Earth and Space News: 2017-2018 Met Opera Saturday matinee broadcast

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Monday, April 30, 2018

Roméo et Juliette Is May 5, 2018, Met Opera Saturday Matinee Broadcast

Summary: The May 5, 2018, Met Opera Saturday matinee broadcast is Roméo et Juliette by 19th century French composer Charles-François Gounod.

Plácido Domingo conducts and Ailyn Pérez sings the title female role in the 2017-2018 Met Opera season's performances of Gounod's Roméo et Juliette: AILYN PÉREZ @AilynPerez1, via Twitter April 4, 2018

Roméo et Juliette, a five-act opera about naïve young love amid family feuds by 19th century French composer Charles-François Gounod (June 17, 1818-Oct. 18, 1893), is the May 5, 2018, Metropolitan Opera Saturday matinee broadcast.

Credit for the French libretto goes to French librettists Paul Jules Barbier (March 8, 1825-Jan. 16, 1901) and Michel Carré (Oct. 20, 1821-June 27, 1872).

The literary source for Barbier and Carré’s French libretto is The Tragedie of Romeo and Juliet by Elizabethan playwright William Shakespeare (baptized April 26, 1564-April 23, 1616). Shakespeare’s writing of the Verona’s tragedy dates to between 1591 and 1595.

Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette premiered April 27, 1867, at Théâtre Lyrique’s Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris’s first arrondissement (1er arrondissement de Paris). Théâtre Lyrique’s previous premieres of Gounod operas include the redemptive tragedy, Faust (premiere March 19, 1859).

Six performances of Roméo et Juliette are scheduled for the 2017-2018 Met Opera season. Opening night, Monday, April 23, 2018, at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, marks the opera’s 344th performance by the Metropolitan Opera. The month’s second performance takes place Friday, April 27, at 8 p.m.

Four performances are scheduled for May, beginning Tuesday, May 1, at 7:30 p.m. The month’s second performance is the Saturday matinee broadcast Saturday, May 5, at 1 p.m. The month’s third performance takes place Wednesday, May 9, at 7:30 p.m. The fourth performance marks closing night, Saturday, May 12, at 1 p.m.

Estimated run time for the five-act opera is 3 hours 2 minutes. Acts I, II, and III’s scene 1 are set for 75 minutes. An intermission of 35 minutes follows the first three and one-half acts. Act III’s scene 2 and acts IV and V span 72 minutes.

Plácido Domingo conducts all performances, including the May 5 Saturday matinee broadcast. His birthplace is Madrid, central Spain. The Spanish tenor, who sings the Miller baritone role, debuted Sept. 28, 1968, as Maurizio in the Metropolitan Opera’s 16th performance of Adriana Lecouvreur by Italian composer Francesco Cilea (July 23, 1866-Nov. 20, 1950). In the 2017-2018 Met Opera season, Plácido Domingo also sings, appearing in the fatherly baritone role in Luisa Miller by 19th century Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi (Oct. 10, 1813-Jan. 27, 1901).

Ailyn Pérez appears in all performances as Juliette Capulet, tragically in love with Roméo Montagu, whose family is locked in a feud with Juliette’s family. Her birthplace is Chicago, Cook County, northeastern Illinois. The American operatic soprano debuted Feb. 6, 2015, as Micaëla in the Metropolitan Opera’s 994th performance of Carmen by French Romantic Era composer Georges Bizet (Oct. 25, 1838-June 3, 1875). In the 2017-2018 Met Opera season, Ailyn Pérez also appears in the title role in Thaïs by French Romantic Era composer Jules Massenet (May 12, 1842-Aug. 13, 1912) and as Countess Almavivia in Le Nozze di Figaro by 18 century Classical Era composer Wolfgang Mozart (Jan. 27, 1756-Dec. 5, 1791).

Karine Deshayes appears in all performances in the trouser role of Stéphano, Roméo’s page who supports the secret romance between Juliette and Roméo. The French mezzo-soprano debuted Oct. 3, 2006, in the trouser role of Siebel in the Metropolitan Opera’s 723rd performance of Gounod’s Faust.

Charles Castronovo appears in all performances as Roméo, who loves Juliette despite their families' feud. His birthplace is Queens, New York City, southwestern Long Island, southeastern New York. The American operatic tenor debuted Sept. 27, 1999, as Beppe in the Metropolitan Opera's 678th performance of Pagliacci ‏by Italian opera composer and librettist Ruggero Leoncavallo (April 23, 1857-Aug. 9, 1919). In the 2017-2018 Met Opera season, he also appears as Tamino in Mozart's Die Zauberflöte and also in the Met's family-friendly, English-language version, The Magic Flute.

(Bryan Hymel originally was scheduled to appear in all performances as Roméo. The Metropolitan Opera announced his illness and replacement by Charles Castronovo via Twitter April 18, 2018. His birthplace is New Orleans, southeastern Louisiana. The American tenor debuted Dec. 26, 2012, as Aeneas in the Metropolitan Opera’s 41st performance of Les Troyens by 19th century French Romantic composer Louis-Hector Berlioz [Dec. 11, 1803-March 8, 1869].)

Update: Andrea Shin replaces Charles Castronovo, who is ill, as Roméo for the April 23 opening night performance. His birthplace is South Korea. The South Korean tenor makes his Metropolitan Opera debut with his opening night appearance as Roméo. (Update via The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera via Twitter April 23, 2018.)

Joshua Hopkins appears in all performances as Mercutio, Roméo’s friend who has a fatal duel with Tybalt, Lady Capulet’s nephew. The Canadian baritone debuted Oct. 28, 2009, as Ping in the Metropolitan Opera’s 271st performance of Turandot by Italian opera composer Giacomo Puccini (Dec. 22, 1858-Nov. 29, 1924).

Kwangchul Youn appears in all performances as Frère Laurent, who hopes that the marriage he performs between Juliette and Roméo will bring happiness and end the Capulet-Montagu feud. His birthplace is Chung Ju, North Chungcheong province, central South Korea. The South Korean operatic bass debuted Oct. 8, 2004, as Sarastro in the Metropolitan Opera’s 343rd performance of Die Zauberflöte by 18th century Classical Era composer Wolfgang Mozart. In the 2017-2018 Met Opera season, Kwangchul Youn also appears as Ferrando in Verdi’s Il Trovatore.

Met Opera’s 2017-2018 staging of Roméo et Juliette revisits Bartlett Sher’s new production, which debuted Dec. 31, 2016, in the Metropolitan Opera’s 330th performance of the star-crossed tragedy. The American theater director’s production team comprises Michael Yeargan, set designer; Catherine Zuber, costume designer; Jennifer Tipton, lighting designer; Chase Brock, choreographer.

Roméo et Juliette appears as the 23rd and last of the 2017-2018 Met Opera season’s 23 Saturday matinee broadcasts. Cendrillon was the season’s 22nd Saturday matinee broadcast. Massenet’s Cendrillon aired Saturday, April 28, at 1 p.m.

Online database Operabase places Charles-François Gounod at number 21 in a worldwide ranking of 1,281 composers for the five seasons from 2011/2012 to 2015/2016. Places 20 and 22 are occupied by French Romantic Era composer Jules Massenet and 18th century German Early Classical Era composer Christoph Willibald Gluck, respectively.

Roméo et Juliette occupies place 65 in the worldwide list of 2,658 most popular operas. Places 64 and 66 are held by German late Romantic and early modern composer Richard Strauss’s Elektra and by 19th century German composer Richard Wagner’s Siegfried, respectively.

Roméo et Juliette’s Metropolitan Opera debut took place April 16, 1884. Prior to the 2017-2018 Met Opera season, Roméo et Juliette’s most recent Met Opera performances occurred during the 2016-2017 season.

The Metropolitan Opera’s Repertory Report provides statistics for the opera house’s operatic performances. Roméo et Juliette is in place 23. Places 22 and 24 are occupied by French Romantic Era composer Jules Massenet’s Der Rosenkavalier and by 19th century Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi’s Otello, respectively.

The takeaway for Roméo et Juliette as the May 5, 2018, Metropolitan Opera Saturday matinee broadcast is that the 2017-2018 Met Opera season’s 23rd Saturday matinee broadcast closes the season with a Shakespearean star-crossed tragedy in which youth value love over family feuds.

The Metropolitan Opera revisits American theater director Bartlett Sher's 2016-2017 staging of Charles Gounod's Roméo et Juliette with 2017-2018 season performances in April and May: BAM @BAM_Brooklyn, via Twitter April 24, 2018

Acknowledgment

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

Image credits:

AILYN PÉREZ @AilynPerez1. "Chatting with our living legend Maestro @PlacidoDomingo who conducts our Roméo & Juliette at @metopera. He always works from the heart, devoting his time and energy on bringing opera to life with expressivity and abandon! #MetOpera #ComingSoon #Keepingupwithdomingo." Twitter. April 4, 2018.
Available @ https://twitter.com/AilynPerez1/status/981533909136572417

BAM ‏@BAM_Brooklyn. "#RSCKingLear and looking for more Shakespeare in the city? Head uptown to our friends @MetOpera and catch Gounod’s lush operatic adaptation of Romeo and Juliet, now through May 12." Twitter. April 24, 2018.
Available @ https://twitter.com/BAM_Brooklyn/status/988809885604368384

"Composers: Composers Ranked by the Number of Performances of Their Operas Over the Five Seasons 2011/2012 to 2015/16." Operabase > Opera Statistics.
Available @ http://operabase.com/top.cgi?lang=en

“Debut: Bryan Hymel.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 354746 Les Troyens {41} Metropolitan Opera House: 12/26/2012.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=354746

“Debut: Plácido Domingo.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 216130 Adriana Lecouvreur {16} Metropolitan Opera House: 09/28/1968.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=216130

“Debuts: Ailyn Pérez, Gábor Bretz.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 355797 Carmen {994} Metropolitan Opera House: 02/06/2015.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=355797

Debuts: Andrea Shin, Bogdan Volkov." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 356960 Roméo et Juliette {344} Metropolitan Opera House: 04/23/2018.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=356960

“Debuts: Andris Nelsons, Lise Lindstrom, Joshua Hopkins . . .” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 353144 Turandot {271} Metropolitan Opera House: 10/28/2009.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=353144

"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

“Debuts: L’ubica Vargicová, Volker Vogel, Kwangchul Youn . . .” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 351036 Die Zauberflöte {343} Metropolitan Opera House: 10/08/2004.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=351036

“Debuts: Tommi Hakala, Karine Deshayes.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 351561 Faust {723} Metropolitan Opera House: 10/03/2006.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=351561

Jackson, Paul. Saturday Afternoons at the Old Met: The Metropolitan Opera Broadcasts, 1931-1950. Portland OR: Amadeus Press, 1992.

Marriner, Derdriu. “Cendrillon Is the April 28, 2018, Met Opera Saturday Matinee Broadcast.” Earth and Space News. Monday, April 23, 2018.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2018/04/cendrillon-is-april-28-2018-met-opera.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “Metropolitan Opera’s Gallery Met Short for Roméo et Juliette.” Earth and Space News. Monday, Nov. 20, 2017.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2017/11/metropolitan-operas-gallery-met-short.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “Roméo et Juliette Is the Jan. 21, 2017, Metropolitan Opera Saturday Matinee Broadcast.” Earth and Space News. Monday, Jan. 16, 2017.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2017/01/romeo-et-juliette-is-jan-21-2017.html

Metropolitan Opera ‏@MetOpera. "For all performances of Roméo et Juliette this season Charles Castronovo sings Roméo, replacing Bryan Hymel who is ill. #CastChange." Twitter. April 18, 2018.
Available @ https://twitter.com/MetOpera/status/986707340547317760

Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera. "For the performance of ROMÉO ET JULIETTE this evening (4/23), Roméo will be sung by Andrea Shin (making his debut), replacing Charles Castronovo, who is ill." Twitter. April 23, 2018.
Available @ https://twitter.com/MetOpera/status/988482108120293377

"Performances Statistics Through October 31, 2016.” MetOpera Database > The Metropolitan Opera Archives > Repertory Report.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/Database%20Opera%20Statistics.xml

Monday, April 23, 2018

Cendrillon Is the April 28, 2018, Met Opera Saturday Matinee Broadcast

Summary: The April 28, 2018, Met Opera Saturday matinee broadcast is Cendrillon by French Romantic Era composer Jules Massenet.

Cendrillon, a four-act fairy tale opera by French Romantic Era composer Jules Massenet (May 12, 1842-Aug. 13, 1912), is the April 28, 2018, Metropolitan Opera Saturday matinee broadcast.

Credit for the French libretto goes to French librettist Henri Caïn (Oct. 11, 1857-Nov. 21, 1937). Massenet-Caïn collaborations prior to Cendrillon comprise La Navarraise (premiere June 20, 1894) and Sapho (premiere Nov. 27, 1897). Their post-Cendrillon operatic collaborations include Chérubin (premiere Feb. 14, 1905) and Don Quichotte (premiere Feb. 19, 1910). The premiere of their last collaboration, Roma, marked the last Massenet opera premiered during the composer’s lifetime.

The literary source for Caïn’s libretto is the Cendrillon (Cinderella) story in Histoires ou Contes du Temps Passé, published at the beginning of 1697 by French fairy tale collector Charles Perrault (Jan. 12, 1628-May 16, 1703). Also appearing in the collection of eight fairy tales are La Belle au bois dormant (“Sleeping Beauty”) and Le Petit Chaperon rouge (“Little Red Riding Hood”).

Cendrillon premiered May 24, 1899, at Théâtre National de l’Opéra-Comique in Paris’s second arrondissement (2e arrondissement de Paris), on the Seine’s right bank (Rive Droite de la Seine). Cendrillon’s premiere took place in the third Salle Favart, built to replace the second destroyed by fire May 25, 1887.

Eight performances of Cendrillon are scheduled for the 2017-2018 Met Opera season. Five performances are offered in April. Opening night, Thursday, April 12, at 8 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, marks the opera’s Metropolitan Opera premiere. The month’s four additional performances take place Tuesday, April 17, at 7:30 p.m.; Friday, April 20, at 8 p.m.; Tuesday, April 24, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday matinee broadcast April 28 at 1 p.m.

Three performances are scheduled for May, beginning Thursday, May 3, at 8 p.m. The month’s two final performances take place Monday, May 7, at 7:30 p.m. and closing night, Friday, May 11, at 8 p.m.

Estimated run time for the four-act opera is 2 hours 47 minutes. Acts I and II are timed for 71 minutes. An intermission of 30 minutes follows the first two acts. Acts III and IV run for 66 minutes.

Bertrand de Billy conducts all eight performances, including the April 28 Saturday matinee broadcast. His birthplace is Paris, Île de France, north central France. The French conductor debuted March 16, 1998, in the opera company’s 294th performance of Roméo et Juliette by French composer Charles-François Gounod (June 17, 1818-Oct. 18, 1893). In the 2017-2018 Met Opera season, Bertrand de Billy also conducts Tosca by Italian opera composer Giacomo Puccini (Dec. 22, 1858-Nov. 29, 1924) and Luisa Miller by 19th century Italian opera composer Giuseppe Verdi (Oct. 10, 1813-Jan. 27, 1901).

Kathleen Kim appears in all performances, including the April 28 Saturday matinee broadcast, as La Fée, Cendrillon’s Fairy Godmother, whose magic sends Cendrillon to the ball and wins the prince’s love for Cendrillon. Her birthplace is Seoul, South Korea. The Korean-American operatic coloratura soprano debuted Oct. 2, 2007, as Barbarina in the opera company’s 430th performance of Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro.

Joyce DiDonato appears in all performances, including the April 28 Saturday matinee broadcast, in the title role as a kindly dreamer whose happy ending brings happy endings to all. Her birthplace is Prairie Village, Johnson County, northeastern Kansas. The American lyric-coloratura mezzo-soprano debuted Nov. 2, 2005, in the trouser role of Cherubino in the opera company’s 419th performance of Le Nozze di Figaro by 18th century Classical Era composer Wolfgang Mozart (Jan. 27, 1756-Dec. 5, 1791). In the 2017-2018 Met Opera season, Joyce DiDonato also appears as Adalgisa in Norma by Italian opera composer Vincenzo Bellini (Nov. 3, 1801-Sept. 23, 1835).

Alice Coote appears in all performances in the trouser role of Le Prince Charmant (Prince Charming), who never forgets a glass-slippered beauty at the palace’s find-a-wife-for-the-prince ball. Her birthplace is Frodsham, Cheshire, North West England. The British lyric mezzo-soprano debuted April 12, 2006, in the trouser role of Cherubino in the opera company’s 425th performance of Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro. In the 2017-2018 Met Opera season, Alice Coote also appears as Leonora Palma in The Exterminating Angel by British composer, conductor and pianist Thomas Adès.

Stephanie Blythe appears in all performances as Madame de la Haltière, Cendrillon’s stepmother, whose favored treatment of her own two daughters is dissolved by her stepdaughter’s graciousness. Her birthplace is Mongaup Valley, Sullivan County, southeastern New York. The American mezzo-soprano debuted April 14, 1995, as the Voice in the opera company’s 273rd performance of Parsifal by 19th century German composer and librettist Richard Wagner (May 22, 1813-Feb. 13, 1883).

Laurent Naouri appears in all performances as Pandolfe, Cendrillon’s father, whose sad perplexity in his second marriage is transformed into happiness with Prince Charming’s ballroom reunion with Cendrillon. His birthplace is Paris, Île-de-France, north central France. The French bass-baritone debuted Feb. 17, 2012, as Sharpless in the opera company’s 838th performance of Puccini’s Madama Butterfly. In the 2017-2018 Met Opera season, Laurent Naouri also appears as the Four Villains in Les Contes d’Hoffmann by German-born French composer Jacques Offenbach (June 20, 1819-Oct. 5, 1880).

The Metropolitan Opera’s 2017-2018 season premiere of Cendrillon also introduces the opera house’s audience to Laurent Pelly’s production. The world premiere of the French opera and theatre director’s production dates back to July 15, 2006, at the Santa Fe Opera.

“It was the first Massenet I had done and a big discovery,” Pelly explains in a June 2011 The Telegraph article by journalist Jasper Rees. “I love it because it has a very naïve quality, with a lot of humour and poetry and reverie. There’s a bit of kitsch in it. It’s very 18th-century with a slightly antique charm. It’s very French.”

In addition to directing, Pelly is the production's costume designer. His production team comprises Barbara de Limburg, set designer; Duane Schuler, lighting designer; Laura Scozzi, choreographer.

Cendrillon appears as the 22nd of the 2017-2018 Met Opera season’s 23 Saturday matinee broadcasts. Thomas Adès’s The Exterminating Angel was the season’s 21st Saturday matinee broadcast. The Exterminating Angel aired Saturday, April 21, at 1 p.m.

The season’s 23rd Saturday matinee broadcast is Roméo et Juliette by 19th century French composer Charles-François Gounod (June 17, 1818-Oct. 18, 1893). Gounod’s adaptation of Elizabethan playwright William Shakespeare’s famous tragedy of star-crossed lovers airs Saturday, May 5, at 1 p.m.

Cendrillon appears as the second of two Massenet operas included in the 2017-2018 Met Opera Saturday matinee broadcasts. The first Massenet opera, Thaïs, aired for the Jan. 20 Saturday matinee at 1 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.

Jules Massenet holds place 20 in online database Operabase’s worldwide ranking of 1,281 composers for the five seasons from 2011/2012 to 2015/2016. Places 19 and 21 are occupied by Italian opera composer and librettist Ruggero Leoncavallo (April 23, 1857-Aug. 9, 1919) and 19th century French composer Charles-François Gounod, respectively.

Cendrillon occupies place 196 in Operabase's worldwide list of 2,658 most popular operas. Places 195 and 197 are held by 19th century French Romantic composer Louis-Hector Berlioz’s Les Troyens and 18th century German Early Classical Era composer Christoph Willibald Gluck’s Alceste, respectively.

The takeaway for Cendrillon as the April 28, 2018, Metropolitan Opera Saturday matinee broadcast is that the 2017-2018 Met Opera season’s 22nd Saturday matinee broadcast presents an opera that marks its Metropolitan Opera debut with the 2017-2018 Met Opera season's performances.

Acknowledgment

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

Image credits:

Cendrillon's (Joyce DiDonato) life is forever changed by her fairy godmother's carriage and horses, which stylishly transport her to meet Prince Charming: The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera, via Facebook April 10, 2018, @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/photos/a.134969600532.229232.20807115532/10160402247610533/

Cendrillon's fairy godmother (Kathleen Kim) makes sure that Cendrillon and Prince Charming will have a happily ever after, fairy tale love: The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera, via Facebook April 18, 2018, @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/photos/a.134969600532.229232.20807115532/10160433497135533/

For further information:

"Composers: Composers Ranked by the Number of Performances of Their Operas Over the Five Seasons 2011/2012 to 2015/16." Operabase > Opera Statistics.
Available @ http://operabase.com/top.cgi?lang=en

“Debut: Alice Coote.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 351491 Le Nozze di Figaro {425} Metropolitan Opera House: 04/12/2006.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=351491

“Debut: Laurent Naouri.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 354365 Madama Butterfly {838} Metropolitan Opera House: 02/17/2012.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=354365

“Debuts: Alfred Walker, Bertrand de Billy.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 330528 Roméo et Juliette {294} Metropolitan Opera House: 03/16/1998.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=330528

“Debuts: Anke Vondung, Robin Leggate, Kathleen Kim, Ashley Emerson.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 352076 Le Nozze di Figaro {430} Metropolitan Opera House: 10-02-2007.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=352076

“Debuts: Mark Wigglesworth, Maurizio Muraro, Joyce DiDonato . . .” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 351338 Le Nozze di Figaro {419} Metropolitan Opera House: 11/02/2005.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=351338

“Debuts: Stephanie Blythe, Anthony Dean Griffey.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 320010 Parsifal {273} Metropolitan Opera House: 04/14/1995.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=320010

Dugan, Gerald. “Santa Fe Opera 2006 Presents Massenet’s ‘Cendrillon.’” David Gregson’s Opera West. Aug. 18, 2006.
Available @ http://www.operawest.com/santa-fe-opera-2006-presents-massenet%E2%80%99s-%E2%80%9Ccendrillon%E2%80%9D/

Marriner, Derdriu. “2017-2018 Met Season Stages Three Rare Operas and Premieres Cendrillon.” Earth and Space News. Monday, July 17, 2017.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2017/07/2017-2018-met-season-stages-three-rare.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “2017-2018 Metropolitan Opera Season Offers Five New Productions.” Earth and Space News. Monday, June 26, 2017.
Available @ http://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2017/06/2017-2018-metropolitan-opera-season.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “The Exterminating Angel Is the April 21, 2018, Met Opera Saturday Matinee Broadcast.” Earth and Space News. Monday, April 16, 2018.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2018/04/the-exterminating-angel-is-april-21.html

The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera. "Cendrillon's magical protector, the fairy godmother, sung by Kathleen Kim, watches over her goddaughter and Prince Charming, helping them achieve their own happy ending. Massenet's Cendrillon is on stage through May 11. Photo by Ken Howard/Met Opera." Facebook. April 18, 2018.
Available @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/photos/a.134969600532.229232.20807115532/10160433497135533/

The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera. "Massenet’s whimsical operatic adaptation of the classic Cinderella story has its long-awaited Met premiere this Thursday, April 12, starring Joyce DiDonato in the title role of Cendrillon. Tickets start at $27. Photos by Ken Howard/Met Opera." Facebook. April 10, 2018.
Available @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/photos/a.134969600532.229232.20807115532/10160402247610533/

Rees, Jaspar. “Laurent Pelly on ‘Cendrillon’ at the Royal Opera House.” The Telegraph > Culture > Music > Opera. June 29, 2011.
Available @ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/opera/8606787/Laurent-Pelly-on-Cendrillon-at-the-Royal-Opera-House.html

Monday, April 9, 2018

Luisa Miller Is April 14, 2018, Met Opera Saturday Matinee Broadcast

Summary: The April 14, 2018, Met Opera Saturday matinee broadcast is Luisa Miller by 19th century Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi.

Nineteenth century Italian opera composer Giuseppe Verdi's Luisa Miller is the April 14, 2018, Met Opera Saturday matinee broadcast; Bulgarian operatic soprano Sonya Yoncheva sings the title role; Spanish tenor Plácido Domingo sings the baritone role as Luisa's father: Placido Domingo @PlacidoDomingo, via Twitter March 27, 2018

Luisa Miller, a three-act opera about star-crossed lovers by 19th century Italian opera composer Giuseppe Verdi (Oct. 10, 1813-Jan. 27, 1901), is the April 14, 2018, Metropolitan Opera Saturday matinee broadcast.

Italian librettist Salvadore Cammarano (March 19, 1801-July 17, 1852) wrote the Italian libretto. Previously, he collaborated with Giuseppe Verdi on Alzira (premiered Aug. 12, 1845) and La Battaglia di Legnano (premiered Jan. 27, 1849). The Italian librettist died before completing his last two Verdi collaborations. Italian poet Leone Emanuele Bardare (1820-ca. 1874) finessed Cammarano’s largely completed libretto for Il Trovatore. Cammarano left a detailed scenario and an unfinished libretto for Re Lear, Verdi’s proposed operatic adaptation of Elizabethan playwright William Shakespeare’s King Lear.

The literary source for Cammarano’s libretto is Kabale und Liebe (“Intrigue and Love”), a five-act play by 19th century German philosopher-playwright Friedrich von Schiller (Nov. 10, 1759-May 9, 1805). Schiller’s play premiered April 13, 1784, at Schauspiel Frankfurt, Hesse state, west central Germany.

Luisa Miller premiered Dec. 8, 1849, at Teatro di San Carlo, Naples. The Neapolitan opera house had premiered the first Cammarano-Verdi collaboration, Alzira, on Aug. 12, 1845.

Seven performances of Luisa Miller are scheduled for the 2017-2018 Met Opera season. Opening night, Thursday, March 29, at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, marks the opera’s 87th performance at the Metropolitan Opera.

Six performances are scheduled for April, beginning Monday, April 2, at 7:30 p.m. The month’s five additional performances take place Friday, April 6, at 7:30 p.m.; Monday, April 9, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday matinee broadcast April 16 at 12:30 p.m.; Wednesday, April 18, at 7:30 p.m; closing night, Saturday, April 21, at 12 p.m.

Estimated run time for the three-act opera is 3 hours 28 minutes. Act I is timed for 64 minutes. An intermission of 30 minutes follows the first act. The second act is set for 42 minutes. A second intermission of 30 minutes follows the second act. The third and final act spans 42 minutes.

Bertrand de Billy conducts all seven performances, including the April 14 Saturday matinee broadcast. His birthplace is Paris, Île de France, north central France. The French conductor debuted March 16, 1998, in the Metropolitan Opera’s 294th performance of Roméo et Juliette by French composer Charles-François Gounod (June 17, 1818-Oct. 18, 1893). In the 2017-2018 Met Opera season, Bertrand de Billy also conducts Tosca by Italian opera composer Giacomo Puccini (Dec. 22, 1858-Nov. 29, 1924) and Cendrillon by French Romantic Era composer Jules Massenet (May 12, 1842-Aug. 13, 1912).

Sonya Yoncheva appears in all performances, including the April 14 Saturday matinee broadcast, in the title role as a villager whose lover, Carlo, is really Rodolfo, son of Count Walter. Her birthplace is Plovdiv, south central Bulgaria. The Bulgarian operatic soprano debuted Nov. 21, 2013, as Gilda in the Metropolitan Opera’s 859th performance of Verdi’s Rigoletto. In the 2017-2018 Met Opera season, Sonya Yoncheva also appears as Mimì in Puccini’s La Bohème and in the title role of Puccini’s Tosca.

Olesya Petrova appears in all performances, including the April 14 Saturday matinee broadcast, as Federica. Her birthplace is St. Petersburg, northwestern Russia. The Russian mezzo-soprano debuted March 24, 2014, as Madelon in the Metropolitan Opera’s 180th performance of Andrea Chénier by Italian verismo (“realism”) composer Umberto Giordano (Aug. 28, 1867-Nov. 12, 1948). In the 2017-2018 Met Opera season, Olesya Petrova also appears as Antonia’s mother in Les Contes d’Hoffmann by German-born French composer Jacques Offenbach (June 20, 1819-Oct. 5, 1880).

Piotr Beczala appears in all performances, including the April 14 Saturday matinee broadcast, as Rodolfo, a nobleman’s son who earnestly woos villager Luisa in his guise as villager Carlo but becomes unhinged by a breakup letter she writes to save her father. His birthplace is Czechowice-Dziedzice, Silesia Province, southwestern Poland. The Polish operatic tenor debuted Dec. 19, 2006, as the Duke of Mantua in the Metropolitan Opera’s 814th performance of Verdi’s Rigoletto.

Plácido Domingo appears in six performances (March 29; April 2, 6, 9, 21), including the Saturday matinee broadcast April 14, as Miller, Luisa’s father who is helpless to save his daughter in a class-conscious tragedy. Plácido Domingo debuts his 149th career role in his appearance as Miller.

Plácido Domingo's birthplace is Madrid, central Spain. The Spanish baritone/tenor, who sings the Miller baritone role, debuted Sept. 28, 1968, as Maurizio in the Metropolitan Opera’s 16th performance of Adriana Lecouvreur by Italian composer Francesco Cilea (July 23, 1866-Nov. 20, 1950). In the 2017-2018 Met Opera season, Plácido Domingo moves to the conductor's podium to conduct Massenet's Roméo et Juliette.

Plácido Domingo shares the role of Miller this season with Luca Salsi, who appears in the April 18 performance. His birthplace is San Secondo Parmense, Parma province, Emilia-Romagna, northeastern Italy. The Italian baritone debuted Oct. 8, 2007, as Sharpless in the Metropolitan Opera’s 812th performance of Puccini’s Madama Butterfly. In the 2017-2018 Met Opera season, Luca Salsi also appears as Count di Luna in Verdi’s Il Trovatore.

Alexander Vinogradov appears in all performances, including the April 14 Saturday matinee broadcast, as Count Walter, Rodolfo’s scheming father who disapproves of his noble son’s love for a villager. His birthplace is Moscow, north central Russia. The Russian bass’s appearance as Count Walter this season marks his Metropolitan Opera debut. In the 2017-2018 Met Opera season, Alexander Vinogradov also appears as Raimondo in Lucia di Lammermoor by 19th century Italian bel canto composer Gaetano Donizetti (Nov. 29, 1797-April 8, 1848).

Dmitry Belosselskiy appears in all performances, including the Saturday matinee broadcast April 14, as Wurm, Count Walter’s courtier whose scheming leads to death by poison for Luisa and Rodolfo and to his own sword death by Rodolfo. His birthplace is Pavlohrad, eastern Ukraine. The Ukrainian bass debuted Nov. 5, 2011, as Zaccaria in the Metropolitan Opera’s 54th performance of Verdi’s Nabucco.

Met Opera’s 2017-2018 staging of Luisa Miller revives Elijah Moshinsky’s new production, which debuted Oct. 26, 2001, in the Metropolitan Opera’s 70th performance of Luisa Miller. The Australian opera director’s production team comprises Santo Loquasto, set and costume designer; Duane Schuler, lighting designer; Kristine McIntyre, stage director.

Luisa Miller appears as the 20th of the 2017-2018 Met Opera season’s 23 Saturday matinee broadcasts. Lucia di Lammermoor was the season’s 19th Saturday matinee broadcast. Lucia di Lammermoor aired Saturday, April 7, 2018, at 12:30 p.m.

The season’s 21st Saturday matinee broadcast is The Exterminating Angel by British composer, conductor and pianist Thomas Adès. The Exterminating Angel airs Saturday, April 21, at 1 p.m.

Luisa Miller appears as the second of two Verdi operas included in the 2017-2018 Met Opera Saturday matinee broadcasts. The first Verdi opera, Il Trovatore, aired for the Feb. 3 Saturday matinee at 1 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.

Verdi’s Requiem opened the 2017-2018 Met Opera Saturday matinee broadcast season. The Requiem aired for the Dec. 2 Saturday matinee at 1 p.m.

Online database Operabase places Giuseppe Verdi in first place in a worldwide ranking of 1,281 composers for the five seasons from 2011/2012 to 2015/2016. Eighteenth century Classical Era composer Wolfgang Mozart is in second place.

Luisa Miller occupies place 116 in the worldwide list of 2,658 most popular operas. Places 115 and 117 are held by Italy’s Renaissance-to-Baroque transitional composer Claudio Monteverdi’s L’Incoronazione di Poppea and 19th century German composer Gustav Albert Lortzing’s Der Wildschutz (“The Poacher”), respectively.

Luisa Miller’s Metropolitan Opera debut took place Dec. 21, 1929. Prior to the 2017-2018 Met Opera season, Luisa Miller’s most recent Met Opera performances occurred during the 2005-2006 season.

The Metropolitan Opera’s Repertory Report provides statistics for the opera house’s operatic performances. Luisa Miller is in place 66. Places 65 and 67 are occupied by French Romantic Era composer Jules Massenet’s Werther and 19th century Czech composer Bedřich Smetana’s The Bartered Bride, respectively.

The takeaway for Luisa Miller as the April 14, 2018, Metropolitan Opera Saturday matinee broadcast is that the 2017-2018 Met Opera season’s 20th Saturday matinee broadcast revives an opera that has not been staged by the Metropolitan Opera since the opera house’s 2005-2006 season.

The April 14, 2018, Met Opera Saturday matinee broadcast presents Giuseppe Verdi's Luisa Miller, with Bulgarian soprano Sonya Yoncheva in the title role (left), Polish operatic tenor Piotr Beczala (top right) as her aristocratic love and Spanish tenor Plácido Domingo (bottom right) in the baritone role of Luisa's father: The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera, via Facebook March 29, 2018

Acknowledgment

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

Image credits:

"Composers: Composers Ranked by the Number of Performances of Their Operas Over the Five Seasons 2011/2012 to 2015/16." Operabase > Opera Statistics.
Available @ http://operabase.com/top.cgi?lang=en

“Debut: Alexander Vingradov.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 356929 Luisa Miller {87} Metropolitan Opera House: 03/29/2018.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=356929

“Debut: Dmitry Belosselskiy.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 354136 Nabucco {54} Metropolitan Opera House: 11/05/2011.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=354136

“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: Sonya Yoncheva.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 355145 Rigoletto {859} Metropolitan Opera House: 11/21/2013.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=355145

“Debuts: Luca Salsi, Kevin Augustine, Tom Lee.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 352090 Madama Butterfly {812} Metropolitan Opera House: 10/08/2007.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=352090

“Debuts: Piotr Beczala, Kate Aldrich .” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 351731 Rigoletto {814} Metropolitan Opera House: 12/19/2006.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=351731

FE DELCAMP @DELCAMP_FE. "Luisa Miller opening yersteday night at @MetOpera with @sonyayoncheva , the Maestro @PlacidoDomingo who made his 149th debut role as Miller and #PiotrBeczala was a great success. Listening them on the @MetOpera site was a very great joy and a deep emotion." Twitter. March 29, 2018.
Available @ https://twitter.com/DELCAMP_FE/status/979600642791673857

Marriner, Derdriu. "2017 Met Opera Premiere of Adès's The Exterminating Angel Is Oct. 26." Earth and Space News. Monday, Oct. 16, 2017.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2017/10/2017-met-opera-premiere-of-adess.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “Lucia di Lammermoor Is April 7, 2018, Met Opera Saturday Matinee Broadcast.” Earth and Space News. Monday, April 2, 2018.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2018/04/lucia-di-lammermoor-is-april-7-2018-met.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “Il Trovatore is Feb. 3, 2018, Met Opera Saturday Matinee Broadcast.” Earth and Space News. Monday, Jan. 29, 2018.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2018/01/il-trovatore-is-feb-3-2018-met-opera.html

Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera. "For this evening’s performance of Luisa Miller, Heather Johnson sings Laura replacing Rihab Chaieb, who is ill. #CastChange." Twitter. April 6, 2018.
Available @ https://twitter.com/MetOpera/status/982374099765866496

The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera. "Tonight, March 29: The incomparable Placido Domingo adds yet another role to his storied Met career, opposite SONYA YONCHEVA as the tragic title character of Luisa Miller. Piotr Beczała is Rodolfo, the man she loves, and Bertrand de Billy conducts Verdi’s early yet masterful score. Tickets: bit.ly/2pYPKhy Photos by Chris Lee/Met Opera." Facebook. March 29, 2018.
Available @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/posts/10160349317605533

Placido Domingo @PlacidoDomingo. "Yesterday’s “Luisa Miller” dress rehearsal with @sonyayoncheva & @MetOpera." Twitter. March 27, 2018.
Available @ https://twitter.com/PlacidoDomingo/status/978611033421045763

Monday, April 2, 2018

Lucia di Lammermoor Is April 7, 2018, Met Opera Saturday Matinee Broadcast

Summary: The April 7, 2018, Met Opera Saturday matinee broadcast is Lucia di Lammermoor by 19th century Italian bel canto opera composer Gaetano Donizetti.

Nineteenth century Italian bel canto composer Gaetano Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor is the April 7, 2018, Met Opera Saturday matinee broadcast: The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera, via Facebook March 22, 2018

Lucia di Lammermoor, a three-act opera about star-crossed lovers by 19th century Italian bel canto opera composer Gaetano Donizetti (Nov. 29, 1797-April 8, 1848), is the April 7, 2018, Metropolitan Opera Saturday matinee broadcast.

Italian librettist Salvadore Cammarano (March 19, 1801-July 17, 1852) wrote the Italian libretto. His subsequent collaborations as Donizetti’s librettist comprise Belisario (1836), L’Assedio di Calais (1836), Pia de’ Tolomei (1837), Roberto Devereux (1837), Maria de Rudenz (1838), Poliuto (1838) and Maria di Rohan (1843).

The literary source for Cammarano’s libretto is The Bride of Lammermoor, published in 1819 as a historical novel by Scottish writer Sir Walter Scott (Aug. 15, 1771-Sept. 21, 1832). Sir Walter Scott wrote in the novel’s introduction that the star-crossed tragedy was based on real-life events of the late 17th century in southwestern Scotland involving Janet Dalrymple, oldest daughter of James Dalrymple, 1st Viscount of Stair, Ayrshire; her secret betrothal to family political enemy Archibald, third Lord Rutherfurd; and Janet’s forced marriage to David Dunbar, heir of Sir David Dunbar of Baldoon Castle, Wigtownshire.

Lucia di Lammermoor premiered Sept. 26, 1835, at Teatro di San Carlo, Naples. Donizetti composed Lucia di Lammermoor in fulfillment of his contract as artistic director to create new operas for Teatro di San Carlo.

Twelve performances of Lucia di Lammermoor are scheduled for the 2017-2018 Met Opera season. Opening night, Thursday, March 22, at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time marks the opera’s 600th performance at the Metropolitan Opera. The month’s two additional performances take place Monday, March 26, at 7:30 p.m., and Friday, March 30, at 8 p.m.

Six performances are scheduled for April, beginning Tuesday, April 3, at 7:30 p.m. The opera’s Saturday matinee broadcast is scheduled for Saturday, April 7, at 12:30 p.m. The month’s four additional performances take place Wednesday, April 11, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, April 14, at 8 p.m.; Wednesday, April 25, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, April 28, at 8 p.m.

Three performances are scheduled for May, beginning Wednesday, May 2, at 7:30 p.m. The month’s second performance takes place Saturday, May 5, at 8 p.m. Closing night is Thursday, May 10, at 7:30 p.m. Closing night marks the 611th performance of Lucia di Lammermoor at the Metropolitan Opera.

Estimated run time for the three-act opera is 3 hours 27 minutes. Act I is timed for 89 minutes. An intermission of 30 minutes follows the first act. The second and final act runs for 92 minutes.

Roberto Abbado conducts all performances of Lucia di Lammermoor. His birthplace is Milan, Lombardy, northwestern Italy. The Italian conductor debuted March 3, 1994, in the Metropolitan Opera’s 60th performance of Adriana Lecouvreur by Italian composer Francesco Cilea (July 23, 1866-Nov. 20, 1950).

Update: Gareth Morrell replaces Roberto Abbado as conductor for the Tuesday, April 4, performance of Lucia di Lammermoor. He also conducts the Saturday, April 7, performance as Roberto Abbado's replacement. (Update via Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera via Twitter tweets April 3 and 6, 2018.)

Gareth Morrell's birthplace is Southport, Merseyside, North West England. The British conductor's appearance Tuesday, April 4, reprises his Metropolitan Opera debut debut Jan. 20, 1999, in Met Opera's 516th performance of Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor. In the 2017-2018 Met Opera season, Gareth Morrell also conducts Semiramide by Italian composer Gioachino Rossini (Feb. 29, 1792-Nov. 13, 1868) and Tosca by Italian opera composer Giacomo Puccini (Dec. 22, 1858-Nov. 29, 1924).

Olga Peretyatko-Mariotti appears in all three March performances and in two April performances (April 3, Saturday matinee broadcast April 7) in the title role as a star-crossed lover whose brother manipulates her into a fatal marriage. Her birthplace is St. Petersburg, northwestern Russia. The Russian operatic soprano debuted April 17, 2014, as Elvira in the Metropolitan Opera’s 51st performance of I Puritani by 19th century Italian opera composer Vincenzo Bellini (Nov. 3, 1801-Sept. 23, 1835).

Olga Peretyatko-Mariotti shares the role of Lucia with Jessica Pratt and Pretty Yende. Jessica Pratt appears as Lucia for the two mid-April performances, April 11 and 14. Her birthplace is Bristol, South West England. The British-born, Aussie-transplanted operatic soprano debuted Dec. 20, 2016, as the Queen of the Night in the Metropolitan Opera’s 426th performance of The Magic Flute (Die Zauberflöte) by 18th century Classical Era composer Wolfgang Mozart (Jan. 27, 1756-Dec. 5, 1791).

Pretty Yende appears in the title role for the 2017-2018 Met Opera season’s last five performances of Lucia di Lammermoor (April 25 and 28; May 2, 5, 10). Her birthplace is Piet Retief, Mpumalanga province, eastern South Africa. The South African operatic soprano debuted Jan. 17, 2013, as Countess Adèle in the Metropolitan Opera’s ninth performance of Rossini's Le Comte Ory. In the 2017-2018 Met Opera season, Pretty Yende also appears as Adina in another Donizetti opera, L’Elisir d’Amore.

Vittorio Grigolo appears in all of March’s performances and in April’s first four performances, including the Saturday matinee broadcast April 7, as Sir Edgardo of Ravenswood, Lucia’s secret betrothed. His birthplace is Arezzo, Tuscany, north central Italy. The Italian operatic tenor debuted Oct. 16, 2010, as Rodolfo in the Metropolitan Opera’s 1,218th performance of Puccini's La Bohème. In the 2017-2018 Met Opera season, Vittorio Grigolo also appears as Cavaradossi in Puccini’s Tosca and in the title role in Les Contes d’Hoffmann by German-born French composter Jacques Offenbach (June 20, 1819-Oct. 5, 1880).

Vittorio Grigolo shares the role of Edgardo this season with Michael Fabiano. Michael Fabiano appears as Edgardo for the 2017-2018 Met Opera season’s last five performances of Lucia di Lammermoor (April 28, 28; May 2, 5, 10). His birthplace is Montclair, Essex County, northern New Jersey. The American operatic tenor debuted as Raffaele in the Metropolitan Opera’s 18th performance of Stiffelio by 19th century opera composer Giuseppe Verdi (Oct. 10, 1813-Jan. 27, 1901). In the 2017-2018 Met Opera season, Michael Fabiano also appears as Rodolfo in Puccini’s La Bohème.

Massimo Cavalletti appears in five performances (March 22, 26; April 3, Saturday matinee broadcast April 7, April 14) as Lord Enrico Ashton, Lucia’s manipulative brother whose hatred of the Ravenwoods unhinges his sister. His birthplace is Lucca, Tuscany, west central Italy. The Italian baritone debuted as Schaunard in the Metropolitan Opera’s 1,209th performance of Puccini’s La Bohème.

Massimo Cavalletti shares the role of Enrico this season with Luca Salsi and Quinn Kelsey. Luca Salsi appears as Enrico in the March 30 and April 11 performances. His birthplace is San Secondo Parmense, Parma province, Emilia-Romagna, northeastern Italy. The Italian baritone debuted Oct. 8, 2007, as Sharpless in the Metropolitan Opera’s 812th performance of Puccini’s Madama Butterfly. In the 2017-2018 Met Opera season, Luca Salsi also appears as Count di Luna in Verdi’s Il Trovatore and as Miller in Verdi’s Luisa Miller.

Quinn Kelsey appears as Enrico for the season’s last five performances of Lucia di Lammermoor (April 25, 28; May 2, 5, 10). The American baritone debuted March 29, 2008, as Schaunard in the Metropolitan Opera’s 1,194th performance of Puccini’s La Bohème. In the 2017-2018 Met Opera season, Quinn Kelsey also appears as Count di Luna in Verdi’s Il Trovatore and as Peter in Hansel and Gretel by German composer Engelbert Humperdinck (Sept. 1, 1854-Sept. 27, 1921).

Vitalij Kowaljow appears in the opera’s first eight performances (March 22, 26, 30; April 3, Saturday matinee broadcast April 7, April 11, April 14) as Raimondo, Lucia’s chaplain and tutor who blames the tragedy on Captain Normanno of the castle guard for apprising Enrico of trysts between Lucia and Edgardo. His birthplace is Cherkasy, central Ukraine. The Swiss-Ukrainian bass debuted March 17, 2003, as the High Priest in the Metropolitan Opera’s 24th performance of Verdi’s Nabucco.

Vitalij Kowaljow shares the role of Raimondo this season with Alexander Vinogradov, who appears in the last five performances (April 25, 28; May 2, 5, 10). His birthplace is Moscow, north central Russia. The Russian bass makes his Metropolitan Opera debut this season as Walter in the Metropolitan Opera’s 87th performance of Verdi’s Luisa Miller.

Met Opera’s 2017-2018 staging of Lucia di Lammermoor revives Mary Zimmerman’s new production, which debuted Sept. 24, 2007, in the Metropolitan Opera’s 558th performance of Lucia di Lammermoor. The American theater and opera director’s production team comprises Daniel Ostling, set designer; Mara Blumenfeld, costume designer; T.J. Gerckens, lighting designer; Daniel Pelzig, choreographer.

The opera’s original setting is in Scotland, in the aftermath of the deposal (1688) and death of King James II of England (Oct. 14, 1633-Sept. 16, 1701). The Metropolitan Opera describes Mary Zimmerman’s production as suggestive of a 19th century setting.

Lucia di Lammermoor appears as the 19th of the 2017-2018 Met Opera season’s 23 Saturday matinee broadcasts. Così fan tutte was the season’s 18th Saturday matinee broadcast. Così fan tutte aired Saturday, March 31, 2018, at 12:30 p.m.

The season’s 20th Saturday matinee broadcast is 19th century Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi’s Luisa Miller. Donizetti’s operatic adaptation of 18th century German philosopher and playwright Friedrich von Schiller’s Kabale und Liebe (“Intrigue and Love”) is scheduled for April 14, 2018, at 12:30 p.m.

Lucia di Lammermoor appears as the second of two Donizetti operas offered as Saturday matinee boradcasts during the 2017-2018 Met Opera season. L’Elisir d’Amore was performed February 10, 2018, at 12 p.m. Eastern Standard Time as the 11th of the 2017-2018 Met Opera season’s 23 Saturday matinee broadcasts.

Online database Operabase places Gaetano Donizetti sixth place in a worldwide ranking of 1,281 composers for the five seasons from 2011/2012 to 2015/2016. Nineteenth century German composer Richard Wagner and 19th century French Romantic Era composer Georges Bizet occupy fifth and seventh places, respectively.

Lucia di Lammermoor occupies place 26 in the worldwide list of 2,658 most popular operas. Places 25 and 27 are held by 19th century Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi’s Un Ballo in Maschera and by 18th century Classical Era composer Wolfgang Mozart’s Die Entführung aus dem Serail (“The Abduction From the Seraglio”), respectively.

Lucia di Lammermoor's Metropolitan Opera debut took place Oct. 24, 1883. Prior to the 2017-2018 Met Opera season, Lucia di Lammermoor’s most recent Met Opera performances occurred during the 2014-2015 season.

The Metropolitan Opera's Repertory Report provides statistics for the opera house's operative performances. Lucia di Lammermoor is in place 14. Places 13 and 15 are occupied by 19th century German composer Richard Wagner’s Lohengrin and 18th century Classical Era composer Wolfgang Mozart’s Don Giovanni, respectively.

The takeaway for Lucia di Lammermoor as the April 7, 2018, Metropolitan Opera Saturday matinee broadcast is that the 2017-2018 Met Opera season’s 19th Saturday matinee broadcast reaffirms the tragedy of star-crossed lovers from feuding families in Scotland’s equivalent of Romeo and Juliette.

Acknowledgment

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

Image credits:

Russian operatic soprano Olga Peretyatko sings the title role and Italian operatic tenor Vittorio Grigolo is Lucia's secret betrothed in the April 7, 2018, Met Opera Saturday matinee broadcast of 19th century Italian bel canto composer Gaetano Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor: Olga Peretyatko @OlgaperetyatkoSoprano, via Facebook March 19, 2018, @ https://www.facebook.com/OlgaPeretyatkoSoprano/photos/a.569655883094653.1073741825.440886435971599/1739538832773013/

For further information:

"Composers: Composers Ranked by the Number of Performances of Their Operas Over the Five Seasons 2011/2012 to 2015/16." Operabase > Opera Statistics.
Available @ http://operabase.com/top.cgi?lang=en

"Debut: Gareth Morrell." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 331336 Lucia di Lammermoor {516} Metropolitan Opera House: 01/20/1999.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=331336

“Debut: Massimo Cavalletti.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 353373 La Bohème {1209} Metropolitan Opera House: 02/20/2010.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=353373

“Debut: Michael Fabiano.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 353294 Stiffelio {18} Metropolitan Opera House: 01/11/2010.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=353294

“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

“Debut: Vitalij Kowaljow.” MetOpera Database [Met Performance] CID: 333501 Nabucco {24} Metropolitan Opera House: 03/17/2003.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=333501

“Debuts: Annemarie Lucania, Roberto Abbado.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 315560 Adriana Lecouvreur {60} Metropolitan Opera House: 03/3/1994.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=315560

“Debuts: Jessica Pratt . . .” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 356569 Die Zauberflöte {426} Metropolitan Opera House: 12/20/2016.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=356569

“Debuts: Olga Peretyatko, Maksim Aniskin.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 355442 I Puritani {51} Metropolitan Opera House: 04/17/2014.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=355442

“Debuts: Pretty Yende, Nicola Ulivieri.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 354792 Le Comte Ory {9} Metropolitan Opera House: 01/17/2013.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=354792

“Debuts: Roberto Rizzi Brignoli, Vittorio Grigolo . . .” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 353598 La Bohème {1218} Metropolitan Opera House: 10/16/2010.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=353598

Marriner, Derdriu. “Così fan tutte Is March 31, 2018, Met Opera Saturday Matinee Broadcast.” Earth and Space News. Monday, March 26, 2018.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2018/03/cosi-fan-tutte-is-march-31-2018-met.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “L’Elisir d’Amore is Feb. 10, 2018, Met Opera Saturday Matinee Broadcast.” Earth and Space News. Monday, Feb. 5, 2018.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2018/02/lelisir-damore-is-feb-10-2018-met-opera.html

Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera. "For the matinee performance of Lucia di Lammermoor on April 7, Gareth Morrell conducts, replacing Roberto Abbado. #CastChange." Twitter. April 6, 2018.
Available @ https://twitter.com/MetOpera/status/981977465374601216

Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera. "For this evening’s (4/3) performance of Lucia di Lammermoor, Gareth Morrell conducts, replacing Roberto Abbado. #CastChange." Twitter. April 3, 2018.
Available @ https://twitter.com/MetOpera/status/981260173934284800

The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera. "Lucia di Lammermoor returns to the Met stage tonight, March 22! Olga Peretyatko and Vittorio Grigolo are the doomed secret lovers in Donizetti's iconic bel canto masterpiece. Tickets from $25: bit.ly/2BrRbq3 Photos by Richard Termine/Met Opera." Facebook. March 22, 2018.
Available @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/posts/10160310565110533

Olga Peretyatko @OlgaperetyatkoSoprano. "Final dress or #luciadilammermoor ✅ now accumulation mode on for the opening! Love to sing with Vittorio Grigolo The Metropolitan Opera orchestra and chorus, Maestro Roberto Abbado and with all my colleagues! thanks to Sophia Cerovsek for almost #renoir photo." Facebook. March 19, 2018.
Available @ https://www.facebook.com/OlgaPeretyatkoSoprano/photos/a.569655883094653.1073741825.440886435971599/1739538832773013/

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EASN Views

Monday, April 30, 2018

Roméo et Juliette Is May 5, 2018, Met Opera Saturday Matinee Broadcast

Monday, April 23, 2018

Cendrillon Is the April 28, 2018, Met Opera Saturday Matinee Broadcast

Monday, April 9, 2018

Luisa Miller Is April 14, 2018, Met Opera Saturday Matinee Broadcast

Monday, April 2, 2018

Lucia di Lammermoor Is April 7, 2018, Met Opera Saturday Matinee Broadcast

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