Andrew Davis News

Renée Fleming will add a new role to her extensive repertory when she sings her first-ever performances of Hanna Glawari, the title role in Lehár's The Merry Widow, at the Met this season. Four-time Tony Award winner Susan Stroman makes her Met debut as director and choreographer of a new production of the comic operetta, in which a wealthy widow's countrymen launch a romantic plot to keep her -- and her tax dollars -- within their borders.

NEW YORK, Dec. 24, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ Mozart's elegant masterpiece of marital discord, Le Nozze di Figaro, conducted by Met Music Director James Levine and staged by Richard Eyre, is the season premiere of Great Performances at the Met Friday, January 16 at 9 p.m. on PBS.

Continuing a tradition inaugurated in 2006, the Met will offer a holiday presentation this December and January: an English-language performance of an opera, with special weekday matinees and discount pricing designed to make the Met affordable for families with children. This year's production, Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel, opens tonight, December 18.

Watching an opera from the Met at The Ridgefield Playhouse when it is Live in HD is as exhilarating as it gets!

Lyric Unlimited, an initiative of Lyric Opera of Chicago, is proud to present the all-new family presentation, The Magic Victrola, on Saturday, January 17 at 3pm at the Civic Opera House in downtown Chicago. This is Lyric Unlimited's third annual performance especially designed for youngsters ages 5-10 and their families.

Renée Fleming will add a new role to her extensive repertory when she sings her first-ever performances of Hanna Glawari, the title role in Lehár's The Merry Widow, at the Met this season. Four-time Tony Award winner Susan Stroman makes her Met debut as director and choreographer of a new production of the comic operetta, in which a wealthy widow's countrymen launch a romantic plot to keep her -- and her tax dollars -- within their borders.

Beginning New Year's Eve, Renée Fleming returns to the stage in her first-ever performances of Hanna Glawari, the title role in Lehár's The Merry Widow, at the Met. Four-time Tony Award winner Susan Stroman will make her Met debut as director and choreographer of a new production of the comic operetta, which will also reunite Nathan Gunn (Danilo) and five-time Tony nominee Kelli O'Hara (Valencienne). The duo previously shared the stage in Carousel with the New York Philharmonic.

Continuing a tradition inaugurated in 2006, the Met will offer a holiday presentation this December and January: an English-language performance of an opera, with special weekday matinees and discount pricing designed to make the Met affordable for families with children. This year's production, Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel, opens December 18 and will star Aleksandra Kurzak, Heidi Stober, and Andriana Chuchman as Gretel; Christine Rice and Jennifer Johnson Cano as Hansel; Michaela Martens and Dwayne Croft as Gertrude and Peter, the wayward children's parents; and Robert Brubaker as the wicked Witch who captures them. Sir Andrew Davis will conduct all seven performances of the opera, which plays through January 8. There will be special weekday matinees at 11 a.m. on December 23 and December 30.

Lyric Opera of Chicago presents the Tudor tragedy ?Anna Bolena by Gaetano Donizetti (1797-1848) in a new production conducted by Patrick Summers and directed by Kevin Newbury. It opens on Saturday, December 6 with 8 performances through Friday, January 16. Performance dates are Dec. 6, 9, 15, Jan. 7, 10, and 16 at 7:30pm; and Dec. 12 and 21 at 2pm.

Lyric Opera of Chicago presents the Tudor tragedy Anna Bolena by Gaetano Donizetti (1797-1848) in a new production by Kevin Newbury conducted by Patrick Summers. It opens tonight, December 6 with 8 performances through Friday, January 16.

The holiday season is here at last, and in just weeks, the world will be spreading the yuletide cheer by decking the halls, wrapping the gifts and sipping the eggnog. There are plenty of ways to join in the spirit, but for theatre fans, there is even more to celebrate, as our favorite holiday programming and performances will be presented across all platforms this December. Whether you'd like to check out your favorite Christmas musical on stage, tune in for a festive concert on TV, or buy a movie ticket to a big holiday release, Broadway is everywhere this season... and BroadwayWorld has a complete guide of where to find it! This year's guide is brought to you by Fathom Events. Fathom Events is the home of cinematic experiences that offer high-quality, affordable entertainment events broadcast to the big screen. This December, ring in the holidays with an array of iconic performances including world-class ballet, MET Opera, classic films and more! For additional information, visit: http://fathomevents.com. Below, check out our all-inclusive Holiday Roundup for 2014!

Kelli O'Hara goes from Broadway to the Met!

NEW YORK –– The Juilliard Opera season opens with a production of Gioachino Rossini's Il Turco in Italia (The Turk in Italy), a drama buffo in two acts with a libretto by Felice Romani. Juilliard alumnaSperanza Scappucci conducts the Juilliard singers and the Juilliard Orchestra in her conducting debut at Juilliard in the production directed by John Giampietro. Performances take place tonight, November 19, 2014 and Friday, November 21, 2014 at 8 p.m.; and Sunday, November 23, 2014 at 2 p.m., in Juilliard's Peter Jay Sharp Theater. Tickets for Juilliard Opera's production of Il Turco in Italia are $30 and available at events.juilliard.edu or at the Juilliard Box Office. Juilliard students may attend for free; non-Juilliard students with valid ID may purchase tickets at $15 at the Juilliard Box Office.

Lyric Opera of Chicago celebrated its glorious history and future Saturday, November 1, with a star-studded 60th Anniversary Concert at the Civic Opera House beginning at 6:30pm - sixty years to the day after the company officially launched its very first season.

New York Philharmonic Associate Conductor Case Scaglione will conduct the Orchestra in Debussy's Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun; Glazunov's Violin Concerto, with Joshua Bell as soloist; and Prokofiev's Symphony No. 5, tonight, November 12, 2014, at 7:30 p.m.; Thursday, November 13 at 7:30 p.m.; Friday, November 14 at 8:00 p.m.; Saturday, November 15 at 8:00 p.m.; and Tuesday, November 18 at 7:30 p.m.

How exhilarating are the operas and plays broadcast Live in HD to The Ridgefield Playhouse, complete with behind-the-scenes tours and commentary by some of the genres' most revered stars. From London's National Theatre on Sunday, January 11, at 4 p.m., JOHN authentically depicts the real-life stories of more than 50 men asked about love and sex. JOHN contains adult themes, strong language and nudity. Suitable for 18yrs+. From the Met in New York City comes Lehar's The Merry Widow stars Renee Fleming on Saturday, January 17, at 6 p.m. The Met will also bring Offenbach's Les Contes D'Hoffmann (The Tales of Hoffmann) with magnetic tenor Vittorio Grigoloto to the theater on Saturday, January 31, at 12 p.m.

Anthony Freud, general director of Lyric Opera of Chicago, today issued the following statement regarding the death of renowned stage designer Johan Engels.

Anthony Freud, general director of Lyric Opera of Chicago, today announced Memory and Reckoning, a confluence of activities related to the Chicago premiere of Mieczysaw Weinberg's The Passenger, on stage at Lyric February 24 through March 15. This poignant and gripping 20th-century masterpiece portrays the story of the Holocaust from the perspectives of both victim and perpetrator, and was only recently rediscovered after more than 40 years of suppression.

NEW YORK –– The Juilliard Opera season opens with a production of Gioachino Rossini's Il Turco in Italia (The Turk in Italy), a drama buffo in two acts with a libretto by Felice Romani. Juilliard alumnaSperanza Scappucci conducts the Juilliard singers and the Juilliard Orchestra in her conducting debut at Juilliard in the production directed by John Giampietro. Performances take place on Wednesday, November 19, 2014 and Friday, November 21, 2014 at 8 p.m.; and Sunday, November 23, 2014 at 2 p.m., in Juilliard's Peter Jay Sharp Theater. Tickets for Juilliard Opera's production of Il Turco in Italia are $30 and available at events.juilliard.edu or at the Juilliard Box Office. Juilliard students may attend for free; non-Juilliard students with valid ID may purchase tickets at $15 at the Juilliard Box Office.