Deborah Voigt News

Elisabete Matos will sing the role of Minnie in La Fanciulla del West at this evening's performance, replacing Deborah Voigt who is ill.

Opera Index presents its 2011 Distinguished Achievement Award to two pioneering Metropolitan Opera artists-tenor George Shirley and posthumously to the late mezzo-soprano Shirley Verrett-at its 27th annual black-tie winter gala on Sunday, January 16. The gala begins at 6 p.m. and will be held in the Grand Salon of the Jumeirah Essex House, the luxury hotel on Central Park South, following a reception in the Petit Salon. The awards will be presented by bass-baritone Spiro Malas. Last year's Distinguished Achievement Award recipient was soprano Patrice Munsel.

The Metropolitan Opera's first world premiere, which took place exactly 100 years ago, was based on an unlikely source: a spaghetti western called The Girl of the Golden West that composer Giacomo Puccini happened to see in New York in 1907.

Deborah Voigt has been wowing critics and fans alike with her turn as Puccini's quintessential New World heroine in the Metropolitan Opera's centenary staging of La fanciulla del West (The Girl of the Golden West).

It is a season of momentous anniversaries for the Metropolitan Opera Guild: the Guild began the season-long celebration of its 75th anniversary this fall; as publisher of Opera News, the Guild celebrates the magazine's own diamond anniversary in 2011; and the January issue of Opera News marks the 40th anniversary of James Levine's Metropolitan Opera debut (which was June 5, 1971, conducting Tosca). The cover feature sees Scott Rose take on the difficult task of choosing 40 highlights from Levine's 40 storied years at the Met.

The Metropolitan Opera's 100th anniversary revival of Puccini's La Fanciulla del West will be transmitted to movie theaters worldwide on Saturday, January 8 at 1 pm ET as part of The Met: Live in HD series.

On December 7, Classical 105.9 FM WQXR covered the Metropolitan Opera Guild's 75th Annual Luncheon at the Waldorf Astoria hotel, interviewing a bevy of opera singers past and present - including Nicole Cabell, Lucio Gallo, Marcello Giordani, Susan Graham, Catherine Malfitano, Carol Vaness, and Deborah Voigt - who were on hand (amongst more than 500 invited guests!).

The Metropolitan Opera celebrates its 80th season of Saturday Afternoon Radio Broadcasts-the longest-running classical music series in American broadcast history-with a 22-week season featuring many of the world's greatest operatic artists, beginning December 18.

On December 7, Classical 105.9 FM WQXR covered the Metropolitan Opera Guild's 75th Annual Luncheon at the Waldorf Astoria hotel, interviewing a bevy of opera singers past and present - including Nicole Cabell, Lucio Gallo, Marcello Giordani, Susan Graham, Catherine Malfitano, Carol Vaness, and Deborah Voigt - who were on hand (amongst more than 500 invited guests!).

Lincoln Center's acclaimed series American Songbook, which explores the best of the golden age of musical standards through to today's most dynamic songwriting, will bring to the stage some of today's most gifted interpreters of song. Week Two starts on January 26th with a tribute to arguably the greatest songwriting team in American Songbook history: the brothers George and Ira Gershwin. Conductor, arranger and pianist (as well as Artistic Director of the Gershwin centenary) Rob Fisher will lead Victoria Clark (Tony winner for Light in the Piazza) and Norm Lewis (Les Miserables, The Little Mermaid) in a night of gorgeous Gershwin. On January 27th singer/songwriter Shara Worden (from the group My Brightest Diamond) performs her unique blend of vocal music that has her pegged as a star to watch. Week Two closes out with gritty veteran John Doe singing 'real' country, with all its understated empathy and rough poetry. Pfizer is a proud sponsor of Lincoln Center's American Songbook 2011.

Deborah Voigt and Marcello Giordani star in Puccini's Wild West opera, broadcast live from the Met at Town Hall Theater, Saturday, January 8 at 1:00 pm.

The Metropolitan Opera's first new production of Verdi's Don Carlo since 1979 will continue The Met: Live in HD series, with a live transmission of the performance on Saturday, December 11 at 12:30 pm ET/9:30 am PT to movie theaters worldwide.

The Metropolitan Opera's first new production of Verdi's Don Carlo since 1979 will continue The Met: Live in HD series, with a live transmission of the performance on Saturday, December 11 at 12:30 pm ET/9:30 am PT to movie theaters worldwide.

Lincoln Center's acclaimed series American Songbook returns on January 12th for Week One of its 2011 season.

Two stars of the stage - Kelli O'Hara and Nathan Gunn -will join the New York Philharmonic for an evening of songs and duets from the Golden Age of Broadway, conducted by Tony Award winner Ted Sperling, Monday, March 21, 2011, at 7:30 p.m. Ms. O'Hara, fresh off her highly successful run as Nellie Forbush in South Pacific at Lincoln Center Theater, returns to the New York Philharmonic following two previous appearances, including her acclaimed starring role as Eliza Doolittle in the Orchestra's 2007 production of My Fair Lady. Baritone Nathan Gunn returns after winning hearts as the swashbuckling Sir Lancelot in the Philharmonic's 2008 Camelot production and his featured role in last season's SONDHEIM: The Birthday Concert! The two stage luminaries will perform selections from classic Broadway musicals by Rodgers and Hammerstein, Cole Porter, Kurt Weill, and Stephen Sondheim, ranging from Carousel to Follies.

Virginia Opera announces Joseph Rescigno (Pronunciation: Rescigno - re-SHEEN-yoe) as guest conductor for Wagner's production of The Valkyrie. Maestro Joseph Rescigno has served since 1981 as Artistic Advisor and Principal Conductor of the Florentine Opera Company in Milwaukee, WI where he conducts some of the company's most challenging and exciting repertory. He has conducted symphonies, concertos, operas, and oratorios for more than 50 companies on four continents.As a frequent guest conductor, Joseph Rescigno has conducted the New York City Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Washington National Opera, Hungarian State Opera, Opera Theater of St. Louis, Seattle Opera, Glimmerglass Opera, Vancouver Opera, Teatro Bellini, l'Opéra de Marseille, and l'Opéra de Montreal among others. The symphony orchestras he has conducted include the Montreal Symphony and the Milwaukee Symphony orchestras, both of which he has conducted in their regular subscription series as well as in opera productions.As Artistic Director of l'Orchestre Métropolitain of Montreal, Maestro Rescigno made four recordings in four years: works by Beethoven, Brahms, and Mendelssohn, and operatic and concert arias by Mozart featuring Lyne Fortin. Two additional recordings round-out his discography: One is Verismo, arias with Diana Soviero. The other is Minoru Miki's Joruri, of which he conducted the world and Japanese premieres.

The Metropolitan Opera Guild's season-long celebration of its 75th anniversary reaches a high point on December 7 when stars and fans of opera, as well as an array of New York's society, business and civic leaders, assemble in the Grand Ballroom of the Waldorf=Astoria for the Guild's annual luncheon.

Hot off her lauded role debut in San Francisco as Puccini's quintessential New World heroine, soprano Deborah Voigt will once again portray the pistol-packing, poker-playing barmaid Minnie, this time in the Metropolitan Opera's centenary staging of La fanciulla del West (The Girl of the Golden West).

Hot off her lauded role debut in San Francisco as Puccini's quintessential New World heroine, soprano Deborah Voigt will once again portray the pistol-packing, poker-playing barmaid Minnie, this time in the Metropolitan Opera's centenary staging of La fanciulla del West (The Girl of the Golden West).

The December issue of Opera News celebrates two current Metropolitan Opera productions: the centennial revival of Puccini's La Fanciulla del West, starring "cover girl" Deborah Voigt, and Nicholas Hytner's staging of Don Carlo, Verdi's most ambitious opera.