MET OPERA IN HD IS THERE TO SEE THIS SUMMER

Four operatic treat-repeats: Heart-breaking tragedy, hilarious comedy, dazzling romance and Grand Opera as “grand” as it gets -- they are yours to enjoy, spread across this summer. They are available at the usual White Plains and New Rochelle venues, on various Wednesdays at 7:00 P.M. Each costs the astonishingly reasonable $12:50 in New Rochelle or 13.50 in White Plains. If you missed any of them the first time ‘round -- or even if you didn’t -- how can you resist? Here’s the wonderful lineup:

Schedule as published by the Met

Wednesday, July 8, 7PM (originally transmitted live on April 14, 2012)
LA TRAVIATA—Natalie Dessay stars as the tragic courtesan Violetta Valéry in Willy Decker’s innovative modern-dress staging of La Traviata, which “delivers style, sparkle, and stirring drama” (Los Angeles Times). Met Principal Conductor Fabio Luisileads the tragic love story, which also stars Matthew Polenzani as the lovesick Alfredo and Dmitri Hvorostovsky as his disapproving father, Giorgio Germont.

Wednesday, July 15, 7PM (originally transmitted live on April 26, 2008)
LA FILLE DU RÉGIMENT— Natalie Dessay is the title tomboy in Donizetti’s comedy, with Juan Diego Flórez as Tonio, the soldier who is willing to go to great lengths—and sing 9 high C’s—to win her love. The sparkling supporting cast includesFelicity Palmer as the Marquise of Berkenfield, Alessandro Corbelli as Sulpice, and the late Tony Award-winning actressMarian Seldes, in her Met debut, as the Duchess of Krakenthorp. Marco Armiliato conducts.

Wednesday, July 22, 7PM (originally transmitted live on January 17, 2015)
THE MERRY WIDOW— Last season’s runaway hit in cinemas, Broadway director and choreographer Susan Stroman’s lavish new staging of Lehár’s effervescent operetta star soprano Renée Fleming as Hanna, the widowed Parisian millionairess. SirAndrew Davis conducts the stellar cast that also includes baritone Nathan Gunn as Hanna’s lover, Danilo; tenor Alek Shraderas the young nobleman, Camille de Rosillon; and baritone Sir Thomas Allen as the scheming Baron Zeta. Broadway star Kelli O’Hara, currently in Bartlett Sher’s new production of The King and I, makes her highly-anticipated Met debut as the Baron’s coquettish wife, Valencienne.

Wednesday, July 29, 7PM (originally transmitted live on December 15, 2012)
AIDA—One of the most popular and beloved operas of all time, Aida, sets a heartbreaking love triangle against the backdrop of an empire at war. Ukrainian soprano Liudmyla Monastyrska made a spectacular Met debut as Aida, the enslaved Ethiopian princess, opposite two major stars: tenor Roberto Alagna as the war hero Radamès and Olga Borodina as the pharaoh’s daughter Amneris, Aida’s formidable rival. George Gagnidze sings Amonasro, Aida’s cunning father, and Štefan Kocán is the imposing Egyptian priest Ramfis. Met Principal Conductor Fabio Luisi conducts.

If you want to check my take on the original performances, you might go to
<Patch.com/users/marlies-wolf> and scroll down for the particular review.

Maybe I’ll see you at some of the encores...