On June 3, 2025, Carnegie Hall will present “The Stage of Legends: A Gala Evening at Carnegie Hall.”

The event kicks off at 6 p.m. local time and features dinner on the famed Stern Auditorium / Perelman stage as well as a musical interlude starring mezzo-soprano Aigul Akhmetshina and pianist Jonathan Lakeland.

Akhmetshina is set to appear at the Met Opera this season in “Il Barbiere di Siviglia.” She has built a major international career with performances at the Royal Opera House, Wiener Staatsoper, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Opéra National de Paris, Theater an der Wien, and Teatro Real Madrid. She’s particularly renowned for her interpretation of the role of “Carmen” which he has performed worldwide. Of her Met Opera rendition, OperaWire’s review remarked that “It was a strong turn from a very solid and maturing artist and at 27, the Met general manager is already heralding Akhmetshina as the company’s next big star.”

Lakeland is a British-American composerpianist/vocal coach, and producer, who has performed alongside such artists as Akhmetshina, Dame Felicity Lott, Inna Kalugina, Anush Hovhannisyan, Claire Barnett-Jones, and Olivia Warburton.

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