Live from the Met

Giordano’s rarely performed opera is brought to life by a superb cast and the idiomatic, passionate conducting of Roberto Abbado. The beloved Mirella Freni is seen in a brilliant star turn as Fedora Romazov, the Russian princess who falls in love with her fiancé’s murderer (Count Loris) only to commit suicide when he denounces her. Sensational Plácido Domingo is a passionate Loris. Together they simply ignite the stage. Pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet provides even more glamour by entertaining at the soirée in Act II. The sumptuous production is by Beppe De Tomasi, with sets by Ferruccio Villagrossi, and costumes by Pier Luciano Cavallotti. Performance date: April 26, 1997.

The great singing actress Waltraud Meier stars as Carmen in Franco Zeffirelli’s sumptuous production of Bizet’s colorful opera. A beautiful gypsy driven by passion and love of freedom, she draws the soldier Don José, portrayed by the legendary Plácido Domingo, into a web of love and jealousy that will seal her fate. Angela Gheorghiu is Micaëla, the innocent girl Don José left behind, and Sergei Leiferkus sings the bullfighter Escamillo. James Levine leads the Met orchestra and chorus. Performance date: March 25, 1997.

John Dexter’s brilliant production of Britten’s searing opera stars Dwayne Croft in the title role of the handsome young sailor whose kindness and innocence cause his downfall. The great James Morris is Claggart, master-at-arms on the 18th-century warship Indomitable, who falsely accuses Billy of inciting a mutiny. Philip Langridge sings Captain Vere, the honest commander who knows that Billy is innocent but finds himself unable to save him. Steuart Bedford, Britten’s close collaborator during the last years of the composer’s life, is on the podium. Performance date: March 11, 1997.