This week's broadcast from the Met features Gioacchino Rossini's comic masterpiece Il Barbiere di Seviglia (The Barber of Seville).
The production stars Rodion Pogossov as Figaro, the wiley barber who helps bring two lovers together. Soprano Diana Damrau is the fetching heroine Rosina, and rising South African tenor Colin Lee makes his Met role debut as Count Almaviva, the nobleman who disguises himself to win Rosina's heart.
John Del Carlo is Rosina's guardian, Dr. Bartolo, and Ferruccio Furlanetto is his co-conspirator, the music teacher Don Basilio. Marco Armiliato conducts the performance, staged by the Tony Award-winning director Bartlett Sher.
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For more than seven decades, the Metropolitan Opera Radio Broadcasts have brought opera into millions of homes, playing a vital and unparalleled role in the development and appreciation of opera in this country. The broadcasts debuted on December 25, 1931, with Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel, and are now the longest-running classical music series in American broadcast history.
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Comments [10]
Valetti an almost forgotten name of an excellent tenor.I'm glad there are those who stillremember the greats of the past. Good listening to all !!
Waiting for Billy Budd...
Just back from the Met, (Verdi’s Ernani)
They had the cameras shooting for
HD at the theaters
February 25, 2012, 12:55 pm ET
U.S. Encore: March 14, 2012 at 6:30 pm local time
Canada Encore: March 31, 2012 at 1 pm local time
Opera, Popcorn and Soda and the price is right...
Angela Meade takes center stage in Verdi’s thrilling early gem. Marcello Giordani is her mismatched lover, and all-star Verdians Dmitri Hvorostovsky and Ferruccio Furlanetto round out the cast.
Damrau was bad. Strange sound. Not right notes too (or was it wobbling?)
Delightful! Kudos to Colin Lee, our latest tenore di grazia, in his broadcast debut - ah, memories of Cesare Valletti in the SF Opera Rennert production (dates me!), with Reri Grist and Hermann Prey.
Years ago during a benefit performance in Connecticut, the governor made an appearance during the riot scene. He received a pie in the face. I would have loved to see this.
Is it me or is Damrau really gasping for air and running out of breath today???
Greetings opera lovers,
Hello Beduzza Cavanaugh, sorry I will not be getting any comments from you until Aida. Hope you are well. I do enjoy these exchanges.
Il Barbiere is a comic opera and because of this, does not get all the praise it deserves. It is more than the Figaro aria. Glorious, graceful music. This opera does not have to be watched to be enjoyed. Hope the Rosina sings it in the lower key and has a dark voice. I have a wonderful recording with Victoria de Los Angeles. Hope my comments go through. Two prior attempts did not.
Best wishes to all.
Was there Wednesday night and it was glorious. The performers were superb, but more to the point, the staging was so bright and witty and artistically delicious that it took away the bad taste my recent Tosca experience left.
Bongiorno a tutti. O Beduzza, you'll not read any comments from me until Aida. If that b'cast is anything like the Season Pemiere, I'll have loads to write. Otherwise, I hope all listeners are well & enjoy the opera today & next week. Best wishes to Beduzza.
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