James Levine News

Broadway ledgends Chita Rivera and Rita Moreno will be appearing at the Tilles Center for seperate but consective engagements in the upcoming weeks. Moreno will grace the Tilles stage on April 24, while Rivera will present her 'Chita Rivera: My Broadway' show on May 1.

On Thursday, April 22 at 8:00 p.m., acclaimed mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade, with pianist Martin Katz, sings her New York farewell concert in Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage. Her varied program includes works by some of the greatest contemporary and 20th century American composers: Ned Rorem, Jake Heggie, Virgil Thomson, Aaron Copland, Lee Hoiby, Leonard Bernstein, Carol Hall, William Bolcom, and Stephen Sondheim.

Richard Eyre, the renowned British director of theater and film, explores the passionate drama of Bizet's Carmen and the power of her desires in his new production at the Metropolitan Opera, which premieres on THIRTEEN'S Great Performances at the Met series. 'Her sexuality is a life force, it's a defining force,' he explains.

The New York Philharmonic will present The Russian Stravinsky: A Philharmonic Festival conducted by Valery Gergiev on April 21-May 8, 2010. The three-week festival - one of several initiatives launched during Alan Gilbert's first season as Music Director - will offer an in-depth look at Stravinsky, exploring how his Russian roots informed his works. Led by the Russian-born Mr. Gergiev, the festival will feature eight programs over three weeks, including concerts, lectures, pre-concert talks, radio broadcasts, podcasts and an Archives exhibit.

On Friday, April 23, Deborah Voigt returns to the stage of New York's Metropolitan Opera as Senta in Wagner's Der Fliegende Holländer (The Flying Dutchman), the first time she will sing this psychologically and vocally intense role at the Met (seven performances through May 14).

Positive Motions Foundation in association with the Glendale Philharmonic Association and Positive Motions Concert Series, Ruslan Biryukov, Producer and Artistic Director, will present 'FOR ALL OUR MOTHERS,' a concert in honor of Mother's Day, to be presented on Saturday, May 8, 2010 at 7:30 p.m. at First Baptist Church of Glendale; 209 N. Louise Street (at Wilson Avenue); Glendale, CA 91206.

Patricia Racette will sing the title role in Puccini's Tosca on April 14, 17, 20, and 24 matinee, replacing Karita Mattila, who is ill. These will be Racette's first performances of Tosca at the Met, although she had already been invited to sing the role at the Met in a future season.

Patricia Racette will sing the title role in Puccini's Tosca on April 14, 17, 20, and 24 matinee, replacing Karita Mattila, who is ill. These will be Racette's first performances of Tosca at the Met, although she had already been invited to sing the role at the Met in a future season.

Rossini's rarely performed Armida has its Met premiere on April 12 with a gala performance of Mary Zimmerman's new production. Renowned soprano Renée Fleming stars as the mythological sorceress, Armida, one of the greatest virtuoso roles from the bel canto repertory. Fleming is joined by Lawrence Brownlee, who sings Armida's chief love interest, Rinaldo, and five more tenors in the roles of the crusader knights. José Manuel Zapata portrays Rinaldo's deadly rival Gernando.

Ambroise Thomas's Hamlet returns to the Met stage for its first performances since 1897, with the powerful pairing of Simon Keenlyside in the title role and Marlis Petersen as Ophélie. Keenlyside's acclaimed interpretation of Hamlet in Geneva, London and Barcelona finally arrives in the United States, with a performance in the Patrice Caurier and Moshe Leiser production that was hailed by the British press as 'magnificent . . . sheer vocal genius.' Petersen, who steps in for Natalie Dessay, brings her haunting portrayal of Ophélie to the Met; she earned praise for the role during a 2006 run of Hamlet in Düsseldorf. Louis Langrée conducts a cast that includes Jennifer Larmore as Gertrude, Toby Spence in his Met debut as Laërte, and James Morris in the role of Claudius. Jane Archibald, in her Met debut, sings the role of Ophélie on April 5 and 9. The creative team is rounded out by Christian Fenouillat with set designs, Agostino Cavalca with costume designs, and Christophe Forey with lighting designs, all in their Met debuts. Performances run through April 9, with the March 27 matinee shown worldwide as part of The Met: Live in HD

Rossini's rarely performed Armida has its Met premiere on April 12 with a gala performance of Mary Zimmerman's new production. Renowned soprano Renée Fleming stars as the mythological sorceress, Armida, one of the greatest virtuoso roles from the bel canto repertory. Fleming is joined by Lawrence Brownlee, who sings Armida's chief love interest, Rinaldo, and five more tenors in the roles of the crusader knights. José Manuel Zapata portrays Rinaldo's deadly rival Gernando.

James Levine has withdrawn from the four performances of Tosca and three performances of Lulu he was scheduled to conduct in April and May. He is to undergo corrective surgery for an ongoing lower back problem. Fabio Luisi will replace Levine for both Tosca (April 14, 17, 20, and 24 mat.) and Lulu (May 8, 12, 15 mat.).

Patricia Racette will sing the title role in Puccini's Tosca on April 14, 17, 20, and 24 matinee, replacing Karita Mattila, who is ill. These will be Racette's first performances of Tosca at the Met, although she had already been invited to sing the role at the Met in a future season.

Strauss's comic masterpiece of love and intrigue in 18th-century Vienna stars Renée Fleming as the aristocratic Marschallin and Susan Graham in the trouser role of her young lover Octavian. Edo De Waart conducts a cast that includes Christine Schäfer as Sophie, Eric Cutler as the Italian singer, Thomas Allen as Faninal, and Kristinn Sigmundsson as Baron Ochs.

Verdi's La Traviata returns to the Met with Angela Gheorghiu reprising her acclaimed interpretation of Violetta, a role the New York Times called a 'supercharged star turn' when she performed it in 2006.

The Metropolitan Opera's new production of Offenbach's Les Contes d'Hoffmann, conducted by Met Music Director James Levine and directed by Tony Award winner Bartlett Sher, premieres on THIRTEEN'S Great Performances at the Met series.

Bass-Baritone David Pittsinger will end his stint as Emile de Becque on March 21st in Lincoln Center Theater's Tony Award winning production of Rodgers & Hammerstein's SOUTH PACIFIC, at the Vivian Beaumont Theater, after a seven week run. The production's original Emile de Becque, baritone Paulo Szot, returns to South Pacific on March 30, 2010.

The New York Choral Society closes its 51st season with a performance of Mozart's Requiem, Leonard Bernstein's Chichester Psalms, and James DeMars' Tito's Say, on May 1, 2010 at Carnegie Hall, 8:00 PM. The esteemed chorus performs with the Brooklyn Philharmonic under the baton of NYCS Music Director John Daly Goodwin, alongside soloists Joyce El Khoury, soprano, Elizabeth Batton, mezzo-soprano, Michele Angelini, tenor, and Daniel Mobbs, bass-baritone.

Opera star Angela Gheorghiu will take over the role of Mimi in the Puccini Opera LA BOHEME at the Metropolitan Opera beginning on March 20th. Gheorguhiu will replace the current star, Anna Netrebko, in the role.

The Metropolitan Opera announced today that it has been awarded a $1.1 million endowment grant from the Lauritz Melchior Heldentenor Foundation, which is dissolving and turning over its assets to the Met.