2018-2019 Met Opera Season Opens Sept. 24 With Samson et Dalila

Summary: The 2018-2019 Met Opera season opens Sept. 24 with Camille Saint-Saëns’s Samson et Dalila and also offers La Bohème and Aida in September’s last week.

The 2018-2019 Met Opera season opens with a new production of Saint-Saëns’s Samson et Dalila: The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera, via Facebook Feb. 15, 2018

The 2018-2019 Met Opera season opens Sept. 24 with Camille Saint-Saëns’s Samson et Dalila and also presents season premieres of Giacomo Puccini’s La Bohème and Giuseppe Verdi’s Aida in September’s last full week. Two performances of each opera are scheduled for the season’s first week.

The Metropolitan Opera’s new production of Samson et Dalila by French Romantic Era composer Camille Saint-Saëns (Oct. 9, 1835-Dec. 16, 1921) premieres Monday, Sept. 24, at 6 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The week’s second performance is scheduled for Friday, Sept. 28, at 7:30 p.m.

Darko Tresnjak is the new production’s director. The Serbian-American theater director and producer’s team comprises Alexander Dodge, set designer; Linda J. Cho, costume designer; Donald Holder, lighting director; Austin McCormick, choreographer.

The Metropolitan Opera last presented Saint-Saëns’s Biblical-themed opera over 12 years ago. The 2005-2006 season’s staging revived Elijah Moshinsky’s production. The Australian opera and theatre director’s staging debuted as a new production Feb. 13, 1998, in the Metropolitan Opera’s 177th performance of Samson et Dalila.

In addition to the new production’s opening night, Met Opera offers 12 performances during the 2018-2019 season. After September’s two dates, six performances are scheduled for October 2018 and five for March 2019.

October performances are slated for Monday, Oct. 1, at 7:30 p.m.; Friday, Oct. 5, at 8 p.m.; Tuesday, Oct. 9, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Oct. 13, at 1 p.m.; Tuesday, Oct. 16, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Oct. 20, at 1 p.m.

Early spring performances take place Wednesday, March 13, at 8 p.m.; Saturday, March 16, at 8 p.m.; Tuesday, March 19, at 8 p.m.; Saturday, March 23, at 1 p.m.; Thursday, March 28, at 8 p.m. The month’s fourth performance, Saturday, March 23, at 1 p.m., is presented as 17 in the lineup of 2018-2019 Met Opera Saturday matinee radio broadcasts.

The second opera presented during the 2018-2019 Met Opera season’s opening week is La Bohème by Italian opera composer Giacomo Puccini (Dec. 22, 1858-Nov. 29, 1924). The Metropolitan Opera’s 2018-2019 season premiere of La Bohème takes place Tuesday, Sept. 25, the day after the 2018-2019 Met Opera season’s opener.

Tuesday’s season premiere begins at 7:30 p.m. A second performance is given Saturday, Sept. 29, at 12:30 p.m.

The 2018-2019 Met Opera season’s performances of La Bohème revive Franco Zeffirelli’s production and set design. The Italian film, opera and television director and producer’s staging of Puccini’s bittersweet bohemian opera debuted Dec. 14, 1981, as a new production in the Metropolitan Opera’s 823rd performance of La Bohème.

In addition to the season premiere, the Metropolitan Opera stages 10 performances of La Bohème during the 2018-2019 season. Beyond September’s two dates, four performances are scheduled for October, one in November and four in December.

October performances take place Wednesday, Oct. 3, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Oct. 6, at 8:30 p.m.; Wednesday, Oct. 10, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Oct. 13, at 8 p.m.

November’s solitary offering is the first of the season’s La Bohème five performances occurring on Eastern Standard Time. November’s La Bohème begins Thursday, Nov. 29, at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.

The 2018-2019 season’s winter performances of La Bohème are scheduled for Monday, Dec. 3, at 7:30 p.m.; Thursday, Dec. 6, at 8 p.m.; Monday, Dec. 10, at 7:30 p.m.; Thursday, Dec. 13, at 8 p.m.

The third opera presented during the 2018-2019 Met Opera season’s opening week is Aida by Italian opera composer Giuseppe Verdi (Oct. 10, 1813-Jan. 27, 1901). Aida’s season premiere takes place Wednesday, Sept. 26, at 7:30 p.m. Opening week’s second performance of Aida occurs Saturday, Sept. 29, at 8 p.m.

The 2018-2019 Met Opera season’s performances revive Sonja Frisell’s production. The British director’s staging debuted Dec. 8, 1988, as a new production in the Metropolitan Opera’s 924th performance of Verdi’s Ancient Egypt-themed opera.

Stephen Pickover is the revival stage director. The Frisell-Pickover production team comprises Gianni Quaranta, set designer; Dada Saligeri, costume designer; Gil Wechsler, lighting designer; Alexei Ratmansky, choreographer.

In addition to September’s two dates, the Metropolitan Opera offers 12 performances of Aida during the 2018-2019 season. Beyond September’s dates, five performances are scheduled for October, four for January, one in February and two in March.

October performances take place Tuesday, Oct. 2, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Oct. 6, at 1 p.m.; Thursday, Oct. 11, at 7:30 p.m.; Monday, Oct. 15, at 7:30 p.m.; Thursday, Oct. 18, at 8 p.m.

The season’s winter and spring performances take place on Eastern Standard Time.

Winter performances are slated for Monday, Jan. 7, at 7:30 p.m.; Friday, Jan. 11, at 7:30 p.m.; Monday, Jan. 14, at 7:30 p.m.; Friday, Jan. 18 at 7:30 p.m. Aida’s last winter performance in the 2018-2019 season happens Thursday, Feb. 28, at 7:30 p.m.

The 2018-2019 Met Opera season’s spring performances are slated for March. The month’s two performances take place Monday, March 4, at 7:30 p.m. and Thursday, March 7, at 7:30 p.m.

Met Opera offers five performances of Julie Taymor’s production during the 2017-2018 season. In addition to September’s two dates, three performances are scheduled for October.

October’s performances take place Thursday, Oct. 5, at 7:30 p.m.; Tuesday, Oct. 10, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Oct. 14, at 1 p.m.

The takeaway for the 2018-2019 Met Opera season’s first week is that Camille Saint-Saëns’s Samson et Dalila opens the season Monday, Sept. 24, as a new production and shares opening week with season premieres of Puccini’s La Bohème and Verdi’s Aida.

The 2018-2019 Met Opera season’s first week opens with a new production of Saint-Saëns’s Samson et Dalila and closes with the week’s second performance of Verdi’s Aida: The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera, via Facebook Feb. 15, 2018

Acknowledgment

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

Image credits:

The 2018-2019 Met Opera season opens with a new production of Saint-Saëns’s Samson et Dalila: The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera, via Facebook Feb. 15, 2018, @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/photos/a.134969600532.229232.20807115532/10160137119625533/

The 2018-2019 Met Opera season’s first week opens with a new production of Saint-Saëns’s Samson et Dalila and closes with the week’s second performance of Verdi’s Aida: The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera, via Facebook Feb. 15, 2018, @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/photos/a.134969600532.229232.20807115532/10160137120080533/

For further information:

Marriner, Derdriu. “2018-2019 Metropolitan Opera Season Presents Four New Productions.” Earth and Space News. Monday, June 25, 2018.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2018/06/2018-2019-metropolitan-opera-season_25.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “2018-2019 Metropolitan Opera Season Stages 29 Operas.” Earth and Space News. Monday, June 18, 2018.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2018/06/2018-2019-metropolitan-opera-season.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “Aida Is the April 15, 2017, Metropolitan Opera Saturday Matinee Broadcast.” Earth and Space News. Monday, April 10, 2017.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2017/04/aida-is-april-15-2017-metropolitan.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “La Bohème Is Feb. 24, 2018, Met Opera Saturday Matinee Broadcast.” Earth and Space News. Monday, Feb. 19, 2018.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2018/02/la-boheme-is-feb-24-2018-met-opera.html

The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera. “In what should be a highlight of the new season, Anna Netrebko sings her first Met Aida, going toe-toe with Anita Rachvelishvili as Amneris.” Facebook. Feb. 15, 2018.
Available @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/photos/a.134969600532.229232.20807115532/10160137120080533/

The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera. “Opening Night New production premiere: September 24. When mezzo-soprano Elina Garanca and tenor Roberto Alagna joined forces for a new production of Carmen at the Met, the results were electrifying.” Facebook. Feb. 15, 2018.
Available @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/photos/a.134969600532.229232.20807115532/10160137119625533/

“New Production: Aida.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 294740 New Production Aida {924} Metropolitan Opera House: 12/8/1988.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=294740

“New Production: La Bohème.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 266920 New Production La Bohème {823} Metropolitan Opera House: 12/14/1981.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=266920

“New Production: Samson et Dalila.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 330432 New Production Samson et Dalila {177} Metropolitan Opera House: 02/13/1998.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=330432