Live from the Met

Any time Plácido Domingo sings the demanding role of Samson is a gala occasion, but this time was even more special: the performance opened the Met’s 1998-99 season and honored the great tenor on the 30th anniversary of his Met debut. With James Levine bringing out all the color in Saint-Saëns's exotic score, the rest of the cast rose to the occasion. Olga Borodina’s sultry Dalila is matched to Domingo’s searing portrayal of Samson. The cast is rounded out by Sergei Leiferkus, René Pape, and Richard Paul Fink. Performance date: September 28, 1998.

The enchanting Cecilia Bartoli was the first singer to perform Rossini’s comedy at the Met, and people clamored for tickets to the long-sold out performances. This retelling of the classic Cinderella story has some delightful twists—like Dandini (the very funny Alessandro Corbelli), the valet to the prince who’s disguised as the prince and who also falls in love with Cenerentola. But of course, she’s destined for Prince Ramiro (Ramón Vargas). James Levine brings out all the color and humor of Rossini’s marvelous score. Performance date: October 27, 1997.

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of his first stage appearance (in La Bohème on 29 April 1961), Pavarotti invited some of the leading operatic stars of our time to the Teatro Valli in Reggio Emilia. Headed by the great tenor himself, the gala concert proved one of the most distinguished and memorable of its kind. Among the guest artists were such illustrious names as June Anderson, Shirley Verrett, Raina Kabaivanska and Pierro Cappuccilli. The repertoire included popular arias, such as Che gelida manina and Recondita armonia, as well as such show-stopping ensembles as the Lucia Sextet and the Brindisi from La Traviata. Performance date: October 13, 1996.