wp/2017/09/26/for-once-the-met-opera-goes-traditional-for-season-opener/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.b63cc26e01e6

Russell Platt (The New Yorker) www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/norma-and-the-met-operas-leading-ladies

James Jorden (New York Observer) observer.com/2017/09/review-sondra-radvanovsky-sizzles-in-mets-norma-despite-all-odds/

Telegraph www.telegraph.co.uk/opera/what-to-see/norma-review-met-opera-live-hd-solid-unpretentious-spectacle/“

DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE : Mozart
Live in HD 

James Levine conducts Rene Pape, Golda Schultz, Kathryn Lewek, Charles Castronuovo and Markuys Werba in the Mozart classic

THE EXTERMINATING ANGEL : Adès
Original Air Date: 11/18/2017
Cast: Adès; Luna, Echalaz, Matthews, etc.

From metopera.org: Following the rapturous response to his last opera, The Tempest, the Met presents the American premiere of Thomas Adès’s The Exterminating Angel, inspired by the classic Luis Buñuel film of the same name. Hailed by the New York Times at its 2016 Salzburg Festival premiere as “inventive and audacious … a major event,” The Exterminating Angel is a surreal fantasy about a dinner party from which the guests can’t escape. Tom Cairns, who wrote the libretto, directs the new production, and Adès conducts his own adventurous new opera.

Music by Thomas Adès, libretto by Tom Cairns in collaboration with the composer, based on the screenplay by Luis Buñuel and Luis Alcoriza”

“TOSCA : Puccini
Original Air Date: 01/27/2018
Cast: Villaume; Yoncheva, Grigolo, Lucic
Media: Live Broadcast SID.18040640 Tags: LIVE; 2018, Puccini
Sir David McVicar’s “smashing new production” is “a grand triumph” (Huffington Post), featuring an exciting cast led by soprano Sonya Yoncheva in the title role of the fiery diva and Vittorio Grigolo as her passionate lover, Cavaradossi. The pair are “youthful, ardent, and innocent … their duets electric, their kisses hot and numerous” (Wall Street Journal). Yoncheva’s sound is “richly textured and shimmering,” and “Grigolo’s Mario is a true hothead … complete with thrilling top notes” (New York Times). Željko Lučić is “an imposing figure with a voice to match” (Wall Street Journal) as the villainous police chief, Scarpia, and Emmanuel Villaume conducts.

Production a gift of Jacqueline Desmarais, in memory of Paul G. Desmarais Sr; The Paiko Foundation; and Dr. Elena Prokupets, in memory of her late husband, Rudy Prokupets

Major funding from Rolex
-metopera.org”

“L’ELISIR D’AMORE : Donizetti
Original Air Date: 02/10/2018
Cast: Hindoyan; Yende, Polenzani, Luciano, D’Arcangelo
Media: Live Broadcast SID.18060639 Tags: LIVE; 2018
Pretty Yende debuts a new role at the Met with her first Adina opposite Matthew Polenzani, who enthralled Met audiences as Nemorino in 2013 with his ravishing “Una furtiva lagrima.” Bartlett Sher’s production is charming, with deft comedic timing, but also emotionally revealing. Domingo Hindoyan conducts. (metopera.org) “

“LA BOHÈME : Puccini
Original Air Date: 02/24/2018
Cast: Armiliato; Yoncheva, Phillips, Fabiano, Meachem, Lavrov, Rose, Plishka
Media: Live Broadcast SID.18080640 Tags: LIVE; 2018, Puccini
“

“SEMIRAMIDE : Rossini
Original Air Date: 03/10/2018
Cast: Benini; Meade, DeShong, Abdrazakov, Camarena
Media: Live Broadcast SID.18100640 Tags: LIVE; 2018
This masterpiece of dazzling vocal fireworks makes a rare Met appearance—its first in nearly 25 years—with Maurizio Benini on the podium. The all-star bel canto cast features Angela Meade in the title role of the murderous Queen of Babylon, who squares off in breathtaking duets with Arsace, a trouser role sung by Elizabeth DeShong. Javier Camarena, Ildar Abdrazakov, and Ryan Speedo Green complete the stellar cast.

Production a gift of the Lila Acheson and DeWitt Wallace Fund for Lincoln Center, established by the founders of The Reader’s Digest Association, Inc.

Revival a gift of Ekkehart Hassels-Weiler”

“COSÌ FAN TUTTE : Mozart
Original Air Date: 03/31/2018
Cast: Robertson; Majeski, Bliss, Malfi, Plachetka, O’Hara, Maltman
Media: Live Broadcast SID.18130639 Tags: LIVE; 2018, Mozart
“

“LUISA MILLER : Verdi
Original Air Date: 04/14/2018
Cast: de Billy; Yoncheva, Beczala, Domingo, Vinogradov, Belosselskiy, Petrova
Media: Live in HD SID.18150640 Tags: LIVE; 2018, Domingo, Verdi
Plácido Domingo adds yet another role to his legendary Met career in this rarely performed Verdi gem, a heart-wrenching tragedy of fatherly love. Sonya Yoncheva sings the title role opposite Piotr Beczała in the first Met performances of the opera in more than ten years. Bertrand de Billy conducts.

Production a gift of Catherine and Ephraim Gildor

Revival a gift of Rolex and Mrs. Jayne Wrightsman
“

“CENDRILLON : Massenet
Original Air Date: 04/28/2018
Cast: de Billy; DiDonato, Coote, Kim, Blythe, Naouri
Media: Live Broadcast SID.18170640 Tags: LIVE; 2018

observer.com/2018/04/joyce-didonato-shines-in-luminous-cendrillon-at-met-opera-review/“

AIDA : Verdi
LIVE IN HD 
Luisotti; Netrebko, Rachvelishvili, Antonenko, Kelsey, Belosselskiy, Speed Green
Media: Live in HD SID.18400600 

NYT Review   (Tommassini)  Last spring at the Metropolitan Opera, the soprano Anna Netrebko took on the title role of Puccini’s “Tosca” for the first time. She claimed that touchstone part for her own, and put her mark on the whole season. On Wednesday at the Met, Ms. Netrebko did it again, this time in the title role of Verdi’s “Aida.” She is still fairly new to this challenging part, which she introduced at the Salzburg Festival a year ago. There was something fresh and exploratory about her performance on Wednesday. Yet it also felt fully formed, dramatically deep. And she sang magnificently.

Observer (Jorden)  “Ritorna vincitor!” cries the Egyptian throng in the first scene of Aida as they send their hero off to war: “Return in triumph!”  And that’s what the Met’s undisputed prima donna Anna Netrebko did last night in her first local performance of the protean title role of this opera: she came, she sang and she conquered.

Reviews 

MOBY DICK
Jake Heggie amd Geme Scheer
Three hours, including one intermission
SUNG IN ENGLISH
LA Opera On Air

“Call it a success… A whale tale with staying power” – Los Angeles Times
“Theatrically stunning… epic in scale. A vibrant, compelling piece of musical theater” – San Francisco Chronicle

Epic in every sense of the word, Moby-Dick comes to Los Angeles after a series of sold out triumphs around the world. Returning as Captain Ahab is the sensational Jay Hunter Morris, whose “fiery brilliance in his resplendent upper range captured both Ahab’s inner strength and demonic possession” (SanDiego.com). Based on Herman Melville’s classic novel, Jake Heggie’s sweeping, gorgeously detailed score has already taken its rightful place as a true contemporary masterpiece.

With astonishing visual effects and a magnificent musical score, one of the very greatest of all American novels comes thrillingly to life on the stage. A fanatical sea captain’s unrelenting obsession for revenge drives his entire crew into the face of death and destruction as they explore the vast and mysterious oceans in search of a monster.

CAST
CAPTAIN AHAB ….. Jay Hunter Morris
GREENHORN ….. Joshua Guerrero
STARBUCK, FIRST MATE ….. Morgan Smith
QUEEQUEG, A HARPOONER ….. Musa Ngqungwana
PIP, CABIN BOY ….. Jacqueline Echols
STUBB, SECOND MATE ….. Malcolm MacKenzie
FLASK, THIRD MATE ….. Matthew O’Neill
CAPTAIN GARDINER ….. Nicholas Brownlee
TASHTEGO, A HARPOONER ….. Sal Malaki
DAGGOO, A HARPOONER ….. Babatunde Akinboboye
NANTUCKET SAILOR ….. Todd Strange
SPANISH SAILOR ….. James Martin Schaefer

COMPOSER ….. Jake Heggie
LIBRETTIST ….. Gene Scheer
CONDUCTOR ….. James Conlon

SAMSON ET DALILA:Saint-Saëns
Original Air Date: 10/20/2018
Elder; Garanca, Algana, Naouri, Azizov, Belosselskiy
Live in HD SID.18420600

LA FANCIULLA DEL WEST : Puccini
Armiliato; Westbroek, Kaufmann, Bosi, Lucic, Simpson, Rose, Gradus
Live in HD

PROGRAM 

Soprano Eva-Maria Westbroek sings Puccini’s gun-slinging heroine in this romantic epic of the Wild West. Tenor Yusif Eyvazov portrays Dick Johnson for opening night (Oct 4, 8, 12)  Jonas Kaufmann returns to the MET for performances on Oct 17, 20, 23, and 27.   Baritone Željko Lučić is the vigilante sheriff Jack Rance, and Marco Armiliato conducts.

NYTimes Review: Jonas Kaufmann, Back at the Met, Is Good, Not Great

BWWReview:  Kaufmann Returns to the Met with a ‘Heigh-ho Silver’ in Puccini’s FANCIULLA DEL WEST

Wagner
Original Air Date: 03/02/1957
Stiedry; Harshaw, Windgassen, Böhme, Uhde, Schech, Madeira
MOD Audio SID.18450101

Puccini
Original Air Date: 03/21/1981
Levine; Zylis-Gara, Ciannella, Elvira, Capecchi
SID.18450315

Gounod
Original Air Date: 04/13/1968
Molinari-Pradelli; Gedda, Freni, Macurdy, Baldwin, Reardon
SID.18450317

Donizetti
Original Air Date: 12/05/1964
Varviso; Sutherland; Kónya, Herlea, Giaiotti
MOD Audio SID.18450319

Rossini
Original Air Date: 01/17/1976
Schippers; Sills, Verrett, Di Giuseppe, Díaz
SID.18450422

Tchaikovsky
Original Air Date: 04/10/1999
Gergiev; Domingo, Gorchakova, Söderström, Hvorostovsky, Borodina, Putilin
MOD AudioMOD Video SID.18450423

Puccini
Original Air Date: 03/21/1981
Levine; Zylis-Gara, Ciannella, Elvira, Capecchi
SID.18450424

Verdi
Original Air Date: 12/19/1987
Bonynge; Pavarotti, Sutherland, Verrett, Nucci, De Grandis
MOD Audio SID.18450425

Wagner
Original Air Date: 12/04/1976
Levine; Kollo, Lorengar, Dunn, McIntyre, Giaiotti
SID.18450426

Verdi
Original Air Date: 04/04/1959
Cleva; Gari, Rysanek, Merrill, Thebom, Hines, Uhde
MOD Audio SID.18450529

Mozart
Original Air Date: 03/04/1967
Krips; Raskin, Shirley, Uppman, Peters, Macurdy
MOD Audio SID.18450530

Verdi
Original Air Date: 04/04/1959
Cleva; Gari, Rysanek, Merrill, Thebom, Hines, Uhde
MOD Audio SID.18450531

Strauss
Original Air Date: 03/09/1991
Kout; Ziegler, Gessendorf, Haugland, Kilduff, Meredith
SID.18450532

Giordano
Original Air Date: 04/26/1997
Abbado; Freni, Domingo, Croft, Arteta
MOD Video SID.18450533

Verdi
Original Air Date: 03/11/1995
Levine; Chernov, Millo, Domingo, Scandiuzzi, Pola
SID.18450534

Donizetti
Original Air Date: 12/05/1964
Varviso; Sutherland; Kónya, Herlea, Giaiotti
MOD Audio SID.18450535