Top 6 Operas to See This Weekend – North America (12/29-30): Met Opera’s ‘Tosca’ Plus Eugene Opera, Amore Opera Holiday Specials Dominate Weekend

By David Salazar

As 2017 comes to a close, the US opera scene fades out almost completely. Last week we saw only a handful of operas from the Metropolitan Opera featured on the weekend. This weekend is slightly different with two other companies joining the fray. Here are the operas to see this weekend.

The Barber of Seville – Eugene Opera, Amore Opera

Eugene Opera will close out 2017 with two performances of Rossini’s famed opera. The production will star Malcolm MacKenzie, Heather Johnson, Javier Abreu, Jake Gardiner, Craig Phillips, Bill Hulings, Tim McCoy, and Victoria McCoy.

Meanwhile, Amore Opera of New York City is also showcasing Rossini’s comic masterwork on the 29th, 30th, and 31st of December.

Tosca – Metropolitan Opera

The Met Opera’s 2017 comes to an end with a performance of “Tosca” starring Sonya Yoncheva, Vittorio Grigolo, and Zeljko Lucic. The production is by David McVicar and will replace the production by Luc Bondy, which debuted in 2009.

Le Nozze di Figaro – Metropolitan Opera

The Met’s second cast for “Le Nozze di Figaro” will take over for the Dec. 29 performance. It will showcase the likes of Ailyn Pérez, Nadine Sierra, and Isabel Leonard in lead roles.

The Merry Widow – Metropolitan Opera

The Met’s production of “The Merry Widow” will continue its successful run with Susan Graham and Paul Groves leading the show. Of the opening night performance, OperaWire wrote, “Overall, this was a night to relish in beautiful melodies and singing all around. If you want a night out at the opera vastly different from the other works at the Met this month, then this is the one for you. Graham and Chuchman are simply irresistible and the music will ring in your ears long after you’ve left.”

Hansel and Gretel – Metropolitan Opera

Lisette Oropesa and Tara Erraught will also showcase their talents in the Richard Jones production, which has received general rave reviews. In reference to Lisette Oropesa’s brilliant work on the production, OperaWire wrote, “the soprano has an astonishingly wonderful technique that is unrivaled at this moment and her ability to display such range of characterization only added to the support that she is an artist to be treasured.”

 

 

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