La Bohème Is Met Opera's Jan. 22, 2022, Saturday Matinee Broadcast

Summary: La Bohème is Met Opera's Jan. 22, 2022, Saturday matinee broadcast, airing as the 2021-2022 season's seventh Saturday matinee opera broadcast.

The 2021-2022 season's presentation of La Bohème marks the 37th revival and 40th anniversary of the production debuted by Franco Zeffirelli in the 1981-1982 season; the 36th revival's performances, in the 2019-2020 season, were dedicated to Zeffirelli, who passed away June 15, 2019: The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera, via Facebook Jan. 6, 2020

Puccini's La Bohème is Met Opera's Jan. 22, 2022, Saturday matinee broadcast, airing as the seventh Saturday matinee opera broadcast in the 2021-2022 season.

La Bohème by Italian opera composer Giacomo Puccini (Dec. 22, 1858-Nov. 29, 1924) receives 15 performances in the 2021-2022 season. The performances are apportioned among three casts.

Seven late autumn-early winter performances have taken place. the first through seventh performances occurred Tuesday, Nov. 9, at 7:00 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 13, at 8:00 p.m.; Wednesday, Nov. 17, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 20, at 1:00 p.m.; Friday, Nov. 26, at 7:00 p.m.; Monday, Nov. 29, at 8:00 p.m.; and Friday, Dec. 3, at 7:00 p.m.

The second set of performances takes place in January. The month's first two of four performances were offered Sunday, Jan. 9, at 3:00 p.m., and Thursday, Jan. 13, at 7:00 p.m. The month's third and fourth performances are scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 18, at 7:00 p.m., and Saturday, Jan. 22, at 1:00 p.m. Saturday's performance airs as the seventh Saturday matinee opera broadcast in the 2021-2022 season.

The third set of performances takes place in May. The month's four performances are scheduled for Monday, May 16, at 8:00 p.m.; Friday, May 20, at 8:00 p.m.; Tuesday, May 24, at 8:00 p.m.; and Friday, May 27, at 8:00 p.m.

The 2021-2022 season's presentation of La Bohème numbers as the 37th revival and 40th anniversary of the new production debuted Monday, Dec. 14, 1981, by Franco Zeffirelli. The Italian film, opera and television director and producer had made his Met Opera debut Friday, March 6, 1964, in the opera company's 67th performance of Falstaff by 19th century Italian opera composer Giuseppe Verdi (Oct. 10, 1813-Jan. 27, 1901).

Franco Zeffirelli is credited as the production's set designer. Designs for costumes and lighting are credited to British-born American costume designer Peter J. Hall (Jan. 22, 1926-May 27, 2010) and American theatrical lighting designer Gil Wechsler, respectively. Peter J. Hall had made his Met Opera debut Saturday, March 25, 1972, in Franco Zeffirelli's new production of Verdi's Otello. Gil Wechsler had made his Met Opera debut Tuesday, Jan. 18, 1977, in the opera company's 74th performance of Le Prophète by German Jewish opera composer Giacomo Meyerbeer (Sept. 5, 1791-May 2, 1864).

Carlo Rizzi is January's La Bohème conductor. The Italian conductor had made his Met Opera debut Friday, Oct. 29, 1993, in the opera company’s 989th performance of La Bohème.

Carlo Rizzi shares the conductorship with Eun Sun Kim, who conducts the opera's November, December and May performances. Her conductorship of the season's first performance of La Bohème, Tuesday, Nov. 9, marked the South Korean conductor's Met Opera debut.

Maria Agresta is January's Mimì, the gentle seamstress whom Rodolfo loves. The Italian soprano makes her second reprisal of the role in which she made her Met Opera debut Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2016, in the opera company’s 1,251st performance of Puccini's bohemian opera.

Maria Agresta shares the role with Romanian operatic soprano Anita Hartig, November and December's Mimì, and Italian soprano Eleonora Buratto, May's Mimì. Anita Hartig makes her second reprisal of the role in which she made her Met Opera debut, Wednesday, March 19, 2014, in the opera company's 1,251st performance of Puccini's Parisian opera. Eleonora Buratto had made her Met Opera debut Friday, March 4, 2016, as Norina in the opera company’s 136th performance of Don Pasquale by 19th-century Italian bel canto opera composer Gaetano Donizetti (Nov. 29, 1797-April 8, 1848).

La Bohème numbers as the first of two Saturday matinee opera broadcasts in the 2021-2022 season for Eleonora Buratto. She also sings the title role in the April 30 Saturday matinee opera broadcast of Puccini's Madama Butterfly.

Charles Castronovo is January's Rodolfo, the bohemian poet who loves Mimì. He also was November's and December's Rodolfo. He makes his first reprisal as Rodolfo in the 37th revival. He had added the role to his Met Opera portfolio with one performance, Friday, Nov. 28, 2014, in the 2014-2015 season. The American operatic tenor had made his Met Opera debut Monday, Sept. 27, 1999, as Beppe in the opera company's 678th performance of Pagliacci by Italian opera composer and librettist Ruggero Leoncavallo (April 23, 1857-Aug. 9, 1919).

Charles Castronovo shares the role with Yusif Eyvazov, who sings May's Rodolfo. The Azerbaijan dramatic tenor made his Met Opera debut Saturday, Nov. 7, 2015, as Calàf in the opera company’s 305th performance of Turandot.

La Bohème is the first of two Saturday matinee opera broadcasts in the 2021-2022 season for Yusif Eyvazov. He also sings his Met Opera debut role, Calàf, in the May 7 Saturday matinee opera broadcast of Puccini's Turandot.

Gabriella Reyes is January's Musetta, Mimì's friend. The Nicaraguan-American soprano had made her Met Opera debut Wednesday, Sep. 26, 2018, as the Priestess in the opera company's 1,163rd performance of Aida by 19th-century Italian opera composer Giuseppe Verdi (Oct. 10, 1813-Jan. 27, 1901).

Gabriella Reyes shares the role with Italian operatic soprano Federica Lombardi, November and December's Musetta, and Polish operatic soprano Aleksandra Kurzak, May's Musetta. Federica Lombardi had made her Met Opera debut Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2019, as Donna Elvira in the opera house's 565th performance of Don Giovanni by Classical Era composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Jan. 27, 1756-Dec. 5, 1791). Aleksandra Kurzak had made her Met Opera debut Friday, Dec. 10, 2004, as Olympia in the opera company’s 233rd performance of Les Contes d’Hoffmann by German-born French composer Jacques Offenbach (June 20, 1819-Oct. 5, 1880).

La Bohème is the first of two Saturday matinee opera broadcasts in the 2021-2022 season for Federica Lombardi. She also sings Countess Almaviva in the April 9 Saturday matinee opera broadcast of Le Nozze di Figaro by Classical Era composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Jan. 27, 1756-Dec. 5, 1791).

Lucas Meachem is January's Marcello, Rodolfo's painter friend, who loves Musetta. He makes his third reprisal of Marcello in the 37th revival. He had added the role to his Met Opera portfolio in the 2017-2018 season. The American baritone had made his Met Opera debut Monday, Dec. 10, 2007, as General Rayevsky in the opera company’s 11th performance of War and Peace by Soviet composer, conductor and pianist Sergei Prokofiev (April 23, 1891-March 5, 1953).

Lucas Meachem shares the role with Polish baritone Artur Ruciński, November's Marcello; South Korean baritone Joo Won Kang, December's Marcello; and American baritone Quinn Kelsey, May's Marcello. Joo Won Kang's appearance in the season's solitary December performance of La Bohème marked his Met Opera debut.

Artur Ruciński makes his first reprisal of Marcello in the 37th revival. He had added Marcello to his Met Opera portfolio in the 2019-2020 season. The Polish baritone had made his Met Opera debut Friday, Feb. 19, 2016, as Sharpless in the opera company’s 857th performance of Madama Butterfly.

Quinn Kelsey makes his second reprisal of Marcello in the 37th revival. He had added the role to his Met Opera portfolio in the 2014-2015 season. The American baritone had made his Met Opera debut Saturday, March 29, 2008, as Schaunard in the opera company’s 1,194th performance of Puccini’s La Bohème.

La Bohème is the first of two Saturday matinee opera broadcasts in the 2021-2022 season for Artur Ruciński. He also sings Enrico in the May 21 Saturday matinee opera broadcast of Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor.

La Bohème is the first of two Saturday matinee opera broadcasts in the 2021-2022 season for Quinn Kelsey. He also sings the title role in the Jan. 29 Saturday matinee opera broadcast of Verdi's Rigoletto.

Alexander Birch Elliott sings January's bohemian musician, Schaunard. He also was November's and December's Schaunard. The American baritone had made his Met Opera debut Saturday, Nov. 24, 2018, as Zurga in the opera company's 14th performance of Les Pêcheurs de Perles by French Romantic Era composer Georges Bizet (Oct. 25, 1838-June 3, 1875).

Alexander Birch Elliott shares the role with Iurii Samoilov, who sings May's Schaunard. The Ukrainian baritone's appearance in the first spring performance, Monday, May 16, marks his Met Opera debut.

Peter Kellner sings January's Colline, Rodolfo's philosophical friend. The Slovakian bass-baritone's appearance in the first January performance, Sunday, Jan. 9, marked his Met Opera debut.

Peter Kellner shares the role with American bass-baritone Nicholas Brownlee, Colline in November's first four performances; American bass-baritone Ryan Speedo Green, Colline in November's last two performances and December's solitary performance; and French bass-baritone Nicolas Testé, May's Colline. Nicholas Brownlee had made his Met Opera debut Monday, Dec. 5, 2016, as a Soldier in the opera company's 158th performance of Salome by German late Romantic and early modern composer Richard Strauss (June 11, 1864-Sept. 8, 1949). Ryan Speedo Green had made his Met Opera debut Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2012, as a Mandarin in the opera house’s 287th performance of Puccini’s Turandot. Nicolas Testé's appearances as May's Colline mark his first reprisal in the role in which he had made his Met Opera debut, Wednesday, March 19, 2014, in the opera company's 1,251st performance of La Bohème.

La Bohème is the first of two Saturday matinee opera broadcasts in the 2021-2022 season for Ryan Speedo Green. He also sings Jake in the April 23 Saturday matinee opera broadcast of Porgy and Bess by American composer and pianist George Gershwin (Sept. 26, 1898-July 11, 1937).

Donald Maxwell appears in all performances in his fourth reprisal of dual roles as Benoit, the bohemians' landlord, and as elderly government minister Alcindoro, Musetta's admirer. He had added Benoit / Alcindoro to his Met Opera portfolio in the 2014-2015 season. The Scottish baritone made his Metropolitan Opera debut Monday, April 21, 2008, as Hortentius in the opera company’s 89th performance of Donizetti’s La Fille du Régiment.

The 36th revival of Zeffirelli's production of Puccini's bohemian opera took place in the 2019-2020 season. The Metropolitan Opera Archives Database (MetOpera Database notes the dedication of the 2019-2020 season's performances of La Bohème and Turandot "to the memory of Franco Zeffirelli." Zeffirelli's productions of Puccini's French bohemian and Chinese riddling operas remain as the only two of his 11 Met Opera productions still in the opera company's repertory.

La Bohème's Metropolitan Opera premiere had taken place Friday, Nov. 9, 1900. The opera received 15 performances in the 1900-1901 season.

The takeaways for La Bohème as Met Opera's Jan. 22, 2022, Saturday matinee broadcast are that Puccini's French bohemian opera airs as the seventh Saturday matinee opera broadcast in the 2021-2022 season; that the 2021-2022 season's presentation marks the 37th revival and 40th anniversary of Franco Zeffirelli's production, which had debuted in the 1981-1982 season; that Zeffirelli's La Bohème production joins his Turandot staging as the only two of his 11 Met Opera productions still in the opera company's repertory; that the 37th revival features three casts (November/December, January, May); and that the 37th revival marks a fourth reprisal for Donald Maxwell (Benoit / Alcindoro), a third reprisal for Lucas Meachem (Marcello), second reprisals for Maria Agresta (Mimì), Anita Hartig (Mimì), Quinn Kelsey (Marcello) and Ryan Speedo Green (Colline) and first reprisals for Charles Castronovo (Rodolfo), Artur Ruciński (Marcello) and Nicolas Testé (Colline).

In the 2021-2022 season's January performances of Puccini's La Bohème, Maria Agresta makes her second reprisal as Mimì, the role in which she had made her Met Opera debut in the 2015-2016 season; costume designed by Peter J. Hall: Preston Tsao @PrestonTsao, via Twitter Apr. 22, 2016

Acknowledgment

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

Dedication

This post is dedicated to the memory of our beloved blue-eyed brother, Charles, who guided the creation of the Met Opera and Astronomy posts on Earth and Space News. We memorialized our brother in "Our Beloved Blue-Eyed Brother, Charles, With Whom We Are Well Pleased," published on Earth and Space News on Thursday, Nov. 18, 2021, an anniversary of our beloved father's death.

Image credits:

The 2021-2022 season's presentation of La Bohème marks the 37th revival and 40th anniversary of the production debuted by Franco Zeffirelli in the 1981-1982 season; the 36th revival's performances, in the 2019-2020 season, were dedicated to Zeffirelli, who passed away June 15, 2019: The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera, via Facebook Jan. 6, 2020, @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/posts/10162996007910533

In the 2021-2022 season's January performances of Puccini's La Bohème, Maria Agresta makes her second reprisal as Mimì, the role in which she had made her Met Opera debut in the 2015-2016 season; costume designed by Peter J. Hall: Preston Tsao @PrestonTsao, via Twitter Apr. 22, 2016, @ https://twitter.com/PrestonTsao/status/723477024518615040

For further information:

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