Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte Is June 3, 2023, Saturday Radio Broadcast

Summary: Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte is the June 3, 2023, Saturday matinee radio broadcast, airing as 23rd of the 2022-2023 season's 24 Saturday radio broadcasts.

The 2022-2023 Met Opera season's lineup of Saturday matinee radio broadcasts includes three Mozart operas, Idomeneo (upper right), Don Giovanni (lower left) and Die Zauberflöte (lower right): Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera, via Twitter Jan. 27, 2023

Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte is the June 3, 2023, Saturday matinee radio broadcast, airing at 1:00 p.m., Eastern Time, as the 23rd of the 2022-2023 Met Opera season's lineup of 24 Saturday matinee opera broadcasts.

Classical Era composer Wolfgang Mozart (Jan. 27, 1756-Dec. 5, 1791) set his musical score for Die Zauberflöte ("The Magic Flute") to a German libretto by Emanuel Schickaneder (Sep. 1, 1751-Sep. 21, 1812), stage name of Bavarian playwright and impresario Johann Joseph Schickeneder. Composer and librettist sourced their allegorical opera in their association with the fraternal organization of Freemasonry.

Die Zauberflöte premiered Friday, Sep. 30, 1791, at Schikaneder’s theater, the Freihaus-Theater auf der Wieden, also known as Wiednertheater, near the center of Vienna, northeastern Austria. The fairy-tale opera numbered as the second Mozart opera with a Wiednertheater premiere and as the second collaboration with Schikaneder on the operatic genre of Singspiel (German: Singspiel, plural: Singspiele, "sing-play'), a German-language musical drama comprising singing and spoken dialogue. Their first fairy-tale Singspiel, Der Stein der Weisen, Oder die Zauberinsel (The Philosopher’s Stone, or the Enchanted Isle), had premiered Saturday, Sep. 11, 1790, at Schickaneder's theater.

Die Zauberflöte's Metropolitan Opera premiere took place Friday, March 30, 1900, at the opera company's first opera house, located at 1411 Broadway in Midtown Manhattan's Garment District. Sung in Italian, Il Flauto Magico received five performances in the 1899-1900 season.

The Metropolitan Opera debuts Simon McBurney's new production of Mozart's Die Zauberflöte in the 2022-2023 season. The English director made his Met Opera debut Friday, May 19, 2023, along with his new Mozart production in the opera company's 478th performance of Die Zauberflöte.

McBurney's new production receives nine performances in the 2022-2023 season. The new production opened Friday, May 19, at 7:00 p.m., Eastern Time. The second through fourth performances took place Monday, May 22, at 7:30 p.m.; Thursday, May 25, at 7:30 p.m.; and Saturday, May 27, at 8:00 p.m. The fifth through ninth, closing performances are scheduled for Wednesday, May 31, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday matinee radio broadcast, June 3, at 1:00 p.m.; Tuesday, June 6, at 7:30 p.m.; Thursday, June 8, at 7:30 p.m.; and Saturday, June 10, at 8:30 p.m.

Nathalie Stutzmann conducts the first three and fifth through ninth, closing performances, including the Saturday matinee radio broadcast June 3. The French conductor and contralto had made her Met Opera debut Friday, May 5, 2023, in opera company's 577th performance of Mozart's Don Giovanni.

Maestro Stutzmann shares the conductorship with Gareth Morrell, who conducts the new production's fourth performance. The British conductor had made his Metropolitan Opera debut Wednesday, Jan. 20, 1999, in the opera company's 516th performance of Lucia di Lammermoor by 19th-century Italian bel canto opera composer Gaetano Donizetti (Nov. 29, 1797-April 8, 1848).

Lawrence Brownlee appears in all nine performances as Prince Tamino, who is gifted with a magic flute and three spirit guides from three attendants of the Queen of the Night for his journey to rescue the Queen's daughter, Princess Pamina, from her supposed captor, Sarastro. The American operatic tenor had made his Met Opera debut Thursday, April 26, 2007, as Count Almaviva in the opera company's 561st performance of Il Barbiere di Siviglia by Italian composer Gioachino Rossini (Feb. 29, 1792-Nov. 13, 1868).

Erin Morley appears in all nine performances as Princess Pamina, who joins Prince Tamino in his successful completion of the last two trials of wisdom as initiate in Sarastro's temple. She first added Princess Pamina to her Met Opera portfolio in the opera company's 443rd Die Zauberflöte performance, during the 2018-2019 season's abridged, English version of American film and theater director Julie Taymor's 2004-2005 new production. The American coloratura soprano had made her Met Opera debut Saturday, Feb. 9, 2008, as the First Madrigal in the opera company’s 211th performance of Manon Lescaut by Italian opera composer Giacomo Puccini (Dec. 22, 1858-Nov. 29, 1924).

Thomas Oliemans appears in all nine performances as Papageno, who is gifted with magical silver bells as companion on Prince Tamino's rescue journey. The Dutch baritone's appearance as Papageno in the new production's opening night, Friday, May 19, marked his Met Opera debut.

Stephen Milling appears in all nine performances as Sarastro, whom the Queen of the Night has intentionally misconstrues as evil. He first added Sarastro to his Met Opera portfolio in the opera company's 358th Die Zauberflöte performance, during the 2006-2007 season's second revival of Julie Taymor's 2004-2005 new production. The Danish bass had made his Met Opera debut Friday, March 12, 2004, as Sparafucile in the opera company's 785th performance of Rigoletto by 19th-century Italian opera composer Giuseppe Verdi (Oct. 10, 1813-Jan. 27, 1901).

Kathryn Lewek appears in all nine performances as the Queen of the Night, Princess Pamina's mother who unsuccessfully schemes Sarastro's murder by her daughter. In the 2022-2023 season, the American coloratura soprano makes her seventh reprisal of the role in which she had made her Met Opera debut Saturday, Dec. 28, 2013, in the holiday version of Julie Taymor's production, during the opera company's 413th performance of Die Zauberflöte.

Brenton Ryan appears in all nine performances as Monostatos, who fails in his attempts to seduce Princess Pamina. In the 2022-2023 season, Brenton Ryan sings in German the role that he first sang in English in the 2018-2019 season's abridged, English version of Julie Taymor's production. The American tenor had made his Met Opera debut Friday, April 22, 2016, as Pedrillo in the opera company’s 69th performance of Mozart’s Die Entführung aus dem Serail.

Alan Held appears in all nine performances as Sprecher, the Speaker of the Temple. He first sang the role in German in the 1992-1993 season and in English in the 2022-2023 season's holiday presentation. The American bass-baritone had made his Met Opera debut Monday, April 17, 1989, as Mr. Redburn in the opera company's 33rd performance of Billy Budd by Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten (Nov. 22, 1913-Dec. 4, 1976).

Simon McBurney's production team for Die Zauberflöte comprises Michael Levine, set designer; Nicky Gillibrand, costume designer; Jean Kalman, lighting designer; Finn Ross, projection designer; and Gareth Fry, sound designer. Canadian set designer Michael Levine and French lighting designer Jean Kalman had made their Met Opera debuts Thursday, March 13, 1997, in the opera company's 104th performance of Eugene Onegin by Russian late Romantic era composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (May 7, 1840-Nov. 6, 1893). Scottish video designer Finn Ross had made his Met Opera debut Monday, Sep. 23, 2013, in the opera company's 136th performance of Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin. United Kingdom (UK) costume designer Nicky Gillibrand and UK sound designer Gareth Fry shared their Met Opera debuts Friday, May 19, 2023, with their director in his new production's debut, in the opera company's 478th performance of Die Zauberflöte.

The 2022-2023 Met Opera season's lineup of Saturday matinee broadcasts continues with the June 10, 2023, airing of Wagner's Der Fliegende Holländer, at 1:00 p.m. The matinee performance numbers as the 24th of the season's 24 Saturday matinee opera broadcasts.

English actor, playwright and theatrical director Simon McBurney encouraged the cast of his 2022-2023 Met Opera season premiering production of Mozart's Die Zauberflöte to explore the four elements of fire, water, air and earth via movement during rehearsals, as illustrated by St. Petersburg, Russia-born, New York City-based illustrator Jenny Kroik: Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera, via Twitter May 22, 2023

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 2022-2023 Met Opera season's lineup of Saturday matinee radio broadcasts includes three Mozart operas, Idomeneo (upper right), Don Giovanni (lower left) and Die Zauberflöte (lower right): Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera, via Twitter Jan. 27, 2023, @ https://twitter.com/MetOpera/status/1619106563830042625

English actor, playwright and theatrical director Simon McBurney encouraged the cast of his 2022-2023 Met Opera season premiering production of Mozart's Die Zauberflöte to explore the four elements of fire, water, air and earth via movement during rehearsals, as illustrated by St. Petersburg, Russia-born, New York City-based illustrator Jenny Kroik: Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera, via Twitter May 22, 2023, @ https://twitter.com/MetOpera/status/1661064781661454342

For further information:

"Debut: Alan Held." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 296050 Billy Budd {33} Metropolitan Opera House: 04/17/1989.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=296050

“Debut: Brenton Ryan.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 356444 Die Entführung aus dem Serail {69} Metropolitan Opera House: 04/22/2016.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=356444

“Debut: Erin Morley.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 352344 Manon Lescaut {211} Metropolitan Opera House: 02/09/2008.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=352344

“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: Kathryn Lewek.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 355218 Die Zauberflöte {413} Metropolitan Opera House: 12/28/2013.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=355218

"Debut: Lawrence Brownlee." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 352006 Il Barbiere di Siviglia {561} Metropolitan Opera House: 04/26/2007., Sirius Broadcast live. (Debut: Lawrence Brownlee Broadcast). Metropolitan Opera House. April 26, 2007 Broadcast.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=352006

"Debut: Stephen Milling." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 350935 Rigoletto {785} Metropolitan Opera House: 03/12/2004. (Debut: Stephen Milling). Metropolitan Opera House. March 12, 2004.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=350935

"Debuts: Deborah Warner, Fiona Shaw, Tom Pye, Chloe Obolensky, Ian William Galloway, Finn Ross." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 355023 New Production Eugene Onegin {136} Metropolitan Opera House: 09/23/2013, Metropolitan Opera Radio Sirius XM channel 74 Broadcast live Streamed at metopera.org. Plazacast/Times Squarecast. (Opening Night {129} Peter Gelb, General Manager Debuts: Deborah Warner, Fiona Shaw, Tom Pye, Chloe Obolensky, Ian William Galloway, Finn Ross Broadcast/Streamed/Times Squarecast/Plazacast Review). Metropolitan Opera House. September 23, 2013. Broadcast/Streamed/Times Squarecast/Plazacast. Opening Night {129}. Peter Gelb, General Manager. New Production.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=355023

"Debuts: Marianna Tarassova, Irina Arkhipova, Antonio Pappano, Robert Carsen, Michael Levine, Jean Kalman, Serge Bennathan." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 327650 New Production Eugene Onegin {104} Metropolitan Opera House: 03/13/1997. (Debuts: Marianna Tarassova, Irina Arkhipova, Antonio Pappano, Robert Carsen, Michael Levine, Jean Kalman, Serge Bennathan Review). Metropolitan Opera House. March 13, 1997. New Production.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=327650

"Debuts: Thomas Oliemans, Ruth Sullivan, Simon McBurney, Nicky Gillibrand, Gareth Fry, Rachael Hewer." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 357905 New Production Die Zauberflöte {478} Metropolitan Opera House: 5/19/2023, Broadcast (Broadcast Debuts: Thomas Oliemans, Ruth Sullivan, Simon McBurney, Nicky Gillibrand, Gareth Fry, Rachael Hewer). Metropolitan Opera House May 19, 2023 New Production.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=357905

Marriner, Derdriu. "Born July 7, 1887, Marc Chagall Designed Die Zauberflöte at Met Opera." Earth and Space News. Monday, July 1, 2019.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/07/born-july-7-1887-marc-chagall-designed.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "Met Opera's 2022-2023 Season Has 24 Saturday Matinee Opera Broadcasts." Earth and Space News. Monday, Nov. 28, 2022.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2022/11/met-operas-2022-2023-season-has-24.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "The Magic Flute Is Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, 2022, Saturday Radio Matinee." Earth and Space News. Monday, December 19, 2022.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2022/12/the-magic-flute-is-christmas-eve-dec-24.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "The Magic Flute Is Dec. 9, 2017, Met Opera Saturday Matinee Broadcast." Earth and Space News. Monday, December 4, 2017.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2017/12/the-magic-flute-is-dec-9-2017-met-opera.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "The Magic Flute Is Dec. 28, 2019, Met Opera Saturday Matinee Broadcast." Earth and Space News. Monday, December 23, 2019.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/12/the-magic-flute-is-dec-28-2019-met.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "The Magic Flute Is the Dec. 29, 2018, Met Opera Saturday Matinee Broadcast." Earth and Space News. Monday, December 24, 2018.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2018/12/the-magic-flute-is-dec-29-2018-met.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "The Magic Flute Is the Met's Dec. 18, 2021, Saturday Matinee Broadcast." Earth and Space News. Monday, December 13, 2021.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2021/12/the-magic-flute-is-mets-dec-18-2021.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "Marcella Sembrich Created Met Opera's Queen of Night March 30, 1900." Earth and Space News. Monday, March 29, 2021.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2021/03/marcella-sembrich-created-met-operas.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "Met Opera Premieres Verdi Requiem and The Magic Flute Nov. 24 and 25." Earth and Space News. Monday, November 13, 2017.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2017/11/met-opera-premieres-verdi-requiem-and.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "Three of Seven 2022-2023 Met Opera Season New Productions Are Premieres." Earth and Space News. Monday, Nov. 21, 2022.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2022/11/three-of-seven-2022-2023-met-opera.html

Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera. "Happy birthday Mozart! Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born on this day in 1756, and after more than two centuries, his works remain the cornerstones of the operatic repertoire. Which of his operas is your favorite? Experience Mozart at the Met: http://bit.ly/3MU96ty." Twitter. Jan. 27, 2023.
Available via Twitter @ https://twitter.com/MetOpera/status/1619106563830042625

Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera. "More illustrations here: https://newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/the-making-of-an-opera-die-zauberflote-the-magic-flute-at-the-met Maestro @nathstutzmann conducts Mozart’s beloved fable, recently named a New York Times Critic’s Pick." Twitter. May 22, 2023.
Available via Twitter @ https://twitter.com/MetOpera/status/1661064781661454342

"Metropolitan Opera Premiere: Abridged, One Act Version of The Magic Flute / Die Zauberflöte." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 351755 Premiere of abridged version Die Zauberflöte {365} Matinee ed. Metropolitan Opera House: 12/29/2006.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=351755

“Metropolitan Opera Premiere: Die Zauberflöte.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 24080 Metropolitan Opera Premiere Die Zauberflöte {1} Metropolitan Opera House: 03/30/1900.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=24080

“New Production: Die Zauberflöte.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 351036 New Production Die Zauberflöte {343} Metropolitan Opera House: 10/08/2004.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=351036

Mozart's Don Giovanni Is May 20, 2023, Saturday Matinee Radio Broadcast

Summary: Mozart's Don Giovanni is the May 20, 2023, Saturday matinee radio broadcast, airing as 21st of the 2022-2023 season's 24 Saturday radio broadcasts.

Belgian theatre director Ivo van Hove's production of Mozart's Don Giovanni receives its Metropolitan Opera premiere in the 2022-2023 season; sets and lighting by Jan Versweyveld, costumes by An D'Huys, projection design by Christopher Ash and choreography by Sara Erde: Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera, via Twitter Feb. 6, 2023

Mozart's Don Giovanni is the May 20, 2023, Saturday matinee radio broadcast, airing at 1:00 p.m., Eastern Time, as the 21st of the 2022-2023 Met Opera season's lineup of 24 Saturday matinee opera broadcasts.

Classical Era composer Wolfgang Mozart (Jan. 27, 1756-Dec. 5, 1791) set his musical score for Don Giovanni, fully titled as Il Dissoluto Punito, Ossia il Don Giovanni (The Rake Punished, or Don Giovanni), to an Italian libretto by Italian opera librettist Lorenzo Da Ponte (March 10, 1749-Aug. 17, 1838). Da Ponte sourced his libretto from Spanish legends about a serial seducer as profiled by Tirso de Molina, pseudonym of Spanish monk and Baroque playwright Gabriel Téllez (March 24, 1579-Feb. 20, 1648). De Molina's three-act play, El burlador de Sevilla y convidado de piedra (The Trickster of Seville and the Stone Guest), dates to ca. 1616 to 1630.

Il Dissoluto Punito, Ossia il Don Giovanni premiered Monday, Oct. 29, 1787, at Estates Theatre (Czech: Stavovské divadlo) in Prague (Czech: Praha), located on the southwestern side of triangular Ovocný trhin (Fruit Market) in Prague's Old City (Czech: Staré Město). Don Giovanni numbered as the first of only two of Mozart's 22 operas with Estates Theatre as premiere venue. La clemenza di Tito subsequently premiered Tuesday, Sep. 6, 1791, at the originally Classical- and Baroque-styled theater, which had opened April 21, 1783, as Nazionaltheater (National Theatre).

Don Giovanni’s Metropolitan Opera premiere took place Wednesday, Nov. 28, 1883, at the opera company's first opera house, located at 141 Broadway in Midtown Manhattan's Garment District. The punitive opera received 12 performances in the 1883-1884 season.

The Metropolitan Opera debuts Ivo van Hove's new production of Mozart's Don Giovanni in the 2022-2023 season. The Belgian theater director made his Met Opera debut Friday, May 5, 2023, along with his new production, in the opera company's 577th performance of Don Giovanni.

Van Hove's production replaces the new production of Mozart's Don Giovanni debuted by Michael Grandage in the 2011-2012 season. British theatre director and producer Michael Grandage had made his Met Opera debut Thursday, Oct. 13, 2011, in his new production, during the opera company's 515th performance of Don Giovanni.

Van Hove's new production receives eight performances in the 2022-2023 season. Van Hove's new production opened Friday, May 5, at 7:00 p.m., Eastern Time. The second and third performances took place Tuesday, May 9, at 7:30 p.m.; and Friday, May 12, at 8:00 p.m. The fourth through eighth, closing performances are scheduled for Tuesday, May 16, at 8:00 p.m.; Saturday matinee radio broadcast, May 20, at 1:00 p.m.; Wednesday, May 24, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, May 27, at 1:00 p.m.; and Friday, June 2, at 7:30 p.m.

Nathalie Stutzmann conducts all eight of the new production's performances. The French conductor and contralto's conductorship of the new production's opening night marked her Met Opera debut.

In the 2022-2023 season, Swedish operatic baritone Peter Mattei logs his sixth season (2002-2003, 2008-2009, 2011-2012, 2014-2015, 2018-2019 and now 2022-2023) as Mozart's Don Giovanni; he has sung the title role in four different Don Giovanni productions at Met Opera (Franco Zeffirelli, Marthe Keller, Michael Grandage and now Ivo van Hove); costume by An D'Huys: Met Opera Guild @MetOperaGuild, via Twitter Nov. 28, 2022

Peter Mattei appears in all eight performances in the title role of dissolute Don Giovanni. He first had added the role to his Met Opera portfolio in the 2002-2003 season's revival of Italian film, opera and television director and producer Franco Zeffirelli's 1989-1990 production of Don Giovanni. He reprised the role in the 2008-2009 season's revival of Swiss opera director and actress Marthe Keller's 2003-2004 production. He next reprised the role in the 2011-2012 season's debut of English theatre director Michael Grandage's new production. His fourth and fifth reprisals occurred in revivals of Grandage's production in the 2014-2015 and 2018-2019 seasons, respectively. The Swedish operatic baritone had made his Met Opera debut Thursday, Jan. 24, 2002, as Count Almaviva in the opera company’s 392nd performance of Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro.

Federica Lombardi appears in all eight performances as Donna Anna, whose father, the Commendatore, is killed in a duel with Don Giovanni. Federica Lombardi's appearances in the 2022-2023 season add a second Don Giovanni role to her Met Opera portfolio. The Italian operatic soprano had made her Met Opera debut Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2019, as Donna Elvira in the opera company's 565th performance of Mozart's Don Giovanni.

Adam Plachetka sings Leporello, Don Giovanni's servant, in all eight performances. He makes his second reprisal of the role that he had added to his Met Opera portfolio Tuesday, Sep. 27, 2016, in the opera company's 549th performance of Don Giovanni, during the third revival of English theatre director Michael Grandage's 2011-2012 Don Giovanni production. His first reprisal of Leporello had occurred during the 2018-2019 season's fourth revival of Grandage's production of Don Giovanni. The Czech bass-baritone made his Metropolitan Opera debut Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2015, as Masetto in Met Opera’s 539rd performance of Mozart's Don Giovanni.

Ana María Martínez sings Donna Elvira, one of Don Giovanni's seductees, who makes a last, unsuccessful attempt to convince her seducer to reform. The Puerto Rican soprano had made her Met Opera debut Saturday, Nov. 19, 2005, as Micaela in the opera company's 929th performance of Carmen by French Romantic Era composer Georges Bizet (Oct. 25, 1838-June 3, 1875).

Ben Bliss appears in all eight performances as Don Ottavio, whose fiancé, Donna Anna, requires avengement of her father's murder before her marriage. The American tenor had made his Met Opera debut Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2014, as Vogelgesang in the opera company's 410th performance of Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg by German Romantic era composer-librettist Richard Wagner (May 22, 1813-Feb. 13, 1883).

Ying Fang sings Zerlina, newly married target of Don Giovanni's lustfulness, in the new production's first seven performances, including the Saturday matinee radio broadcast May 20. The Chinese operatic soprano had made her Met Opera debut Sunday, Sep. 28, 2013, as the Kazan Cathedral’s female voice and as Madame Podtochina’s daughter in the opera company’s seventh performance of The Nose by Russian composer and pianist Dmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich (Sep. 25, 1906-Aug. 9, 1975).

Ying Fang shares the role with Andrea Carroll, who sings Zerlina in the new production's eighth, closing performance. The American-Guatemalan soprano's Zerlina marks her Met Opera debut.

Alfred Walker appears in all eight performances as Masetto, Zerlina's husband. The American bass-baritone had made his Met Opera debut Monday, March 16, 1998, as Grégorio in the opera company’s 294th performance of Roméo et Juliette by French composer Charles Gounod (June 17, 1818-Oct. 18, 1893).

Alexander Tsymbalyuk sings The Commendatore, whose statue avenges his murder by unrepentant Don Giovanni. The Ukrainian bass had made his Met Opera debut Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2010, as Ferrando in the opera company's 615th performance of Il Trovatore by Italian opera composer Giuseppe Verdi (Oct. 10, 1813-Jan. 27, 1901).

Alexander Tsymbalyuk shares the role with Dmitry Belosselskiy, who sings the Commendatore in the new production's seventh and eighth, last performances. The Ukrainian bass made his Metropolitan Opera debut Saturday, Nov. 5, 2011, as Zaccaria in the opera company’s 54th performance of Verdi’s Nabucco.

Ivo van Hove's production team for Don Giovanni comprises Jan Versweyveld, set and lighting designer; An D'Huys, costume designer; Christopher Ash, projection designer; and Sara Erde, choreographer. Belgian theatre set designer Jan Versweyveld, Belgian costumer An D'Huys and American projection designer Christopher Ash shared their Met Opera debuts Friday, May 5, 2023, with their director in his new production's debut, in the opera company's 577th performance of Don Giovanni. American choreographer and Met Opera directing staff member Sara Erde had made her Met Opera debut Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2014, in the opera company's 74th performance of Werther by French Romantic era composer Jules Émile Frédéric Massenet (May 12, 1842-Aug. 13, 1912).

The 2022-2023 Met Opera season's lineup of Saturday matinee broadcasts continues with the May 27, 2023, airing of Terence Blanchard's new production, Champion, at 1:00 p.m. The matinee performance numbers as the 22nd of the season's 24 Saturday matinee opera broadcasts.

(left) Ivo van Hove, director of 2022-2023 Met Opera season's new production of Mozart's Don Giovanni; (upper right) Ivo van Hove with Don Giovanni designers An D'Huys (left, standing) and Jan Versweyveld (left center, seated); (lower right) Ivo van Hove: Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera, via Twitter April 6, 2023

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:

Belgian theatre director Ivo van Hove's production of Mozart's Don Giovanni receives its Metropolitan Opera premiere in the 2022-2023 season; sets and lighting by Jan Versweyveld, costumes by An D'Huys, projection design by Christopher Ash and choreography by Sara Erde: Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera, via Twitter Feb. 6, 2023, @ https://twitter.com/MetOpera/status/1622707038361976838

In the 2022-2023 season, Swedish operatic baritone Peter Mattei logs his sixth season (2002-2003, 2008-2009, 2011-2012, 2014-2015, 2018-2019 and now 2022-2023) as Mozart's Don Giovanni; he has sung the title role in four different Don Giovanni productions at Met Opera (Franco Zeffirelli, Marthe Keller, Michael Grandage and now Ivo van Hove); costume by An D'Huys: Met Opera Guild @MetOperaGuild, via Twitter Nov. 28, 2022, @ https://twitter.com/MetOperaGuild/status/1597281310489587714

(left) Ivo van Hove, director of 2022-2023 Met Opera season's new production of Mozart's Don Giovanni; (upper right) Ivo van Hove with Don Giovanni designers An D'Huys (left, standing) and Jan Versweyveld (left center, seated); (lower right) Ivo van Hove: Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera, via Twitter April 6, 2023, @ https://twitter.com/MetOpera/status/1644141503013441539

For further information:

“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

“Debuts: Alexander Tsymbalyuk, Renée Tatum.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 352873 Il Trovatore {615} Metropolitan Opera House: 10/26/2010.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=352873

“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: Ana Maria Martinez, Kirstin Chávez." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 351356 Carmen {929} Metropolitan Opera House: 11/19/2005. (Debuts: Ana Maria Martinez, Kirstin Chávez). Metropolitan Opera House. November 19, 2005.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=351356

"Debuts: Cornelius Meister, Stanislas de Barbeyrac, Federica Lombardi, Aida Garifullina." MetOpera Database [Met Performance] CID: 357133 Don Giovanni {565} Metropolitan Opera House: 01/30/2019, Metropolitan Opera Radio Sirius XM channel 75 Broadcast live Streamed at metopera.org. (Debuts: Cornelius Meister, Stanislas de Barbeyrac, Federica Lombardi, Aida Garifullina Broadcast). Metropolitan Opera House. January 30, 2019.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=354085

“Debuts: Dmitry Korchak, Adam Plachetka.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 355791 Don Giovanni {539} Metropolitan Opera House: 02/04/2015.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=355791

"Debuts: Johannes Martin Kränzle, Benjamin Bliss, Martin Gantner." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 355664 Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg {410} Metropolitan Opera House: 12/02/2014. Metropolitan Opera Radio Sirius XM channel 74 Broadcast live Streamed at metopera.org.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=355664

“Debuts: Michael Grandage, Christopher Oram, Ben Wright, Marina Rebeka, Mojca Erdmann.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 354085 New Production Don Giovanni {515} Metropolitan Opera House: 10/13/2011. Sirius XM Broadcast live Streamed at metopera.org. (Debuts: Michael Grandage, Christopher Oram, Ben Wright, Marina Rebeka, Mojca Erdmann Broadcast/Streamed). Metropolitan Opera House. October 13, 2011 Broadcast/Streamed. New Production.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=354085

"Debuts: Nathalie Stutzmann, Ivo van Hove, Jan Versweyveld." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 357890 New Production Don Giovanni {577} Metropolitan Opera House: 05/05/2023, Broadcast. (Broadcast Debuts: Nathalie Stutzmann, Ivo van Hove, Jan Versweyveld, An D’Huys, Christopher Ash). Metropolitan Opera House May 5, 2023 New Production.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=357890

“Debuts: Peter Mattei, Soile Isokoski.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 350065 Le Nozze di Figaro {392} Metropolitan Opera House: 01/24/2002.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=350065

"Debuts: Sara Erde, Sophie Koch, David Bizic, Richard Hausman, Helena Abbott, Daniel Katzman, Thomas White." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 355319 New Production Werther {74} Metropolitan Opera House: 02/18/2014.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=355319

“Debuts: Ying Fang, Matt Boehler, Joseph Barron, Kevin Glavin, Christopher Job.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] Metropolitan Opera Premiere CID: 355027 The Nose {7} Matinee ed. Metropolitan Opera House: 09/28/2013.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=355027

Hilmera, Jiří Hilmera; and David Livingstone, trans. "Estates Theatre." European Theatre Architecture (EUTA) > Theatre Database.
Available @ https://www.theatre-architecture.eu/en/db/?theatreId=43

Marriner, Derdriu. "Don Giovanni Is the Feb. 16, 2019, Met Opera Saturday Matinee Broadcast." Earth and Space News. Monday, February 11, 2019.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/02/don-giovanni-is-feb-16-2019-met-opera.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "Don Giovanni Was Franco Zeffirelli’s Ninth Met Opera Production." Earth and Space News. Monday, August 17, 2020.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2020/08/don-giovanni-was-franco-zeffirellis.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "Met Opera Opened Don Giovanni Nov. 28, 1883, as 12th First Season Opera." Earth and Space News. Monday, December 7, 2020.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2020/12/met-opera-opened-don-giovanni-nov-28.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "Met Opera's 2022-2023 Season Has 24 Saturday Matinee Opera Broadcasts." Earth and Space News. Monday, Nov. 28, 2022.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2022/11/met-operas-2022-2023-season-has-24.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "Three of Seven 2022-2023 Met Opera Season New Productions Are Premieres." Earth and Space News. Monday, November 21, 2022.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2022/11/three-of-seven-2022-2023-met-opera.html

Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera. "This week, Tony Award–winning director Ivo van Hove—joined by set and lighting designer Jan Versweyveld and costume designer An D’Huys—introduced the all-star cast to his new staging of Mozart’s Don Giovanni. Opens May 5: http://bit.ly/3xPnTS1." Twitter. April 6, 2023.
Available via Twitter @ https://twitter.com/MetOpera/status/1644141503013441539

Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera. "While there are no performances right now, our stage is far from empty! Take a sneak peek at the early tech rehearsals for Ivo van Hove’s new production of Mozart’s Don Giovanni. Don Giovanni opens May 5: http://bit.ly/3xPnTS1. Jonathan Tichler / Met Opera." Twitter. Feb. 6, 2023.
Available via Twitter @ https://twitter.com/MetOpera/status/1622707038361976838

Met Opera Guild @MetOperaGuild. "#OTD Don Giovanni premiered at the Met Opera! A new production of Don Giovanni, directed by Ivo van Hove, returns to the Met this spring! Maestro Nathalie Stutzmann makes her Met debut conducting a star-studded cast. Don't miss it!" Twitter. Nov. 28, 2022.
Available via Twitter @ https://twitter.com/MetOperaGuild/status/1597281310489587714

"Metropolitan Opera Premiere Don Giovanni." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 1240 Metropolitan Opera Premiere Don Giovanni {1} Metropolitan Opera House: 11/28/1883.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=1240

“New Production: Don Giovanni.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 354085 New Production Don Giovanni {515} Metropolitan Opera House: 10/13/2011. Sirius XM Broadcast live Streamed at metopera.org. (Debuts: Michael Grandage, Christopher Oram, Ben Wright, Marina Rebeka, Mojca Erdmann Broadcast/Streamed). Metropolitan Opera House. October 13, 2011 Broadcast/Streamed. New Production.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=354085

"New Production: Don Giovanni." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 357890 New Production Don Giovanni {577} Metropolitan Opera House: 05/05/2023, Broadcast. (Broadcast Debuts: Nathalie Stutzmann, Ivo van Hove, Jan Versweyveld, An D’Huys, Christopher Ash). Metropolitan Opera House May 5, 2023 New Production.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=357890

Stark, Jonathan. "Mozart's 22 Operas (List)."
Available 2 https://starkconductor.com/mozart-operas-list/