Category: Opera

blog posts about operas

Opera in NYC: Turandot at the Metropolitan Opera

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Opera in NYC: Turandot at the Metropolitan Opera

Giacomo Puccini’s final masterpiece in Franco Zeffirelli’s opulent production returns to the Met Opera for 2019-2020 season starting from Oct. 3, 2019

Opera Turandot at Metropolitan Opera Lincoln Center NYC
Oksana Dyka in the title role of Puccini’s “Turandot.”
Photo: Marty Sohl/Metropolitan Opera

Puccini’s Turandot, a grand spectacle of timeless music, rich decorations, dramatic aria, and dazzling performers is a crown-jewel in the Metropolitan Opera repertoire.

The legendary story about the cold and proud Chinese princess claiming her superiority over every contender for her heart is lavishly staged in this historic Franco Zeffirelli‘s  production from 1987. Giacomo Puccini. In the 2019-2020 season, the cast includes sopranos Christine Goerke and Nina Stemme in the title role, tenors Roberto Aronica and Marco Berti alternating as Prince Calaf, sopranos Eleanora Buratto and Hibla Gerzmava as Liu with Yannick Nezet-Seguin conducting. Rich orchestration, the inclusion of the uncommon musical instruments in the score, innovative use of chorus and ballet are all part of this grand spectacle of pride, revenge, and love.

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dell’Arte Opera Festival at La MaMa Theater: Works by Women

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dell’Arte Opera Festival at La MaMa Theater: Works by Women

Whitney George and Bea Goodwin
Whitney George, Bea Goodwin, stage and music directors / Images are courtesy of dell’Arte Opera Festival

Join dell’Arte’s inspiring young singers this August 10-25 as we celebrate the contributions of great female composers in a thrilling exploration of Voices from the Tower

Our August mainstage productions are “La liberazione di Ruggiero” by Francesca Caccini (1625), playing opposite the World Premiere of dell’Arte’s first commissioned piece  “Princess Maleine” by Whitney George and Bea Goodwin.  All productions are offered with orchestra and English surtitles at the handicap-accessible La Mama Theatre on East 4th Street as part of their “Summer Shares” program.  You can also see “Scenes from the Tower” featuring excerpts by T. Musgrave and V. Bond and all of Viardot’s charming “Cendrillon”.

 

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Voices from the Tower Program

La Liberazione di Ruggiero (Francesca Caccini, 1625)

August 10, 11m, 15, 17, 23, 25m

Princess Maleine (Whitney George, libretto by Bea Goodwin) World Premiere

August 16, 18m, 20, 22, 24

Scenes from the Tower

August 21, 24m

Cendrillon (Pauline Viardot, libretto by Pauline Viardot, 1904)

Mary, Queen of Scots (Thea Musgrave, libretto by Thea Musgrave, 1977)

Mrs. President (Victoria Bond, libretto by Hilary Bell, 2001)

Les Boulangers (Lili and Nadia Boulanger)

August 17m

Works (TBA) by sisters Lili and Nadia Bolanger performed as a recital by members of dell’Arte ensemble and cover artists, accompanied by dell’Arte musical staff.

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Festival Dates: August 10-25, 2019

Festival Venue: La Mama Theatre on East 4th Street

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Opera in NYC: Verdi’s Rigoletto at the Metropolitan Opera from February 2019

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Opera in NYC: Verdi’s Rigoletto at the Metropolitan Opera from February 2019

Verdi’s masterpiece about a court jester Rigoletto returns to the Metropolitan Opera in February with more performances in March and May 2019

George Gagnidze in the title role of Verdi's Rigoletto at the MetOpera
George Gagnidze in the title role of Verdi’s Rigoletto. Photo by Richard Termine/ Metropolitan Opera.

Rigoletto in Las-Vegas? Verdi’s extremely popular opera set to a powerful play by Victor Hugo seems to be destined for any epoch and impervious to the time and place transformations. With an ever-relevant fable and beloved arias widely familiar to opera fans and recognizable to those new to the genre, this opera is a time-tested favorite of every opera house.

Shifted to Las Vegas in the 1960s, Michael Mayer’s 2013 production of Rigoletto gets a modern look while telling the same centuries-old story of corruption, evil and love. While the power of the old man curse put at the center of the tale seems less believable in the 20th century, the dirty intrigues and the ruthlessness of the lonely figures doing shady business look rather plausible.

For the last four performances of Rigoletto in this season production at the MetOpera, the cast includes the highly-acclaimed baritone George Gagnidze as a tragic jester with Matthew Polenzanni taking on the role of amoral Duke. Rosa Feola sings innocent Gilda.

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Opera in NYC: Mozart’s Don Giovanni at the Met Opera

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Opera in NYC: Mozart’s Don Giovanni at the Met Opera

The most Romantic Mozart masterpiece fills the Met Opera house with delightful music and incredible singing; performances run thru April 18, 2019

Luca Pisaroni as Don Giovanni and Rachel Willis-Sørensen as Donna Anna in Mozart's "Don Giovanni."
Luca Pisaroni as Don Giovanni and Rachel Willis-Sørensen as Donna Anna in Mozart’s “Don Giovanni.” Photo: Marty Sohl / Met Opera

Delicious music, dynamic staging, and incredible singing are all on view in the Metropolitan Opera production of Mozart’s Don Giovanni. Bringing much-needed theatricality and energy to the centuries-old genre of dark comedy, the vibrant arias of the sopranos that vie for and suffer from the frivolity and ferocity of the Don are contrasted with the lower register voices of the male cast, who are well-meaning but helpless. The built-up tensions can only be resolved by a divine intervention, stressing the intransigent nature of philanderers and seducers. And Mozart’s music rescues the improbable plot!

This year Don Giovanni cast features bass-baritone Luca Pisaroni and baritone Peter Mattei alternating in the title role, bass Ildar Abdrazakov and bass-baritone Adam Plachetka as Don’s servants, and an exciting line-up of sopranos Rachel Willis-Sorensen, Federica Lombardi, Aida Garifullina, Guanqun Yu, and Susanna Philips in the roles of Donna Anna, Donna Elvira, and Zerlina.

On the first 3 nights of the performances the tender and soaring lines by grieving Donna Anna (Rachel Willis-Sorensen) and the wordy and artistically rich roles of Leporello (Ildar Abdrazakov) and the Don (Luca Pisaroni) were rightfully rewarded by the audience. Thanks to the tactful casting the old tale looks fresh and engaging. But the strongest round of applause still belongs to Mozart for his unbeatable musical fete.

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Opera in NYC: Samson et Dalila at the Metropolitan Opera

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Opera in NYC: Samson et Dalila at the Metropolitan Opera

Saint-Saens’s biblical epic with Aleksandr Antonenko and Anita Rachvelishvili in the title roles returns to the MetOpera in March 2019

A scene from the Bacchanale in Act III of Saint-Saëns's "Samson et Dalila."
A scene from the Bacchanale in Act III of Saint-Saëns’s “Samson et Dalila.” Photo: Ken Howard / Met Opera

Darko Tresnjak’s new production of sensual French Grand Opera by Camille Saint-Saens on the biblical story of Samson et Dalila returns to the Metropolitan Opera  on March 13, 2019. Aleksandr Antonenko, Anita Rachvelishvili, and the rest of the powerful cast will bring a timeless tale of seduction, betrayal, and sacrifice to the New York’s opera lovers.

Darko Tresnjak, a 2014 Tony Award Winner for best direction of a musical, debuts at the Met Opera with a monumental staging that brings us to ancient Gaza of 12th century BC from the Old Testament’s Book of Judges. Sensual music, an electrifying performance, and vivid stage design promise a memorable experience for every opera fan.

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