New York, NY (May 14, 2007) The Metropolitan Opera’s popular “Met in the Parks” summer concert series returns for its 41st season with eight free performances – four each of Giacomo Puccini’s La Bohème and Charles Gounod’s Faust – from June 12 to June 23. The Met will travel to outdoor venues in each of New York City’s five boroughs and two in New Jersey, bringing world-class opera to thousands of area residents in a uniquely accessible and informal setting. All performances are completely free of charge. No tickets are required.
This summer’s “Met in the Parks” concert series kicks off on Tuesday, June 12, at 8 p.m. on the Great Lawn of Manhattan’s Central Park with Puccini’s moving tale of young love, La Bohème. The cast includes soprano Hei-Kyung Hong as Mimì, soprano Mary Dunleavy as Musetta, tenor Roberto Aronica as Rodolfo, baritone Dwayne Croft as Marcello, baritone Jeff Mattsey as Schaunard, and bass Andrew Gangestad as Colline. Gareth Morrell conducts.
“Met in the Parks” returns to Central Park at 8 p.m. the following evening, Wednesday, June 13, with Faust, the classic tale of the philosopher who sells his soul to the devil. Maurizio Benini conducts a cast that features soprano Katie van Kooten as Marguerite, mezzo-soprano Kate Lindsey as Siébel, tenor David Pomeroy as Faust, baritone Hung Yun as Valentin, and bass James Morris as Méphistophélès.
Further performances will take place as follows (all performances begin at 8 p.m.)
Tuesday, June 12: La Bohème Central Park, Manhattan
Wednesday, June 13: Faust Central Park, Manhattan
Friday, June 15: La Bohème Pelham Bay Park, The Bronx
Saturday, June 16: Faust Snug Harbor, Staten Island
Tuesday, June 19: Faust Prospect Park, Brooklyn
Wednesday, June 20: La Bohème Cunningham Park, Queens
Friday, June 22: Faust Brookdale Park, Bloomfield/Montclair, NJ
Saturday, June 23: La Bohème Buccleuch Park, New Brunswick, NJ
For directions to performance sites, rain dates, or additional information about the “Met in the Parks” concert series, call the Metropolitan Opera at (212) 362-6000.
About “Met in the Parks” Sponsors
The “Met in the Parks” series receives leadership support from its corporate sponsor Bank of America. “Bank of America has been a sponsor of Met in the Parks since 2001, and over the years we have seen how valuable this program is, and what a special cultural experience it provides to the communities in which we live and work,” said Alan Rappaport, New York market president, Bank of America. “We are proud to support such an important cultural initiative, and to help create an opportunity for the people of New York City to have free access to these wonderful and talented artists that they may not otherwise be able to enjoy.”
In New York, “Met in the Parks” is presented in association with the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. Additional major funding has been provided by the Robert Wood Johnson, Jr. Charitable Trust's Met Parks Concert Fund and the Music Performance and Film Funds. Funding has also been received from The Barker Welfare Foundation and The Christian A. Johnson Endeavor Foundation.
The Met in the Parks series in New Jersey is presented in cooperation with the Essex County Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs. Funding has also been received from The Elizabeth B. McGraw Foundation.
La Bohème
Composer: Giacomo Puccini
Libretto: Giuseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica
Conductor: Gareth Morrell
Mimi: Hei-Kyung Hong (June 12, 20, 23)
Elena Evseeva (June 15)
Musetta: Mary Dunleavy (June 12, 20, 23)
Elizabeth Caballero (June 15)
Rodolfo: Roberto Aronica (June 12, 20, 23)
José Luis Duval (June 15)
Marcello: Dwayne Croft (June 12, 20, 23)
John Hancock (June 15)
Schaunard: Jeff Mattsey (June 12, 20)
Sebastian Catana (June 15, 23)
Colline: Andrew Gangestad (June 12, 20, 23)
Richard Bernstein (June 15)
Benoit/Alcindoro: Paul Plishka
Officer: David Asch (June 12, 20)
Richard Pearson (June 15, 23)
Sergeant: Robert Maher (June 12, 20)
Mitchell Sendrowitz (June 15, 23)
Parpignol: Daniel Clark Smith
Faust
Composer: Charles Gounod
Libretto: Jules Barbier and Michel Carré
Conductor: Maurizio Benini
Marguerite: Katie van Kooten (June 13, 16, 22)
Ellie Dehn (June 19)
Siébel: Kate Lindsey
Faust: David Pomeroy (June 13, 16, 22)
Fernando de la Mora (June 19)
Valentin: Hung Yun (June 13, 16, 22)
Sebastian Catana (June 19)
Méphistophélès: James Morris
Marthe: Jane Bunnell
Wagner: Keith Miller
About the Metropolitan Opera
Under the leadership of new General Manager Peter Gelb, the Met has launched a series of bold initiatives designed to broaden its audience and revitalize the company’s repertory. The Met has made a commitment to presenting modern masterpieces alongside the classic repertory, with highly theatrical productions featuring the greatest opera stars in the world. Seven new productions will debut at the Met in 2007-08, the most new productions the Met has presented in one season in 40 years. Earlier this year, the company announced a groundbreaking commissioning program in partnership with New York’s Lincoln Center Theater, to provide renowned composers and playwrights with the resources to create and develop new works at the Met and at Lincoln Center’s Vivian Beaumont Theater.
Building on its 76-year-old international radio broadcast history, the Met recently began to use advanced media distribution platforms and state-of-the-art technology to attract new audiences and reach millions of opera fans around the world. Last September, Metropolitan Opera Radio on Sirius launched as a 24-hour satellite radio channel broadcasting both live and rare historical performances. The Met also presents free live streaming of performances on its website once every week with support from RealNetworks®.
In December, the company launched “Metropolitan Opera: Live in HD,” a series of six live performance transmissions, shown in high definition in movie theaters throughout North America, Europe, and Japan. The series has met with overwhelming success and plays to sold-out houses, prompting many theaters to schedule encore showings. These performances are subsequently being broadcast on PBS, as part of a new “Great Performances at the Met” series. “Metropolitan Opera: Live in HD” expands from six to eight opera transmissions in 2007-08, beginning with Roméo et Juliette on December 15.
Audience development initiatives launched in the 2006-07 season continue next season as well, including: three free Open Houses, the first on September 20 for the final dress rehearsal of the opening night new production of Lucia di Lammermoor; an extensive transit advertising campaign in New York City; the immensely popular new Agnes Varis and Karl Leichtman Rush Ticket program that offers orchestra seats sharply discounted to $20; the annual series of special holiday presentations next year featuring a new production of the children’s classic, Hansel and Gretel, sung in English; and the new Arnold and Marie Schwartz Gallery Met, with new exhibits of contemporary art inspired by operas in the Met’s repertory.