The Metropolitan Opera

Airs Saturday, May 5 at 12:00 noon. The 2011-12 Metropolitan Opera Radio Broadcast season comes to a close with a live broadcast of Janáček’s The Makropulos Case, starring Karita Mattila as the enigmatic diva Emilia Marty. This season’s performances—the first at the Met in more than a decade—are conducted by Czech specialist Jiří Bělohlávek and feature Richard Leech as Emilia’s admirer Albert Gregor, Danish baritone Johan Reuter in his Met debut as Gregor’s aristocratic rival, Jaroslav Prus; and Tom Fox as the lawyer Kolenaty. The Makropulos Case will be heard live over the Toll Brothers-Metropolitan Opera International Radio Network at 12:00 p.m. CT on Saturday, May 5.

Airs Saturday, May 28 at 11:00 a.m. The 2011-12 Metropolitan Opera Radio Broadcast season continues with a live broadcast of Wagner’s Die Walküre, the second installment in his epic cycle Der Ring des Nibelungen. Katarina Dalayman sings the title role of the warrior maiden Brünnhilde, alongside an acclaimed cast that includes Bryn Terfel as Wotan, Jonas Kaufmann as Siegmund, Eva-Maria Westbroek as Sieglinde, Stephanie Blythe as Fricka, and Hans-Peter König as Hunding. Met Principal Conductor Fabio Luisi is on the podium for the performance, part of the second complete Ring cycle presented at the Met this season in the new production by Robert Lepage. Die Walküre will be heard live over the Toll Brothers-Metropolitan Opera International Radio Network at 11 a.m.

Airs Saturday, April 21 at 11:00 a.m. The 2011-12 Metropolitan Opera Radio Broadcast season continues with a live broadcast of Wagner’s Siegfried, the third installment in Wagner’s epic cycle Der Ring des Nibelungen. Jay Hunter Morris stars as the title character, a hero so brave that he literally does not know the meaning of the word “fear.” The celebrated cast of Wagnerians includes Deborah Voigt as Brünnhilde; Bryn Terfel as the Wanderer; and Gerhard Siegel as Mime. Met Principal Conductor Fabio Luisi leads the performance, which is part of a complete Ring cycle presented in a new production by Robert Lepage. Siegfried will be heard live over the Toll Brothers-Metropolitan Opera International Radio Network. 

Airs Saturday, April 14 at 12:00 noon. The 2011-12 Metropolitan Opera Radio Broadcast season continues with a live broadcast of Verdi’s La Traviata. Natalie Dessay sings her first Met performances of the iconic leading role, Violetta Valéry. Matthew Polenzani co-stars as her love, Alfredo, and Dmitri Hvorostovsky is his disapproving father, Giorgio Germont. Met Principal Conductor Fabio Luisi leads the performance in the second of his four consecutive radio broadcasts this season. The opera will be seen in Willy Decker’s striking production, which premiered to critical acclaim at the Met in 2010. La Traviata will be heard live over the Toll Brothers-Metropolitan Opera International Radio Network at 12 p.m. CT on Saturday, April 14.  The performance will also be transmitted worldwide as part of The Met: Live in HD series, which is now seen in more than 1,700 movie theaters in 54 countries.

Airs Saturday, April 7 at 12:00 noon.  The 2011-12 Metropolitan Opera Radio Broadcast season continues with a live broadcast of Massenet’s Manon. Anna Netrebko sings her first Met performances of the title role, with Piotr Beczala in his role debut as Manon’s lover, the Chevalier des Grieux, and Paulo Szot as her cousin, Lescaut. Met Principal Conductor Fabio Luisi leads the performance of Laurent Pelly’s striking new production, which opened March 26.  Manon will be heard live over the Toll Brothers-Metropolitan Opera International Radio Network at 12 p.m. ET on Saturday, April 7. The performance will also be transmitted worldwide as part of The Met: Live in HD series, which is now seen in more than 1,700 movie theaters in 54 countries.