The Met's Summer HD Festival Lights Up Lincoln Center Plaza with MOONSTRUCK, EUGENE ONEGIN and More

The Metropolitan Opera's popular Summer HD Festival returns to Lincoln Center Plaza with screenings of ten acclaimed productions from the Met's Emmy Award-winning Live in HD series, including four new productions from the 2013-14 season: Borodin's Prince Igor starring Ildar Abdrazakov; Verdi's Falstaff conducted by James Levine and starring Ambrogio Maestri and Angela Meade; Massenet's Werther starring Jonas Kaufmann and Sophie Koch ; and Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin starring Anna Netrebko and Mariusz Kwiecien.

The Festival kicks off a night early with a special screening of Norman Jewison's film Moonstruck, starring Cher and Nicolas Cage, in a co-presentation with the Film Society of Lincoln Center.

Last summer, more than 40,000 people attended the HD Festival, a part of the Met's Free Summer Events series. All screenings are free and no tickets are required. 3,100 seats will be available each night on a first-come, first served basis. There are no rain dates.

The festival runs Friday, August 22, through Monday, September 1, 2014. Start times range from 7:15 pm to 8:00 pm (no intermissions) at Lincoln Center's Josie Robertson Plaza. Free.

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The Met's Summer HD Festival Schedule:

Friday, August 22, 8 pm:
MOONSTRUCK
Directed by Norman Jewison (1987)
"Meet me at the Met," declares Ronny Cammareri, portrayed by Nicolas Cage. "Where's the Met?" replies Loretta Castorini, played by Cher in an Oscar-winning turn. Seldom has an opera house played such a central role in the movies as the Met does in Norman Jewison's Moonstruck. The combination of Puccini's score for La Bohème, which provides a musical through-line for the film, and the emotional power of a Met performance are essential to the film's success. Moonstruck was nominated for five Academy Awards, winning three: Olympia Dukakis for Best Supporting Actress, John Patrick Shanley for Best Original Screenplay, and Cher for Best Actress.
A co-presentation of the Film Society of Lincoln Center and the Metropolitan Opera
Running time: 1 hour 45 minutes

Saturday, August 23, 8 pm:
LA BOHÈME
Franco Zeffirelli's classic production of Puccini's tale of tragic young love in 19th-century Paris is ideally served with a cast led by Kristine Opolais as the frail Mimì, Vittorio Grigolo as the poet Rodolfo who loves her, and Susanna Phillips as the flirty Musetta.
Running time: 2 hours
(Original transmission: Saturday, April 5, 2014)

Sunday, August 24, 7:15 pm:
PRINCE IGOR
Borodin's Russian epic returned to the Met for the first time in a century in Dmitri Tcherniakov's brilliant new production. Ildar Abdrazakov stars in the monumental title role, with Gianandrea Noseda conducting.
Running time: 3 hours 10 minutes
(Original transmission: Saturday, March 1, 2014)

Monday, August 25, 8 pm:
THE NOSE
Acclaimed artist William Kentridge stormed the Met with his inventive production of Shostakovich's opera, based on Gogol's surreal short story. Paulo Szot stars as the bureaucrat in search of his missing nose.
Running time: 2 hours
(Original transmission: Saturday, October 26, 2013)

Tuesday, August 26, 8 pm:
SIMON BOCCANEGRA
More than four decades into a legendary Met career, tenor Plácido Domingo took on the baritone title role of Verdi's dark drama in 2010, conducted by James Levine. Adrianne Pieczonka, Marcello Giordani, and James Morris co-star.
Running time: 2 hours 20 minutes
(Original transmission: Saturday, Februrary 6, 2010)

Wednesday, August 27, 8 pm:
FALSTAFF
James Levine conducts Robert Carsen's acclaimed new production, starring Ambrogio Maestri in the title role. The stellar ensemble cast includes Angela Meade as Alice and Stephanie Blythe as Mrs. Quickly.
Running time: 2 hours
(Original transmission: Saturday, December 14, 2013)

Thursday, August 28, 7:45 pm:
RUSALKA
Renée Fleming stars in one of her signature roles, singing the enchanting "Song to the Moon" in Dvo?ák's soulful fairy tale. Piotr Beczala is the Prince, Dolora Zajick sings Ježibaba, and Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts.
Running time: 2 hours 40 minutes
(Original transmission: Saturday, February 8, 2014)

Friday, August 29, 8 pm:
L'ELISIR D'AMORE
Anna Netrebko stars as Adina in Bartlett Sher's charming production, opposite Matthew Polenzani as the love-struck Nemorino. Ambrogio Maestri is the quack doctor Dulcamara, and Mariusz Kwiecien sings Belcore.
Running time: 2 hours
(Original transmission: Saturday, October 13, 2012)

Saturday, August 30, 8 pm:
DON PASQUALE
James Levine conducts Donizetti's beloved comedy, with Anna Netrebko leading the cast as Norina. Mariusz Kwiecien is the resourceful Doctor Malatesta, Matthew Polenzani is Ernesto, Norina's lover, and John Del Carlo sings the title role.
Running time: 2 hours, 20 minutes
(Original transmission: Saturday, November 13, 2010)

Sunday, August 31, 8 pm:
WERTHER
Jonas Kaufmann stars as the tortured poet of the title in Massenet's adaptation of Goethe, as seen in Richard Eyre's new production. Sophie Koch sings Charlotte and Alain Altinoglu conducts.
Running time: 2 hours 15 minutes
(Original transmission: Saturday, March 15, 2014)

Monday, September 1, 7:45 pm:
EUGENE ONEGIN
Anna Netrebko and Mariusz Kwiecien are Tatiana and Onegin in Tchaikovsky's fateful romance, opposite Piotr Beczala as Lenski. Russian maestro Valery Gergiev conducts Deborah Warner's new production, which opened the Met's 2013-14 season.
Running time: 2 hours 40 minutes
(Original transmission: Saturday, October 5, 2013)

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