Omar
Saturday, December 2nd, 1pm
2023 Pulitzer Prize-winner, Omar is an opera with libretto and music by Rhiannon Giddens (in collaboration with Michael Abels), based on the autobiography of an enslaved Muslim man, Omar Ibn Said, who lived in Charleston, SC in the 19th century. Commissioned by Spoleto Festival USA, Omar premiered at the 2022 festival and has since made its debut at LA Opera, University of Chapel Hill at North Carolina Southern Futures, and Boston Lyric Opera, and is slated for debut at San Francisco Opera and Lyric of Chicago.
Daniel Catán's Florencia en el Amazonas
Saturday, December 9th, 1pm
Sung in Spanish and inspired by the magical realism of Gabriel García Márquez, Mexican composer Daniel Catán’s 1996 opera tells the enchanting story of an opera diva who returns to her native South America to perform at the legendary opera house of Manaus—and to search for her lost lover, who has vanished into the jungle. The Met premiere stars soprano Ailyn Pérez as Florencia Grimaldi, with Yannick Nézet-Séguin on the podium to lead a spellbinding new production by Mary Zimmerman that brings the mysterious and magical realm of the Amazon to the Met stage. A distinguished ensemble of artists portray the diva’s fellow travelers on the river boat to Manaus, including soprano Gabriella Reyes as the journalist Rosalba, bass-baritone Greer Grimsley as the ship’s captain, baritone Mattia Olivieri as his enigmatic first mate, tenor Mario Chang as the captain’s nephew Arcadio, and mezzo-soprano Nancy Fabiola Herrera and baritone Michael Chioldi as the feuding couple Paula and Alvaro.
Mozart's The Magic Flute
Saturday, December 16th, 1pm
The Met’s family-friendly production of Mozart’s dazzling fairy tale returns, sung in English and running under two hours. Patrick Furrer and Gareth Morrell share conducting duties, leading a standout cast in Julie Taymor’s magical staging. Tenors Piotr Buszewski and Joshua Blue share the role of Tamino, the brave prince on a quest to win the clever princess Pamina, sung by sopranos Janai Brugger and Liv Redpath. The cast also features famed tenor Rolando Villazón reprising his uproarious portrayal as the luckless bird catcher Papageno, alternating with baritone Alexander Birch Elliott, and soprano Kathryn Lewek as the Queen of the Night, alongside basses Brindley Sherratt and James Creswell as Sarastro.
Wagner’s Tannhauser
Saturday, December 23rd, 1pm
Following his heroic performance as Siegfried in the Met’s 2019 Ring cycle, dashing Austrian tenor Andreas Schager returns as the knight Tannhäuser in Wagner’s ravishing opera of love, lust, and redemption. Soprano Elza van den Heever is the pure and virtuous princess Elisabeth, alongside mezzo-soprano Ekaterina Gubanova as the tempting goddess of love, Venus. Maestro Donald Runnicles takes the podium for Otto Schenk’s classic production, which also features baritone Christian Gerhaher in his Met debut as Tannhäuser’s companion knight Wolfram and bass Georg Zeppenfeld as Landgraf Hermann.
Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro
Saturday, December 30th, 1pm
Two exciting conductors, Daniele Rustioni and James Gaffigan, take the podium to lead Mozart’s breathless and breathtaking comedy. Bass-baritones Adam Plachetka and Gerald Finley share the role of the philandering Count, opposite sopranos Golda Schultz and Federica Lombardi as the dignified Countess. The wily maid Susanna is sung by sopranos Lucy Crowe and Ying Fang, and bass-baritones Ryan McKinny and Christian Van Horn share the title role of the foolhardy valet. Mezzo-sopranos Isabel Leonard and Sasha Cooke trade off as Cherubino, the young page on the cusp of manhood.
CONCIERTO
Sundays at 2pm
Concierto presents classical music in English and in Spanish. Music by Spanish and Latin American composers is alternated with classical favorites performed by Hispanic artists.
Concierto is the first classical music program to specifically target Latino listeners. Host Frank Dominguez presents classical music in English and in Spanish. Music by Spanish and Latin American composers such as Enrique Granados and Astor Piazzolla is alternated with classical favorites performed by Hispanic artists such as conductor Gustavo Dudamel, pianist Gabriela Montero, guitarist Manuel Barrueco, and singer Placido Domingo. Through its bilingual presentation, Concierto provides an entry point for Latinos interested in learning more about classical music. It also appeals to Hispanics already familiar with classical music by celebrating the diversity of their culture and its contributions to classical music.