Metropolitan Opera | News Music & Opera

The Most Famous Viennese Director Passed Away

admin_mowp — Tue, 28 Jan 2025 09:30:29 +0000

On January 9, 2025, Viennese director Otto Schenk passed away at the age of 94.

He left an indelible mark on the world of opera with his remarkable productions, which have been performed across the global opera stage. The Met Opera in New York fondly remembers his grand Wagner productions, just as the Wiener Staatsoper continues to preserve his legacy.

This season, in addition to the recordings made freely available on the Austrian opera’s website, audiences can experience his stagings of Fidelio by Beethoven in February 2025 (featuring Michael Spyres and Bryn Terfel), L’elisir d’amore by Donizetti in March (with Nadine Sierra and Xabier Anduaga), Andrea Chénier by Giordano in April (starring Michael Fabiano, Sonya Yoncheva, and Luca Salsi), and finally, arguably his greatest masterpiece, Der Rosenkavalier by Richard Strauss in June (with Lise Davidsen, Emily D’Angelo, and Sabine Devieilhe). Another iconic production, J. Strauss II’s Die Fledermaus, has returned annually every December since 1979.

To see Otto Schenk’s productions at the Wierner Staatsoper, click here!

Der Rosenkavalier – c – Wiener Staatsoper / Michael Poehn

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Daniele Rustioni from Lyon and now from New York

admin_mowp — Fri, 22 Nov 2024 09:00:52 +0000

Daniele Rustioni, current musical director of the Opéra National de Lyon, has just been appointed principal guest conductor of the prestigious Metropolitan Opera in New York. Having already conducted operas in this legendary venue, as well as a concert at Carnegie Hall with the Met Orchestra, he will take up his new role starting in the 2025-2026 season, becoming only the third principal guest conductor in the institution’s history. In his new position, Daniele Rustioni will conduct at least two operas per season. A new production of Verdi’s Simon Boccanegra has already been announced, alongside revivals of Giordano’s Andrea Chénier, Mozart’s Don Giovanni, and Puccini’s La Bohème. Yannick Nézet-Séguin, the Met’s current music director, expressed his delight at inviting Daniele to conduct, citing their shared artistic values.

Find all the dates of Daniele Rustioni

Daniele Rustioni (c) Blandine Soulage

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John Adams, New York’s New Master

admin_mowp — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 08:30:04 +0000

At nearly 78, John Adams is one of the greatest living American composers. Unsurprisingly, the New York Philharmonic, one of the Big 5 orchestras in the US, is offering him an artistic partnership.

In November, Adams, who is also a conductor, will lead this celebrated ensemble (on November 14-16, 2024) in a program featuring works by Copland, Arvo Pärt, a New York premiere by Gabriella Smith, and City Noir, which Adams premiered in Los Angeles in 2009.

Adams isn’t leaving New York anytime soon, as in May 2025, the prestigious Metropolitan Opera will stage his latest opera, Antony and Cleopatra, based on Shakespeare’s tragedy. The production is directed by Elkhanah Pulitzer, with John Adams himself conducting the New York premiere from the orchestra pit.

Book your tickets for Adams performances in New York!

John Adams conducting the Seattle Philharmonic © Chris Bennion

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Lise Davidsen, Not Quite Isolde Yet!

admin_mowp — Wed, 18 Sep 2024 08:00:46 +0000

While a new Ring cycle by Wagner is announced at the Metropolitan Opera, where the magnificent Lise Davidsen will be Brünnhilde in a new production by Yuval Sharon, the new star soprano of Wagnerian roles has finally been announced as Isolde in 2025-2026, in a new production that will mark Sharon‘s debut at the Met. The opera will be conducted, as it should be, by Nézet-Séguin. Until this highly anticipated role debut, those eager to hear her can catch just the second act, conducted by Sir Simon Rattle, on November 1 and 3, 2024, at the Isarphilharmonie in Munich, with the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks.

Discover Lise Davidsen at the Isarphilharmonie in Munich

Lise Davidsen © Ray Burmiston

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Yannick Nézet-Séguin Continues to Soar

admin_mowp — Fri, 13 Sep 2024 08:00:29 +0000

While navigating calm seas at the helm of the Metropolitan Opera in New York, the dynamic conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin has just had his contract as Music Director extended through the 2029-2030 season. New projects have been announced, including an all-new Ring cycle by Wagner, directed by Yuval Sharon, with Lise Davidsen, the new star soprano, headlining as Brünnhilde. In the coming seasons, Nézet-Séguin will conduct four to five titles, including premieres. Already announced are the premieres of The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Mason Bates, El Último Sueño de Frida y Diego by Gabriela Lena Frank, Lincoln in the Bardo by Missy Mazzoli, The Highlands by Carlos Simon, and finally, The Wedding Banquet composed by Huang Ruo. Alongside the Ring and a new Tristan und Isolde, Nézet-Séguin will conduct a new production of Mozart‘s Le Nozze di Figaro directed by Robert Carsen, as well as revivals of Don Giovanni, Wagner’s Parsifal, and Puccini’s Tosca, among others.

Discover all upcoming performances featuring Yannick Nézet-Séguin

Yannick Nézet Séguin © Ruby Washington

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Benjamin Bernheim’s Broken Dreams in New York

admin_mowp — Fri, 06 Sep 2024 08:00:28 +0000

After shining in this same role at the Paris Opera, French tenor Benjamin Bernheim is preparing to conquer America as Hoffmann, the hero with broken dreams. Offenbach’s famous and unique opera, Les Contes d’Hoffmann, returns to the Metropolitan Opera starting September 24, 2024, as the season opener (notably with Pretty Yende as Olympia). But Parisian admirers of the tenor can rest assured, he is announced for a recital at the Palais Garnier on November 24, 2024. The announced program is the same as the one recorded for Deutsche Grammophon and which has just been released.

Discover Benjamin Bernheim at the Metropolitan Opera

Benjamin Bernheim © Deutsche Grammophon Universal Music

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A tradition is being lost at the Met

admin_mowp — Thu, 07 Sep 2023 08:00:12 +0000

While the season opener at New York’s famed Metropolitan Opera is often drawn from the great operatic repertoire, Peter Gelb has chosen a contemporary opera for his 2023-2024 season for a change! Jake Heggie and his opera Dead Man Walking, first performed in San Franciso in 2000, will headline the season with superstar Joyce DiDonato. The premiere of the new production, directed by Ivo van Hove, will take place on 26 September 2023.

Your tickets for Dead Man Walking here

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Blue for Otello

admin_mowp — Wed, 08 Mar 2023 11:00:50 +0000

After performing the premiere of an Aucoin, Bernstein, Tchaikovsky and Verdi concert at Carnegie Hall in New York (22 June 2023), Yannick Nézet-Séguin is taking his orchestra to Europe. The Met Orchestra is expected to perform on 27 June 2023 at the Philharmonie de Paris and on 2 July at the Festspielhaus Baden-Baden with soprano Renée Fleming to perform as Desdemona in Act IV of Verdi’s Otello alongside tenor Russell Thomas. As the soprano withdrew from the performance, Angel Blue replaced her, bringing a touch of blue to the dark drama!

Your tickets for Otello

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Super Yannick from New York

admin_mowp — Wed, 01 Mar 2023 09:00:40 +0000

Maestro Yannick Nézet-Séguin, who recently renewed his contract with the Philadelphia Orchestra, has his work cut out for him. The artistic director of the Metropolitan Opera is preparing to conduct the world premiere of Terence Blanchard’s opera Champion from 10 April 2023 (after the success of Fire Shut Up in My Bones). Since 26 February 2023 he his conducting the new production of Wagner’s Lohengrin by François Girard (with Piotr Beczała, Tamara Wilson, Elena Stikhina, Christine Goerke, Evgeny Nikitin and Günther Groissböck). In April-June 2023, it will conduct the performances of Puccini’s La Bohème in the legendary and still breathtaking production by Franco Zefirelli.

(c) Yannick Nézet-Seguin 2019

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Back on stage !

admin_mowp — Wed, 16 Nov 2022 09:00:47 +0000

After announcing her retirement from opera stage, superstar soprano Renée Fleming is back! This grand return will take place at the Metropolitan Opera in New York on 10 December 2022 where the diva, alongside Kelli O’Hara and Joyce DiDonato, will perform the role of Clarissa Vaughan in Kevin Puts’ The Hours, a world premiere. Yannick Nézet-Séguin directs the production by Phelim McDermott, which is based on the novel by Michael Cunningham that has already been adapted for the screen with the unforgettable Meryl Streep, Julianne Moore and Nicole Kidman.

Find the program of Renée Fleming here

Renée Fleming (c) Andrew Eccles

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