Marco Berti News

Elena Manistina will make her Met debut as Azucena in the Saturday, January 19 evening performance of Verdi's Il Trovatore, replacing Stephanie Blythe, who is ill.

Angela Meade will sing the role of Leonora in tomorrow afternoon's performance of Verdi's Il Trovatore, replacing Patricia Racette, who is ill. The performance will be broadcast worldwide over the Toll Brothers-Metropolitan Opera Radio Network. As previously scheduled, Meade will also sing the role on Wednesday, January 16.

Carl Tanner will sing the role of Radames in this evening's performance of Verdi's Aida, replacing Marco Berti, who is ill.

Carl Tanner will sing the role of Radames in this evening's performance of Verdi's Aida, replacing Marco Berti, who is ill.

Met Principal Conductor Fabio Luisi will lead his first company performances of Aida,Verdi's grand opera of love and war, beginning November 23. Ukrainian soprano Liudmyla Monastyrska makes her Met debut in the title role of the Ethiopian slave, opposite Marco Berti as Radames and Olga Borodina as Aida's formidable rival, Amneris. Later performances feature Hui He as Aida, Roberto Alagna as Radames, and Dolora Zajick as Amneris. The role of Amonasro, Aida's father, will be shared by Alberto Mastromarino and George Gagnidze. Štefan Kocan will sing the priest Ramfis, and Hungarian bass Miklos Sebestyen will make his Met debut as the King of Egypt. The December 15 matinee performance of Aida will be transmitted worldwide as part of The Met: Live in HD series, which now reaches more than 1,900 theaters in 64 countries around the world.

Houston Grand Opera, with Music Director Patrick Summers and Managing Director Perryn Leech, announces its 2012-13 season, headlined by four new productions. The first of these is Puccini's La boheme, which launches the new season with a new staging by award-winning British director John Caird. To honor 2013's joint bicentennials of Wagner and Verdi, the coming season juxtaposes Tristan und Isolde - starring Ben Heppner and Nina Stemme in a new contemporary staging by Christof Loy - with a revival of Steven Lawless's unforgettable take on Il trovatore. British conductor Trevor Pinnock leads a strong international cast in Mozart's ensemble masterpiece Don Giovanni, while Francesca Zambello's new production of Kern and Hammerstein's Show Boat brings together stars of Broadway and the opera house in a celebration of America's own contribution to the art. For a more intimate experience, Daniela Barcellona and Lawrence Brownlee star in Rossini's dramma giocoso, The Italian Girl in Algiers.

Houston Grand Opera opens its 2012-13 season in grand style on October 19, with a brand-new production of Puccini's La boheme starring Dimitri Pittas and Katie van Kooten.

Puccini's Turandot will return to the Met tonight, September 26 with Maria Guleghina in the treacherous title role of a Chinese princess who has turned her back on love.

Puccini's Turandot will return to the Met September 26 with Maria Guleghina in the treacherous title role of a Chinese princess who has turned her back on love.

Houston Grand Opera, with Music Director Patrick Summers and Managing Director Perryn Leech, announces its 2012-13 season, headlined by four new productions. The first of these is Puccini's La boheme, which launches the new season with a new staging by award-winning British director John Caird. To honor 2013's joint bicentennials of Wagner and Verdi, the coming season juxtaposes Tristan und Isolde - starring Ben Heppner and Nina Stemme in a new contemporary staging by Christof Loy - with a revival of Steven Lawless's unforgettable take on Il trovatore. British conductor Trevor Pinnock leads a strong international cast in Mozart's ensemble masterpiece Don Giovanni, while Francesca Zambello's new production of Kern and Hammerstein's Show Boat brings together stars of Broadway and the opera house in a celebration of America's own contribution to the art. For a more intimate experience, Daniela Barcellona and Lawrence Brownlee star in Rossini's dramma giocoso, The Italian Girl in Algiers.

Dolora Zajick will sing the role of Azucena in Il Trovatore on April 21, 25, 29, and May 2, replacing Luciana D'Intino who is ill. Mzia Nioradze will replace D'Intino for the final performance on May 8.

A cast of internationally most acclaimed Verdi singers is showcased in the Met's new production of the Italian master's melodic tour de force, Il Trovatore, which opens February 16. Renowned director David McVicar makes his Met debut, and Gianandrea Noseda conducts a cast that includes Marcelo ?lvarez in his first Met performances of the heroic title role, and three singers who are celebrated interpreters of their parts: Sondra Radvanovsky as Leonora, Dolora Zajick as Azucena, and Dmitri Hvorostovsky as Count di Luna. Kwangchul Youn makes his Met role debut as Ferrando. In later performances, Marco Berti is Manrico; Hasmik Papian is Leonora; Luciana D'Intino is Azucena, ?eljko Lučić is di Luna, and Burak Bilgili is Ferrando, conducted by Riccardo Frizza. Performances run through May 8.

A cast of internationally most acclaimed Verdi singers is showcased in the Met's new production of the Italian master's melodic tour de force, Il Trovatore, which opens February 16. Renowned director David McVicar makes his Met debut, and Gianandrea Noseda conducts a cast that includes Marcelo ?lvarez in his first Met performances of the heroic title role, and three singers who are celebrated interpreters of their parts: Sondra Radvanovsky as Leonora, Dolora Zajick as Azucena, and Dmitri Hvorostovsky as Count di Luna. Kwangchul Youn makes his Met role debut as Ferrando. In later performances, Marco Berti is Manrico; Hasmik Papian is Leonora; Luciana D'Intino is Azucena, ?eljko Lučić is di Luna, and Burak Bilgili is Ferrando, conducted by Riccardo Frizza. Performances run through May 8.