Opera Night

Die Walkure

Saturday, 7-10pm or later!

Saturday night is opera night on Lyric.

From May to December we broadcast live recordings from great opera houses around the world such as La Scala in Milan, Covent Garden in London and the Vienna State Opera as well as RTÉ recordings of performances by Wexford Festival Opera.

From December to May we broadcast the season of matinée performances from the Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center, New York.

Contact us at operanight@rte.ie.

Metropolitan Opera House
in New York

2011-12 Metropolitan Opera International Radio Network Season

The Metropolitan Opera Radio Season will recommence on Saturday December 3rd with Handel's Rodelinda.

Would you like a free MET Opera Radio Guide?
Email your name and address to operanight.lyricfm@rte.ie

Metropolitan Opera International Radio Network Season

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Anna Netrebko as Anna Bolena

Saturday February 4th...

From the Metropolitan Opera New York presented by Margaret Juntwait

Donizetti's Anna Bolena with Anna Netrebko in the title role.
King Henry VIII (Ildar Abdrazakov) has fallen in love with Anne's lady-in-waiting Jane Seymour (Ekaterina Gubanova) leading to a tragic story of intrigue and execution.
Marco Armiliato conducts the Metropolitan Opera Chorus and Orchestra

Patricia Racette as Tosca

Saturday January 28th...

From the Metropolitan Opera New York

From the Metropolitan Opera New York presented by Margaret Juntwait
Puccini's Tosca with Patricia Racette in the title role.
Set in Rome in 1800. Tosca is caught between her lover Cavaradossi (Aleksandrs Antonenko) and the sadistic Baron Scarpia (James Morris).
Mikko Franck conducts the Metropolitan Opera Chorus and Orchestra

Saturday January 21st...

In one extraordinary new work, lovers of Baroque opera have it all: the world's best singers, glorious music of the Baroque masters, and a story drawn from Shakespeare. In The Enchanted Island, the lovers from Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream are shipwrecked on his other-worldly island of The Tempest. Inspired by the musical pastiches and masques of the 18th century, the work showcases arias and ensembles by Handel, Vivaldi, Rameau, and others, and a new libretto devised and written by Jeremy Sams. Eminent conductor William Christie leads an all-star cast with David Daniels (Prospero) and Joyce DiDonato (Sycorax) as the formidable foes, Plácido Domingo as Neptune, Danielle de Niese as Ariel, and Luca Pisaroni as Caliban. Lisette Oropesa and Anthony Roth Costanzo play Miranda and Ferdinand. The dazzling production is directed and designed by Phelim McDermott and Julian Crouch (Satyagraha and the Met's 125 anniversary gala).

Approximate running time: 3 hours, 35 minutes

Saturday January 7th...

From the Metropolitan Opera New York

The 2011-2012 Metropolitan Opera Radio Broadcast season continues with a live broadcast of Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel, starring Alice Coote and Aleksandra Kurzak as the adventurous siblings. The fairy-tale opera, performed in English, is part of the Met's holiday series. Tenor Robert Brubaker is the Witch who plots to turn the children into gingerbread, and Michaela Martens and Dwayne Croft are their parents. Rising British conductor Robin Ticciati, who will become music director of the Glyndebourne Festival in 2014, makes his Met debut with this production.

Saturday December 31st...

Opera Night presented by Bernard Clarke

Puccini's La Bohème - recorded in November at the Teatro Comunale in Florence. Set on Christmas Eve in Paris around 1830, as the poet Rodolfo (Aquiles Machado) falls in love with the poor seamstress Mimi (Carmela Remigio). Stefano Antonucci is the painter Marcello and Musetta is sung by Alessandra Marianelli. Zubin Mehta conducts the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino Chorus and Orchestra

Joan Sutherland

Saturday January 14th...

Norma by Vincenzo Bellini
Recorded in 1984 with Joan Sutherland in one of her greatest roles. A story of love and betrayal in Ancient Gaul as Norma's lover Pollione (Luciano Pavarotti) falls for the young Adalgisa (sung by Montserrat Caballe).


The Orchestra and Chorus of the Welsh National Opera are conducted by Richard Bonynge

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