You won’t find a major repertory staple in this weekend’s previews, but all of these works are essential viewing for the opera lover. There are a few world premieres coupled with gems from famed composers that rarely take the stage. Then there’s a masterpiece embedded in this week’s top recommendations (in alphabetical order by company).

Le Comte Ory – Edmonton Opera

Rossini’s famed and masterful comedy gets a rare performance in Canada with a cast that includes John Tessier in the title role, Caitlin Wood as Countess Adele, and Sarah Mesko as Isolier. This is one of the funniest operas created and is a must-watch.

Bound – Fresh Squeezed Opera

On Saturday and Sunday, the Fresh Squeezed Opera company present the premiere of Huang Ruo and Bao-Long Chu’s new opera. The opera explores memories of war in the life of a Vietnamese high school truant. The cast includes Fang Tao, Guang Yang, Andrew Wannigman, and Daniel Klein.

Siegfried – Metropolitan Opera

The third installment of Wagner’s famed tetralogy comes to the Met with a stellar cast that includes Christine Goerke as Brünnhilde, Stefan Vinke as Siegfried, Michael Volle as the Wanderer, and Gerhard Siegel as Mime. Throw in Tomasz Konieczny as Alberich, Erin Morley as the Woodbird, Karen Cargill as Erda, and Dmitry Belosselskiy and you honestly couldn’t top the cast under maestro Philippe Jordan. The performance is on Saturday and the only one open for general ticket sales.

La Liberazione di Ruggero – Opera Ithaca

Opera Ithaca will present the first and latest opera by women (at that moment in time) when it world premieres Kamala Sankaram’s “The Infinite Energy of Ada Lovelace” in a double bill with Francesca Caccini’s “La Liberazione di Ruggero.” Performances are slated for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

The Ballad of Baby Doe – Toledo Opera

The famed American opera will receive a rare semi-staged production on Friday and Sunday at the Valentine Theatre. Cast members will include Schyler Sheltrown, Dan Ewart, Alicia Russell, and Peter Morgan, among others.