Eva-Maria Westbroek News

In the video below watch as Jonas Kaufmann discusses his role with host Susanna Phillips during the October 27 Live in HD transmission.

On Saturday, October 27 at 1:00pm the Players present, Live from the Metropolitan Opera, a screening of Puccini's La Fanciulla del West.

Anyone who was expecting the equivalent of Bette Midler's arrival as Dolly in the Harmonia Gardens when Jonas Kaufmann finally returned to the Met, on October 17, after four years and some high-profile cancellations, must have been wildly disappointed. Oh sure, Kaufmann looked like a glamorous buckaroo and compared to some of the star tenor misfires already this season at the Met, he had a triumph.

Get a first look at LA FANCIULLA DEL WEST at The Met below! Soprano Eva-Maria Westbroek sings Puccini's gun-slinging heroine in this romantic epic of the Wild West, with the heralded return of tenor Jonas Kaufmann in the role of the outlaw she loves. Tenor Yusif Eyvazov also sings some performances. Baritone Željko Lu?i? is the vigilante sheriff Jack Rance, and Marco Armiliato conducts. 

Get a first look at LA FANCIULLA DEL WEST at The Met below! Soprano Eva-Maria Westbroek sings Puccini's gun-slinging heroine in this romantic epic of the Wild West, with the heralded return of tenor Jonas Kaufmann in the role of the outlaw she loves. Tenor Yusif Eyvazov also sings some performances. Baritone Željko Lu?i? is the vigilante sheriff Jack Rance, and Marco Armiliato conducts. 

In the video below get a first look at La Fanciulla del West at The Met Opera!

Puccini's La Fanciulla del West returns to the Metropolitan Opera for seven performances from Thursday, October 4, 2018.

The 2018-19 season of The Met: Live in HD will continue at the Warner Theatre on October 27 with Puccini's LA FANCIULLA DEL WEST at 12:55 pm in the Nancy Marine Studio. The 2018-19 season is sponsored by Viron Rondo Osteria. A complimentary 45 minute pre-opera lecture by Dr. Marguerite Mullee will be offered in the Studio Theatre Lobby two hours before the broadcast, sponsored by Mitchell Auto Group.

The Metropolitan Opera's production of Puccini's La Fanciulla del West comes to the big screen in HD at The Ridgefield Playhouse on Sunday, October 28 at 12pm (an encore presentation). Soprano Eva-Maria Westbroek sings Puccini's gun-slinging heroine in this romantic epic of the Wild West and tenor Jonas Kaufmann plays the outlaw she loves. Baritone Željko Lucic is the vigilante sheriff, Jack Rance, and Marco Armiliato conducts. This screening is part of the Atria Senior Living Classical Series with support from The Ridgefield Press and Whistle Stop Bakery, underwritten by Lori & John Berisford, Jeanne Cook, Liz & Steven Goldstone and Sabina & Walter Slavin.

The Metropolitan Opera's award-winning series of live high-definition cinema simulcasts will begin its 13th season at the WYO on October 13, with the Met's grand production of Verdi's Aida, starring one of the world's most acclaimed sopranos, Anna Netrebko.

With 11 titles set to be broadcast to more than 500 UK cinemas and to another 1,000 in 40 countries across the globe, the Royal Opera House's Live Cinema Season 2018/19 will showcase a wide variety of ballet and opera, including three new works, all relayed live from Covent Garden. The 2018/19 Season will feature the great classic of The Royal Ballet's repertory The Nutcracker and world-renowned opera stars including Michael Fabiano, Jonas Kaufmann, Anna Netrebko and Eva-Maria Westbroek among other treats.

The Met: Live in HD, the Metropolitan Opera's award-winning series of live high-definition cinema simulcasts, will begin its 13th season on October 6, with the Met's grand production of Verdi's Aida, starring one of the world's most acclaimed sopranos, Anna Netrebko.

Accelerating his arrival as Music Director by two seasons, Yannick Nézet-Séguin will take up the post in time for the start of the Metropolitan Opera's 2018–19 season, it was announced today. By freeing up some guest conducting weeks in his busy calendar in both the 2018–19 and 2019–20 seasons, Nézet-Séguin will now be able to conduct three operas and two Met Orchestra concerts at Carnegie Hall in each of those seasons, instead of the two operas per season originally scheduled. With the assumption of the Music Director title in the fall of 2018, Nézet-Séguin will also be taking on the full artistic responsibilities for the orchestra, chorus, and music staff. His full-time collaboration with Met General Manager Peter Gelb on all other artistic matters will also begin at that time. As previously announced, Nézet-Séguin will begin conducting a minimum of five operas per season starting with the 2020–21 season.

Accelerating his arrival as Music Director by two seasons, Yannick Nezet-Seguin will take up the post in time for the start of the Metropolitan Opera's 2018-19 season, it was announced today.

The International Opera Awards are pleased to announce the finalists for this year's Awards. These were selected by an international jury chaired by John Allison, editor of Opera magazine and classical music critic with The Daily Telegraph: 'It's gratifying to see how the International Opera Awards just keep growing. With a record number of nominations to consider, and our biggest and most international jury yet, I'm delighted to say that our exciting shortlists-covering six continents and around 30 countries-reflect the truly cosmopolitan nature of the art form. Despite the challenges faced by opera companies almost everywhere, opera is vibrantly alive.'

Ekaterina Semenchuk, already scheduled to sing the role of Santuzza in the first three performances of the current season of Mascagni's Cavalleria Rusticana, will now sing at all the performances, replacing Eva-Maria Westbroek, who is ill. Westbroek had been scheduled to sing later in the season from January 20 to February 1, 2018.

The verismo double bill of Mascagni's Cavalleria Rusticana and Leoncavallo's Pagliacci returns to the Met beginning January 8, 2018. Sir David McVicar's production features Roberto Alagna as the chief protagonist in both parts; as Turiddu, a returning soldier in Cavalleria; and as Canio, the head of a traveling performance troupe in Pagliacci. The French tenor previously accomplished the feat of singing both of the one-act operas in one evening at the Met, in 2009, one of ten singers to have done so with the company since 1901.

The Metropolitan Opera's 2017-18 season will feature 220 performances of 26 works, including two Met premieres, one co-commissioned by the company and one an older masterpiece having its first Met performances; a variety of repertory favorites, three in new productions; and performances of Verdi's towering concert work for soloists, orchestra, and chorus, the Requiem. Of note, Broadway star Kelli O'Hara is set to return to the Met in Così fan tutte this season.

The International Opera Awards are pleased to announce the shortlist for this year's Awards. These were selected by the jury chaired by John Allison, editor of Opera magazine and classical music critic with The Daily Telegraph.

Gary Naylor sees an extraordinary double bill, executed with complete confidence, providing three hours of heart-wrenching entertainment.