Un Ballo in Maschera Is Feb. 17, 2024, Met Opera Saturday Broadcast

Summary: Un Ballo in Maschera is the Feb. 17, 2024, Met Opera Saturday matinee broadcast, airing as 11th of the 2023-2024 season's 27 Saturday radio broadcasts.

(top left) Quinn Kelsey as Count Anckarström (left) with Charles Castronovo as King Gustav III, (top right) Angela Meade as Amelia Anckarström, (middle right) Liv Redpath as King Gustavo's page Oscar with Charles Castronovo as King Gustavo III and (bottom right) Olesya Petrova as fortune teller Ulrica with Charles Castronovo as disguised King Gustavo III in Met Opera's 2023-2024 season revival of David Alden's 2012-2013 production of Verdi's Un Ballo in Maschera: The Metropolitan Opera, via Facebook Oct. 20, 2023

Un Ballo in Maschera by Italian opera composer Giuseppe Verdi (Oct. 10, 1813-Jan. 27, 1901) received nine performances in the 2023-2024 season. The first through ninth, closing performances were held Friday, Oct. 20, at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time; Tuesday, Oct. 24, at 7:30 p.m.; Friday, Oct. 27, at 8:00 p.m.; Tuesday, Oct. 31, at 8:00 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 4, at 1:00 p.m.; Wednesday, Nov. 8, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday matinee, Nov. 11, at 12:30 p.m.; Wednesday, Nov. 15, at 7:30 p.m.; and Saturday, Nov. 18, at 8:00 p.m. The Feb. 17 Saturday matinee radio broadcast airs a performance from autumn 2023.

Carlo Rizzi conducted all nine performances in the 2023-2024 season. The Italian conductor had made his Met Opera debut Friday, Oct. 29, 1993, in the opera company’s 989th performance of La Bohème by Italian opera composer Giacomo Puccini (Dec. 22, 1858-Nov. 29, 1924). Maestro Rizzi's conductorship of Un Ballo in Maschera added a 19th opera to his Met Opera portfolio.

Charles Castronovo appeared in all nine performances as King Gustavo III, assassinated by the husband of the woman he loves. 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). His appearances as King Gustavo III added a 10th opera to Charles Castronovo's Met Opera portfolio.

Angela Meade appeared in all nine performances as Amelia, wife of King Gustavo III's secretary and friend, Count Anckarström, and reciprocally loved by King Gustavo. The American operatic soprano had made her Met Opera debut Friday, March 21, 2008, in the opera company’s 83rd performance of Verdi's Ernani. Her appearances as Amelia added a 12th opera to Angela Meade's Met Opera portfolio.

Quinn Kelsey appeared in all nine performances as Count Anckarström, whose mistaken belief of his wife's infidelity impels him to assassinate King Gustavo III. The Hawaiian baritone had made his Met Opera debut Saturday, March 29, 2008, as Schaunard in the opera company's 1,194th performance of La Bohème by Italian opera composer Giacomo Puccini (Dec. 22, 1858-Nov. 29, 1924). His appearances as Count Anckarström added an eighth opera to Quinn Kelsey's Met Opera portfolio.

Liv Redpath appeared in the first through sixth and eighth through ninth, closing performances as Oscar, King Gustavo III's page, who ultimately betrays his king by revealing King Gustavo's costume to assassin Count Anckarström. Liv Redpath's appearance Friday, Oct. 20, 2023, in the 2023-2024 season's first performance of Verdi's Ballo marked the American coloratura soprano's Met Opera debut.

Liv Redpath shared the role with American coloratura soprano Marielle Murphy, who sang Oscar in the seventh performance. Marielle Murphy's appearance in the seventh performance, the Nov. 11 Saturday matinee, marked her Met Opera debut.

Olesya Petrova appeared all nine performances as fortune teller Ulrica, who discerns King Gustavo's assassination by a friend from reading his palm. The Russian mezzo-soprano had made her Met Opera debut Monday, March 24, 2014, as Madelon in the opera company’s 180th performance of Andrea Chénier by Italian verismo (“realism”) composer Umberto Giordano (Aug. 28, 1867-Nov. 12, 1948).

American stage director David Alden (born Oct. 16, 1949) directed the 2023-2024 production of Verdi's Un Ballo in Maschera, which was performed as the second revival of his new 2012-2013 season production. The American stage director had made his Met Opera debut Thursday, Nov. 8, 2012, in his new production of Un Ballo in Maschera, which occurred in the opera company's 288th performance of the Verdian masked opera.

David Alden's production team comprised Paul Steinberg, set designer; Brigitte Reiffenstuel, costume designer; Adam Silverman, lighting designer; and Maxine Braham, choreographer. All four production team members had made their Met Opera debut Thursday, Nov. 8, 2012, in their director's new production of Un Ballo in Maschera.

Two special programs air consecutively as the 2023-2024 season's 12th and 13th Saturday matinee radio broadcasts. The Feb. 24 Saturday radio matinee, "Mozart and Beethoven in Concert at the Met," broadcasts the Feb. 24, 2023, performance of Mozart's Requiem and the March 14, 2022, finale of Beethoven's Symphony No. 9. The March 2 Saturday radio matinee, "Listeners' Choice: Great Met Broadcasts," airs a TBA (to be announced) opera.

Verdi's La Forza del Destino airs Saturday, March 9, at 12:00 p.m. noon as the 2023-2024 season's 14th Saturday matinee radio broadcast. The 2023-2024 season's presentation of Verdi's fate-themed opera debuts a new production under the directorship of Polish opera, theatre and film director Mariusz Treliński (born March 28, 1962).

(top left) Charles Castronovo (left) as King Gustavo III with Quinn Kelsey as Count Anckarström, (top right) Charles Castronovo (left) as King Gustavo with Angela Meade as Amelia Anckarström, (bottom left) Liv Redpath as King Gustavo's page Oscar, (center bottom) Charles Castronovo (left) as King Gustavo with Angela Meade as Amelia Anckarström and (bottom right) Angela Meade (left) as Amelia Anckarström with Quinn Kelsey as Count Anckarström during early rehearsals for Met Opera's 2023-2024 season revival of David Alden's 2012-2013 production of Verdi's Un Ballo in Maschera: The Metropolitan Opera, via Facebook Oct. 13, 2023

Acknowledgment

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

Image credits:

(top left) Quinn Kelsey as Count Anckarström (left) with Charles Castronovo as King Gustav III, (top right) Angela Meade as Amelia Anckarström, (middle right) Liv Redpath as King Gustavo's page Oscar with Charles Castronovo as King Gustavo III and (bottom right) Olesya Petrova as fortune teller Ulrica with Charles Castronovo as disguised King Gustavo III in Met Opera's 2023-2024 season revival of David Alden's 2012-2013 production of Verdi's Un Ballo in Maschera: The Metropolitan Opera, via Facebook Oct. 20, 2023, @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/posts/879459600215477/

(top left) Charles Castronovo (left) as King Gustavo III with Quinn Kelsey as Count Anckarström, (top right) Charles Castronovo (left) as King Gustavo with Angela Meade as Amelia Anckarström, (bottom left) Liv Redpath as King Gustavo's page Oscar, (center bottom) Charles Castronovo (left) as King Gustavo with Angela Meade as Amelia Anckarström and (bottom right) Angela Meade (left) as Amelia Anckarström with Quinn Kelsey as Count Anckarström during early rehearsals for Met Opera's 2023-2024 season revival of David Alden's 2012-2013 production of Verdi's Un Ballo in Maschera: The Metropolitan Opera, via Facebook Oct. 13, 2023, @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/posts/875509590610478/

For further information:

"Debut: Angela Meade." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 352433 Ernani Metropolitan Opera House, Fri, March 21, 2008 Broadcast. Debut: Angela Meade. Ernani (83). Giuseppe Verdi / Francesco Maria Piave.
Available @ https://archives.metopera.org/MetOperaSearch/record.jsp?dockey=0384005

“Debut: Angela Meade.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 352433 Ernani {83} Metropolitan Opera House: 03/21/2008.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=352433

"Debut: Carlo Rizzi." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 314310 La Bohème Metropolitan Opera House, Fri, October 29, 1993. Debut: Carlo Rizzi. La Bohème (989) Giacomo Puccini / Luigi Illica/Giuseppe Giacosa.
Available @ https://archives.metopera.org/MetOperaSearch/record.jsp?dockey=0380394

“Debut: Carlo Rizzi.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 314310 > La Bohème {989} Metropolitan Opera House: 10/29/1993.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=314310

"Debut: José Cura, Charles Castronovo." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 332000 Opening Night {115}, General Manager: Joseph Volpe Cavalleria Rusticana Pagliacci. Metropolitan Opera House, Mon, September 27, 1999. Debut : José Cura, Charles Castronovo. Cavalleria Rusticana (636) Pietro Mascagni / Giovanni Targioni-Tozzetti, Guido Menasci.
Available @ https://archives.metopera.org/MetOperaSearch/record.jsp?dockey=0381753

"Debut: Liv Redpath." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 0357895 Un Ballo in Maschera Metropolitan Opera House, Fri, October 20, 2023. Debut: Liv Redpath. Un Ballo in Maschera (303). Giuseppe Verdi / Antonio Somma.
Available @ https://archives.metopera.org/MetOperaSearch/record.jsp?dockey=0387314

"Debut: Marielle Murphy." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 387338 Un Ballo in Maschera Metropolitan Opera House, Sat, November 11, 2023 Matinee. Debut: Marielle Murphy. Un Ballo in Maschera (309) Giuseppe Verdi / Antonio Somma.
Available @ https://archives.metopera.org/MetOperaSearch/record.jsp?dockey=0387338

“Debut: Olesya Petrova.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 355386 Andrea Chénier {180} Metropolitan Opera House: 03/24/2014.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=355386

"Debut: Quinn Kelsey." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 352451 La Bohème Metropolitan Opera House, Sat, March 29, 2008. Debut: Quinn Kelsey. La Bohème (1194) Giacomo Puccini / Luigi Illica/Giuseppe Giacosa.
Available @ https://archives.metopera.org/MetOperaSearch/record.jsp?dockey=0384014

“Debut: Quinn Kelsey.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 352451 La Bohème {1194} Metropolitan Opera House: 03/29/2008.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=352451

"Debuts: José Cura, Charles Castronovo." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 332000 Cavalleria Rusticana {636} Pagliacci {678} Metropolitan Opera House: 09/27/1999.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=332000

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Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2023/09/met-opera-calendars-2023-2024-season.html

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Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2023/09/met-opera-newly-stages-carmen-and-la.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "The Metropolitan Opera Performs 18 Operas in the 2023-2024 Season." Earth and Space News. Monday, Aug. 21, 2023.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2023/08/the-metropolitan-opera-performs-18.html

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Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2023/08/metropolitan-opera-revives-12.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "Saturday Matinee Broadcasts Include Six Special Programs in 2023-2024." Earth and Space News. Monday, Nov. 27, 2023.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2023/11/saturday-matinee-broadcasts-include-six.html

The Metropolitan Opera. "The Metropolitan Opera announces its 2023–24 season, with the most new works in the company’s modern history." The Metropolitan Opera > About > Press Releases. Feb. 22, 2023.
Available @ https://www.metopera.org/about/press-releases/the-metropolitan-opera-announces-its-202324-season-with-the-most-new-works-in-the-companys-modern-history/

The Metropolitan Opera. "Verdi’s Un Ballo in Maschera opens in one week! Have you snagged a ticket yet? As we prepare for this production’s long-awaited return, enjoy these pictures from an early stage rehearsal. The all-star cast features tenor Charles Castronovo as Gustavo III, soprano Angela Meadeas Amelia, baritone Quinn Kelsey as Count Anckarström, mezzo-soprano Olesya Petrova as Ulrica, and soprano Liv Redpath as Oscar. Carlo Rizzi conducts. Book your tickets: bit.ly/3JCuntc Photos by Jonathan Tichler / Met Opera #MetOpera #MaskedBall #NewYorkCity #Rehearsal #meetopera." Facebook. Oct. 13, 2023.
Available via Facebook @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/posts/875509590610478/

The Metropolitan Opera. "Verdi’s Un Ballo in Maschera returns to the Met stage tonight, October 20! Will you be there? Catch this stellar production, led by tenor Charles Castronovo in his Met role debut as Gustavo III, alongside soprano Angela Meade as Amelia, baritone Quinn Kelsey as Count Anckarström, mezzo-soprano Olesya Petrova as Ulrica, and soprano Liv Redpath in her Met debut as Oscar. Carlo Rizzi conducts. Un Ballo in Maschera is on stage through November 18. Book your tickets now: bit.ly/3JCuntc Photos by Ken Howard / Met Opera #MetOpera #NewYorkCity #Verdi #Drama #meetopera." Facebook. Oct. 20, 2023.
Available via Facebook @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/posts/879459600215477/

"New Production: Un Ballo in Maschera." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 354641 New Production Un Ballo in Maschera Metropolitan Opera House, Thu, November 8, 2012 Broadcast. Debut: Paul Steinberg, Adam Silverman, Maxine Braham. Un Ballo in Maschera (288) Giuseppe Verdi / Antonio Somma.
Available @ https://archives.metopera.org/MetOperaSearch/record.jsp?dockey=0385075

Woolfe, Zachary. "A Force of Nature Descends on the Met." The New York Times > Arts > Music. Nov. 2, 2012.
Available @ https://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/04/arts/music/david-aldens-un-ballo-in-maschera-at-the-met.html