5:30 pm Cocktail Reception
6:00 pm Black-tie Dinner
7:30 pm Performance
Intermission Champagne and Dessert
Laurent Pelly’s new production of Massenet’s opera stars Anna Netrebko in the title role opposite Piotr Beczala and Paulo Szot. Fabio Luisi conducts a production that comes from the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.
This production of Manon was made possible by a generous gift from The Sybil B. Harrington Endowment Fund.
The Met is grateful to Yves Saint Laurent for underwriting this gala benefit.
6:00 pm Cocktail Reception
7:00 pm Dinner and Dancing on the Met Stage
The 35th annual On Stage at the Met event will honor the memory of Agnes Varis, an extraordinary philanthropist whose generous gifts were instrumental in bringing the Met to the widest possible audience. The evening begins with cocktails on the Mercedes T. Bass Grand Tier and includes a black-tie dinner on the Met stage, dancing, tributes, and musical performances by Met artists.
6:30 pm Performance
Post-Performance Black-tie Dinner Dance
The New Year’s Eve Gala was celebrated with the world premiere of The Enchanted Island, a new work inspired by Baroque pastiches. William Christie conducted the new production by Phelim McDermott and Julian Crouch (Satyagraha and the Met's 125th Anniversary). David Daniels, Joyce DiDonato, and Plácido Domingo led the cast.
This production of The Enchanted Island was made possible by a generous gift from Dr. David G. Knott and Ms. Françoise Girard.
Major funding was received from Rolex.
Additional funding was received from the Edgar Foster Daniels Foundation, Mr. and Mrs. William R. Miller, American Express, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Gala Premiere
FAUST
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
5:30 pm Cocktail Reception
6:00 pm Black-tie Dinner
7:30 pm Performance
Intermission Champagne and Dessert
Jonas Kaufmann sang the title role in a special gala premiere of Gounod’s opera. Marina Poplavskaya was Marguerite, the woman for whom Faust sells his soul, and René Pape was the devil, Méphistophélès, in Des McAnuff’s acclaimed new production which premiered at English National Opera. Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducted.
Production a gift of Mercedes T. Bass, and the Betsy and Edward Cohen/Areté Foundation Fund for New Productions and Revivals
Additional funding from the Gramma Fisher Foundation, Marshalltown, Iowa; the Richard J. Massey Foundation for the Arts and Sciences; and the Metropolitan Opera Club
5:30 pm Cocktail Reception
6:30 pm Performance
Post-performance Black-tie Cast Dinner
The Met’s 2011–12 season opened with Anna Netrebko starring in the title role of Donizetti’s bel canto tragedy, performed at the Met for the very first time. Marco Armiliato conducted this Opening Night Gala premiere of David McVicar’s new production, which also featured Ekaterina Gubanova, Stephen Costello and Ildar Abdrazakov.
This production of Anna Bolena was made possible by a generous gift from Mercedes and Sid Bass.
The Met is grateful to Deutsche Bank for underwriting the Opening Night Gala for the eleventh consecutive year.
Additional funding for the Opening Night Gala is provided by Manhattan Jaguar.
© 2012 The Metropolitan Opera