Opera on WRTI

Eva-Maria Westbroek and Marcello Giordani star as the tragic lovers in Riccardo Zandonai's melodic gem Francesca da Rimini, which is back on the Met stage for the first time in more than 25 years.

This powerful 2010 production of DON CARLO features a strong cast for Verdi’s epic vision of the Spanish Inquisition. Ramón Vargas sings the title role, joined by Barbara Frittoli, Anna Smirnova, Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Ferruccio Furlanetto, and Eric Halfvarson. Lorin Maazel conducts.

Wagner’s final masterpiece explores the many facets of this mystical score. Jonas Kaufmann stars in the title role of the innocent who finds wisdom. His fellow Wagnerian luminaries include Katarina Dalayman as the mysterious Kundry, Peter Mattei as the ailing Amfortas, Evgeny Nikitin as the wicked Klingsor, and René Pape as the noble knight Gurnemanz. Daniele Gatti conducts. Saturday, March 2, * 12 noon to 6 pm (*note early start time).

The Metropolitan Opera's hit production of Georges Bizet's Carmen stars Anita Rachvelishvili, who made a sensational Met debut in the title role in 2010. "With her smoldering, earthy sexuality, she is ideal for the role" of the sultry gypsy (New York Times).

Nikolai Schukoff sings Don José, the soldier whose doomed love for Carmen destroys them both. Ekaterina Scherbachenko is the loyal Micaëla and Dwayne Croft sings the swaggering bullfighter Escamillo. Michele Mariotti conducts. Saturday, February 23, *12:30 to 5 pm (note early start time).

Michael Mayer’s bold new production locates Verdi’s tragedy of lust, betrayal, and revenge in Las Vegas in 1960. Željko Lučić sings the title role and Diana Damrau is his beautiful daughter, who falls under the spell of Piotr Beczala’s womanizing Duke.

Synopsis

Anna Netrebko and Matthew Polenzani star in one of the greatest comic gems in opera, as the fickle Adina and her besotted Nemorino. Mariusz Kwiecien is the blustery sergeant Belcore and Erwin Schrott sings Dulcamara, the loveable quack and dispenser of the elixir. Maurizio Benini conducts. Saturday, February 9th, 1 to 4 pm

Synopsis

Kristine Opolais made “a spectacular Met debut” (New York Post). As Magda, she “brought creamy sound, pliant phrasing and floating high notes” to Puccini’s La Rondine. “A lovely woman and an affectingly natural actress, she has a plush voice with a throbbing richness that lends a touch of poignancy to every phrase she sings (New York Times).