Following last week’s all-Verdi series, the Metropolitan Opera continues its series of of free nightly streams of performances from their archives with two more theme weeks. This week (August 31 – September 6) will feature 20th and 21st Century works, the highlight of which will be this year’s performance of George and Ira Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess. That production, taped this past February, will be available over two days, Friday and Saturday, September 4 and 5. The rest of the week is a winner as well, with works including Richard Strauss’ Elektra and Thomas Adès’ The Tempest.
The theme for Week 26 will be French composers, featuring works by Massenet, Berlioz, Gounod, and Bizet. Massenet’s Werther with Jonas Kaufmann, Lisette Oropesa, and Sophie Koch will air on Sunday, September 13.
A different streaming begins each evening at 7:30 PM from the Met Opera website and is available for 23 hours until 6:30 PM EDT the following day. [https://www.metopera.org] There is also loads of supplementary information on the operas at this site.
The streams are also available through the Met Opera on Demand apps for Apple, Amazon, and Roku devices and Samsung Smart TV. To access them without logging in, click “Browse and Preview” in the apps for connected TV, and “Explore the App” on tablets and mobile devices.
The coronavirus pandemic has had—and continues to have—serious economic implications for the arts and all whom depend on them for enrichment, entertainment…and employment. The recovery when it comes will not be quick or easy. Everyone will need to help both local and national organizations to the extent of their ability. If you have enjoyed this generous contribution the Met has made to keeping us sane during these trying times, keep them in mind when considering possible donations.
Schedule for Week 25 : August 31 – September 6
Monday, August 31
Richard Strauss: Elektra
Starring Nina Stemme, Adrianne Pieczonka, Waltraud Meier, Burkhard Ulrich, and Eric Owens, conducted by Esa-Pekka Salonen
(April 30, 2016)
Tuesday, September 1
Benjamin Britten: Peter Grimes
Starring Patricia Racette, Anthony Dean Griffey, and Anthony Michaels-Moore, conducted by Donald Runnicles
(March 15, 2008)
Wednesday, September 2
John Adams: Nixon in China
Starring Kathleen Kim, Janis Kelly, Robert Brubaker, Russell Braun, James Maddalena, and Richard Paul Fink, conducted by John Adams
(February 12, 2011)
Thursday, September 3
Alban Berg: Lulu
Starring Marlis Petersen, Susan Graham, Daniel Brenna, Paul Groves, Johan Reuter, and Franz Grundheber, conducted by Lothar Koenigs
(November 21, 2015)
Friday, September 4 and Saturday, September 5
The Gershwins: Porgy & Bess
Starring Angel Blue, Golda Schultz, Latonia Moore, Denyce Graves, Frederick Ballentine, Eric Owens, Alfred Walker, and Donovan Singletary, conducted by David Robertson
(February 1, 2020)
Sunday, September 6
Thomas Adès: The Tempest
Starring Audrey Luna, Isabel Leonard, Iestyn Davies, Alek Shrader, Alan Oke, William Burden, Toby Spence, and Simon Keenlyside, conducted by Thomas Adès
(November 10, 2012)
Schedule for French Composer Week : September 7 – 13
• • • • • • • • •
There are two exceptions to the usual routine for the Week 26 schedule. The September 11 stream of Les Pêcheurs de Perles will be available until September 12 at 12PM ET. The September 12 stream of Les Troyens will begin at the usual 7:30PM ET.
• • • • • • • • •
Monday, September 7
Massenet: Manon
Starring Anna Netrebko, Piotr Beczała, Paulo Szot, and David Pittsinger, conducted by Fabio Luisi
(April 7, 2012)
Tuesday, September 8
Charles Gounod: Roméo et Juliette
Starring Diana Damrau, Vittorio Grigolo, Elliot Madore, and Mikhail Petrenko, conducted by Gianandrea Noseda
(January 21, 2017)
Wednesday, September 9
Hector Berlioz: La Damnation de Faust
Starring Susan Graham, Marcello Giordani, and John Relyea, conducted by James Levine. (November 22, 2008)
Thursday, September 10
Massenet: Cendrillon
Starring Kathleen Kim, Joyce DiDonato, Alice Coote, Stephanie Blythe, and Laurent Naouri, conducted by Bertrand de Billy
(April 28, 2018)
Friday, September 11
George Bizet: Les Pêcheurs de Perles
Starring Diana Damrau, Matthew Polenzani, Mariusz Kwiecień, and Nicolas Testé, conducted by Gianandrea Noseda
(January 16, 2016)
Saturday, September 12
Berlioz: Les Troyens
Starring Deborah Voigt, Susan Graham, Karen Cargill, Bryan Hymel, Eric Cutler, Dwayne Croft, and Kwangchul Youn, conducted by Fabio Luisi
(January 5, 2013)
Sunday, September 13
Massenet’s Werther
Starring Lisette Oropesa, Sophie Koch, Jonas Kaufmann, David Bižić, and Jonathan Summers, conducted by Alain Altinoglu
(March 15, 2014)
