The Great Performances at the Met series returns March 19 at 9 PM ET with a concert with Grammy winner and Carousel Tony nominee Renée Fleming.
Recorded on August 1, the famed soprano offers arias by Puccini and Massenet as well as selections by Handel and Korngold. Highlights include “Endless pleasure, endless love” from Handel’s Semele, Canteloube’s “Baïlèro,” and the Marschallin’s Act I monologue from Strauss’ Der Rosenkavalier. Fleming performed from the music salon of Dumbarton Oaks in Washington, D.C., accompanied by Robert Ainsley.
The series will continue April 2 with Jonas Kaufmann in Concert. Expect a program of classic arias from the Polling Abbey in Munich. Recorded in July, selections include “Nessun dorma” from Turandot, “E lucevan le stelle” from Tosca, “Ah! lève-toi, soleil” from Roméo et Juliette, “La fleur que tu m’avais jetée” from Carmen, “È la solita storia” from L’Arlesiana, and “Un dì all’azzurro spazio” from Andrea Chenier. Helmut Deutsch accompanies Kaufmann on piano.
The season lineup, comprised of previously streamed events from the Met, also includes concerts from Lise Davidsen (May 7), Roberto Alagna and Aleksandra Kurzak (June 4), Anna Netrebko (June 18), Joyce DiDonato (July 2), Diana Damrau and Joseph Calleja (August 6), Sonya Yoncheva (September 3), Sondra Radvanovsky and Piotr Beczala (October 1), Angel Blue (November 5), Bryn Terfel (December 3), and a special New Year’s Eve Gala (December 31). Christine Goerke serves as host for many of the events.
“As one of many of the arts organizations forced to go dark last year, the Metropolitan Opera has proved to be undaunted, creating a new season of Great Performances at the Met with opera’s most accomplished singers performing in historic settings,” said series Executive Producer David Horn in a recent statement.
“When the Met was forced to close its doors last March because of the health crisis, we realized right away how important it would be for us to stay engaged with our global audience,” added Met General Manager Peter Gelb. “The Met Stars Live in Concert series has been an invaluable way to keep artists and opera lovers connected when they both sorely needed it. I am very pleased that these concerts will now be seen by an even larger audience via Great Performances at the Met.”
For the Met, Gary Halvorson directs each program. Mia Bongiovanni is supervising producer, and Louisa Briccetti, Matt Dobkin, and Victoria Warivonchik are producers. Peter Gelb is executive producer. For Great Performances, Bill O’Donnell is series producer; David Horn is executive producer.
