Great Performances at the Met
series currently in production
Returning Series
Documentary
Seasons | 16
Episodes | 152
avg.Runtime | 180 min
First EP | 2007-01-24
Last EP | 2022-03-06
Overview
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The Metropolitan Opera's series of live performance transmissions to movie theaters around the world.
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Season List
season 1 || Season 1
Relesed on | 2007-01-24
The series of six live performances marks the largest number of complete Met operas ever presented by PBS in one season. The series premieres with a special two-hour, English-language version of Mozart's fairy tale classic "The Magic Flute," a new production directed by Julie Taymor. The others are Bellini's "I Puritani," featuring international sensation Anna Netrebko; the world premiere of Tan Dun's "The First Emperor," starring GP stalwart, legendary tenor Plácido Domingo; Tchaikovsky's "Eugene Onegin," with another series favorite, beloved soprano Renée Fleming; Bart Sher's acclaimed new staging of Rossini's "The Barber of Seville," with great Rossini tenor Juan Diego Flórez; and Jack O'Brien's new take on Puccini's "Il Trittico," conducted by Met music director James Levine.
1
The Magic Flute
2007-01-24
Mozart's "The Magic Flute," with Matthew Polenzani (Tamino); Nathan Gunn (Papageno); Erika Miklósa (Queen of the Night); René Pape (Sarastro); Ying Huang (Pamina); Greg Fedderly (Monostatos); and Jennifer Aylmer (Papagena). James Levine conducts.
2
I Puritani
2007-02-17
Anna Netrebko stars in Bellini's bel canto opera "I Puritani" as a bride-to-be whose wedding day is disrupted when her betrothed (Eric Cutler) helps the condemned Queen Enrichetta (Maria Zifchak) escape from the Roundheads (Oliver Cromwell supporters during the English Civil War of the 1640s). Sir Riccardo Forth: Franco Vassallo. Sir Giorgio Walton: John Relyea. Lord Walton: Valerian Ruminski. Sir Bruno Robertson: Eduardo Valdes.
3
The First Emperor
2007-03-24
Placido Domingo stars in “The First Emperor” as Chinese ruler Qin Shi Huang, who attempts to unify his kingdom with a national anthem penned by a childhood-friend-turned-composer (Paul Groves). Complications arise, however, when Qin's daughter Yueyang (Elizabeth Futral) seduces the songsmith. Composed by Tan Dun, who won an Oscar for his “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” score and cowrote the libretto with novelist Ha Jin. Shaman: Michelle DeYoung. Yueyang's Mother: Susanne Mentzer.
4
Eugene Onegin
2007-04-21
Tchaikovsky's “Eugene Onegin,” starring Renée Fleming as Tatiana, a young Russian who's rebuffed by the object of her affection, Eugene Onegin (Dmitri Hvorostovsky). Years later, after she has married a prince (Sergei Aleksashkin), the two meet again and Onegin realizes his error. Olga: Elena Zaremba. Larina: Svetlana Volkova. Lenski: Ramón Vargas.
5
The Barber of Seville
2007-05-26
Gioacchino Rossini's classic comic opera “The Barber of Seville” stars Peruvian tenor Juan Diego Flórez as Count Almaviva, whose pursuit of the lovely Rosina (Joyce DiDonato) is aided by the wily barber Figaro (Peter Mattei). Standing in his way is her guardian Dr. Bartolo (John Del Carlo), who plans to marry her himself. Don Basilio: John Relyea. Fiorello: Brian Davis. Ambrogio: Rob Besserer.
6
Il trittico
2007-06-16
“Il Trittico,” Puccini's collection of three one-act operas. “Il Tabarro” concerns doomed lovers (Maria Guleghina, Salvatore Licitra); “Suor Angelica,” is about the salvation of a nun (Barbara Frittoli); “Gianni Schicchi” is a charismatic scoundrel (Alessandro Corbelli) out to steal a fortune willed to the church.
CAST
“I would rather entertain and hope that people learned something than educate people and hope they were entertained.” – Walt Disney