Metropolitan Opera Announces Cast Updates for NORMA, LA BOHEME

Due to Anna Netrebko's recent decision not to add the title role in Bellini's Norma to her repertory, the Metropolitan Opera and the Royal Opera, Covent Garden-where she was scheduled to debut the role-as well as the Vienna State Opera and Dallas Opera have announced several related cast changes.

Norma (2017-18 season)

Sondra Radvanovsky, who made a critically heralded Met role debut as Norma in 2013, will now star in the new production that will open the 2017-18 Met season. As previously announced, the new production will be directed by Sir David McVicar, and will also star Joyce DiDonato as Adalgisa and Joseph Calleja as Pollione. Radvanovsky will now star in two new productions at the Met in 2017-18; as previously announced, in December 2017 she will make her company role debut as Leonora in Calixto Bieito's staging of Verdi's La Forza del Destino.

The Met is grateful to the Vienna State Opera for releasing Radvanovsky from her contract to allow her to star in Norma at the Met. Netrebko will step into Radvanovsky's Fall 2017 performances of Leonora in Verdi's Il Trovatore in Vienna.

Although she will not sing in Norma, Netrebko will star in two operas at the Met in 2017-18. She will reprise her acclaimed Leonora in a revival of Il Trovatore that has now been added to the season and, as previously scheduled, will debut a new Met role, the tempestuous diva of Puccini's Tosca.

The new production of Norma will open the Met season on September 25, 2017. Further details on the Met's 2017-18 season will be announced in February 2017.

La Bohème (2016-17 season)

In the Met's 2016-17 season, Sonya Yoncheva will withdraw from five performances of Mimì in La Bohème so that she may make her role debut as Norma at the Royal Opera, Covent Garden, in the new production originally planned for Netrebko.

In her place, Ailyn Pérez, winner of the 2016 Beverly Sills Artist Award, will make her Met role debut as Mimì-a part she was scheduled to sing with the company later in the 2016-17 season. Pérez will sing Mimì on September 28; October 1, 6, 10, and 14, in addition to her previously announced dates: January 6, 11, and 14 matinee.

Pérez is available for the additional La Bohème performances because she had earlier made the decision to postpone her role debut as Tatiana in Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin, which she was to premiere at Dallas Opera this fall.

As previously announced, Yoncheva will appear at the Met in 2016-17, reprising her acclaimed portrayal of Violetta in Verdi's La Traviata in a run of performances beginning in February 2017.

The September/October performances of La Bohème will be conducted by Carlo Rizzi and will also star Susanna Phillips as Musetta, Dmytro Popov in his Met debut as Rodolfo, David Bizic as Marcello, Rodion Pogossov as Schaunard, Ryan Speedo Green as Colline, and John Del Carlo as Benoit and Alcindoro.