Anna Netrebko, Diana Damrau, Joyce DiDonato Headline The Metropolitan Opera’s 2019-20 Season
By Francisco SalazarThe Metropolitan Opera has announced its 2019-20 season with five new productions, a New Year’s Eve gala, and a recital. Here is a look at what to expect.
New Productions
The season opens with Gershwin’s “Porgy and Bess” in a new production by James Robinson. The production stars Eric Owens and Kevin Short sharing the title role of Porgy and Angel Blue and Elizabeth Llewellyn alternating as Bess. Latonia Moore, Golda Schultz, Denyce Graves, Frederick Ballentine, and Ryan Speedo Green round out the cast conducted by David Robertson.
Performance Dates: Sept. 23-16, 2019 & Jan. 8-Feb. 1, 2020
Philip Glass’ “Akhnaten” makes its Met premiere in Phelim McDermott’s acclaimed production. Anthony Roth Costanzo sings the title role with Zachary James and J’Nai Bridges in their Met debuts. Karen Kamensek conducts the work, which also stars Aaron Blake, Will Liverman, and Richard Bernstein.
Performance Dates: November 8-Dec. 7, 2019
William Kentridge brings his acclaimed production of Berg’s “Wozzeck” to the Met with an all-star cast that includes Peter Mattei, Elza van den Heever, Christian Van Horn, Andrew Staples, Tamara Mumford, and Gerhard Siegel. Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts the 20th-century masterpiece.
Performance Dates: Dec. 27, 2019- Jan. 22, 2020
Handel’s “Agrippina” makes its Met Premiere with Joyce DiDonato in the title role. Sir David McVicar directs the new production, which also stars Brenda Rae, Kate Lindsey, Iestyn Davies, Duncan Rock, and Matthew Rose. Harry Bicket conducts.
Performance Dates: Feb. 6-March 7, 2020
Francois Girard directs a new production of Wagner’s “Der Fliegende Holländer” with Sir Bryn Terfel, Sergei Skorokhodov, Anja Kampe, David Portillo, and Mihoko Fujimura. Valery Gergiev conducts, returning to the Met for the first time since 2015.
Performance Dates: March 2-27, 2020
Revivals
Lisette Oropesa and Michael Fabiano join forces for Massenet’s “Manon” in Laurent Pelly’s striking production. Artur Ruciński, Kwangchul Youn, and Carlo Bosi round out the cast with Maurizio Benini conducting.
Performance Dates: Sept. 24-Oct. 26, 2019
Anna Netrebko and Plácido Domingo star in Verdi’s “Macbeth.” The revival will mark the first time the two singers perform on the Met stage. Matthew Polenzani and Ildar Abdrazaov round out the cast. Zeljko Lucic and Anna Pirozzi also star in the title roles with Marco Armiliato conducting.
Performance Dates: Sept. 25-Oct. 12, 2019
Puccini’s “Turandot” returns with Christine Goerke and Nine Stemme taking on the title role. Eleonora Buratto, Gabriela Reyes, and Hibla Gerzmava alternate as Liù while Roberto Aronica and Marco Berti sing Calaf. James Morris and Nicolas Testé round out the cast singing Timur. Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Marco Armiliato, and Carlo Rizzi alternate at the podium.
Performance Dates: Oct. 3-31, 2019 & April 9-25, 2020
Puccini’s “Madama Butterfly” returns with Hui He and Piero Pretti singing the lead roles. Paulo Szot and Elizabeth DeShong round out the cast as Sharpless and Suzuki. In the spring, Ana Maria Martinez and Andrea Carè sing the lead roles. Plácido Domingo adds the role of Sharpless and Maria Zifchak returns as her siganture Suzuki. Pier Giorgio Morandi conducts.
Performance Dates: Oct. 11-Nov. 25, 2019 & April 1-11, 2020
Jamie Barton stars in Gluck’s “Orfeo ed Euridice” alongside Hei-Kyung Hong as Euridice and Hyesang Park as Amore. Mark Wigglesworth conducts.
Performance Dates: Oct. 20-Nov. 10, 2019
Ailyn Pérez, Hei-Kyung Hong, and Maria Agresta headline three different casts of Puccini’s “La Bohème.” They are joined by Matthew Polenzani, Roberto Alagna, and Joseph Calleja as Rodolfo, David Bizic, Artur Ruciński, and Carlos Álvarez as Marcello, and Olga Kulchynska, Jacqueline Echols, Susanna Phillips, and Jennifer Rowley as Musetta. Marco Armiliato and Emmanuel Villaume alternate in the pit.
Performance Dates: Oct. 25-Nov. 21, 2019 & Jan. 9-25, 2020 & April 29-May 7, 2020
Susanna Phillips, Nadine Sierra, Adam Plachetka, Luca Pisaroni, and Gaëlle Arquez in her Me debut bring Mozart’s “Le Nozze di Figaro” to life. The second cast is set to include Anita Hartig, Hanna-Elisabeth Müller, Marianne Crebassa, Mariusz Kwiecien, and Plachetka. Antonello Manacorda and Cornelius Meister share conducting duties.
Performance Dates: Nov. 16-Dec. 14, 2019 & Feb. 5-22, 2020
Tchaikovsky’s “The Queen of Spades” returns to the Met with Vasily Petrenko conducting the composer’s lush melodies. Lise Davidsen and Aleksandrs Antonenko star in the lead roles with Larissa Diadkova, Alexey Markov, Igor Golovatenko, and Elena Maximova rounding out the cast. Kristian Benedikt also sings performances as Hermann.
Performance Dates: Nov. 29-Dec. 21, 2019
Camilla Nylund makes her Met debut in Strauss’ “Der Rosenkavalier” with Gunther Groissbock in his signature Baron Ochs, Magdalena Kožená as Octavian, Golda Schultz as Sophie. Matthew Polezani is the Italian singer. Katie Van Kooten and Angela Brower also sing performances as the Marschallin and Octavian. Sir Simon Rattle conducts.
Performance Dates: Dec. 13, 2019-Jan. 4, 2020
Mozart’s “The Magic Flute” returns in its English language reduction with Joëlle Harvey, Kathryn Lewek, David Portillo, Joshua Hopkins, and Morris Robinson. The second cast is headed by Ying Fang, So Young Park, Paul Groves, and Will Liverman. Lothar Koenigs conducts.
Performance Dates: Dec. 15, 2019-Jan. 4, 2020
Michael Mayer’s production of Verdi’s “La Traviata” returns with two casts. Alexandra Kurzak leads the first cast with Dmytro Popov and Quinn Kelsey. Then Lisette Oropesa takes on the title role with Vittorio Grigolo and Luca Salsi. Karel Mark Chichon and Bertrand de Billy conduct.
Performance Dates: Jan. 10-March 19, 2020
Elīna Garanča stars in Berlioz’s “La Damnation de Faust” alongside Bryan Hymel and Ildar Abdrazakov. Michael Spyres makes his long awaited Met debut in later performances. Edward gardner conducts.
Performance Dates: Jan. 25-Feb. 15, 2020
Mozart’s “Così fan tutte” returns with Nicole Car, Serena Malfi, Heidi Stober, Ben Bliss, Luca Pisaroni, and Gerald Finley. Harry Bicket conducts with Jennifer Check and Carolyn Sproule also singing later performances.
Performance Dates: Feb. 15-March 14, 2020
Tara Erraught and Javier Camarena star in Rossini’s “La Cenerentola” with Davide Luciano, Christian Van Horn, and Maurizio Muraro. James Gaffigan conducts the comic gem.
Performance Dates: March 12, 17, 21, 25, 28, April 3
Massenet’s “Werther” returns to the stage with Piotr Beczala in the title role with Joyce DiDonato as Charlotte. Aida Garifullina sings Sophie with Etienne Dupuis as Albert. Yannick Nézet-Séguin and J. David Jackson share conducting duties.
Performance Dates: March 16-April 4, 2020
Anna Netrebko reprises her acclaimed interpretation of Puccini’s “Tosca” with George Gagnidze as Scarpia and Najmiddin Mavlyanov and Brian Jagde alternating as Cavaradossi. Jennifer Rowley and Michael Volle sing two performances. Bertrand de Billy conducts.
Performance Dates: March 26-April 18, 2020
Verdi’s “Simon Boccanegra” returns with Carlos Álvarez in the title role with Ailyn Pérez, Joseph Calleja and Dmitry Belosselskiy.
Performance Dates: April 10-25, 2020
Diana Damrau sings the title role in Donizetti’s “Maria Stuarda” with Jamie Barton as her Elisabetta. Stephen Costello, Michele Pertusi, and Andrzej Filończyk round out the cast with Maurizio Benini conducting.
Performance Dates: April 19-May 9, 2020
Sonya Yoncheva makes her role debut in the title role of Puccini’s “Manon Lescaut” with Marcelo Álvarez. Richard Farnes conducts.
Performance Dates: April 28,-May 8, 2020
Susanna Phillips stars in the title role of Janacek’s “Káťa Kabanová” with Stefan Margita, Dolora Zajick, Daniela Mack, Pavel Černoch, Paul Appleby, and Sir John Tomlinson. Lothar Koenigs conducts.
Performance Dates: May 2-9, 2020
Special Events
Anna Netrebko headlines the Met’s 2019 New Year’s Eve Gala, performing fully staged acts from three different Puccini operas, conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin. Netrebko sings Mimì in Act one of “La Bohème,” joined by Matthew Polenzani as Rodolfo and Quinn Kelsey as Marcello. In Act one of “Tosca” she sings the title role opposite Yusif Eyvazov as Cavaradossi and Evgeny Nikitin as Scarpia. Finally, she takes the title role for Act two of “Turandot,” opposite Eyvazov as Calàf.
Performance Date: December 31, 2019
Diana Damrau takes the Met stage for a solo recital with Sir Antonio Pappano as her pianist. The program is set to feature works by Rossini, Bizet, Wagner, Strauss, and Berg.
Performance Date: March 29, 2020
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