Lyric Opera of Chicago

May 10:
OPERA: LA TRAVIATA (in Italian)
COMPOSER: Giuseppe Verdi

APPROX. LENGTH: 3 hours

CAST:
Violetta Valéry / Renée Fleming
Alfredo Germont / Matthew Polenzani
Giorgio Germont / Thomas Hampson
Baron Douphol / Philip Kraus
Flora Bervoix / Buffy Baggott
Annina / Marjorie Owens
Gastone / David Portillo
Marquis D'Obigny / Phillip Dothard
Dr. Grenvil / Paul Corona

CONDUCTOR: Sir Andrew Davis
LYRIC OPERA ORCHESTRA & CHORUS

May 17:
OPERA: DOCTOR ATOMIC (in English)
COMPOSER: John Adams
LIBRETTIST: Peter Sellars

APPROX. LENGTH: 4 hours

CAST:
J. Robert Oppenheimer / Gerald Finley
Kitty Oppenheimer / Jessica Rivera
Edward Teller / Richard Paul Fink
General Leslie Groves / Eric Owens
Robert Wilson / Thomas Glenn
Pasqualita / Meredith Arwady
Jack Hubbard / James Maddalena
Capt. James Nolan / Roger Honeywell

CONDUCTOR: Robert Spano
LYRIC OPERA CHORUS & ORCHESTRA

May 24:
OPERA: THE BARBER OF SEVILLE (in Italian)
COMPOSER: Gioachino Rossini

APPROX. LENGTH: 3 hours 30 minutes

CAST:
Almaviva / John Osborn
Rosina / Joyce DiDonato
Figaro / Nathan Gunn
Bartolo / Andrew Shore
Basilio / Wayne Tigges
Berta / Lauren Curnow
Fiorello / Daniel Billings
Sergeant / David Portillo

CONDUCTOR: Donato Renzetti
LYRIC OPERA CHORUS & ORCHESTRA

May 31:
OPERA: EUGENE ONEGIN (in Russian)
COMPOSER: Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky

APPROX. LENGTH: 3 hours 25 minutes

CAST:
Eugene Onegin / Dmitri Hvorostovsky
Tatyana / Dina Kuznetsova
Lensky / Frank Lopardo
Olga / Nino Surguladze
Prince Grenin / Vitalij Kowaljow
Filipyevna / Catherine Wyn-Rogers
Mme. Larina / Marie Plette
Triquet / Keith Jameson

CONDUCTOR: Sir Andrew Davis
LYRIC OPERA CHORUS & ORCHESTRA

June 7:
OPERA: JULIUS CAESAR (in Italian)
COMPOSER: George Frederic Handel

APPROX. LENGTH: 5 hours

CAST:
Caesar / David Daniela
Cleopatra / Danielle de Niese
Cornelia / Patricia Bardon
Sextus / Maite Beaumont
Ptolemy / Christophe Dumaux
Achilla / Wayne Tigges
Nirenus / Gerald Thompson
Curio / Darren Stokes

CONDUCTOR: Emmanuelle Haïm
LYRIC OPERA CHORUS & ORCHESTRA

June 14:
OPERA: LA BOHEME (in Italian)
COMPOSER: Giacomo Puccini

APPROX. LENGTH: 3 hours 10 minutes

CAST:
Mimi / Elaine Alvarez
Rodolfo / Roberto Aronica
Musetta / Nicole Cabell
Marcello / Quinn Kelsey
Colline / Andrea Silvestrelli
Schaunard / Levi Hernandez
Benoit/Alcindoro / Dale Travis

CONDUCTOR: Sir Andrew Davis
LYRIC OPERA ORCHESTRA & CHORUS

June 21:
OPERA: DIE FRAU OHNE SCHATTEN (in German)
COMPOSER: Richard Strauss

APPROX. LENGTH: 4 hours 15 minutes

CAST:
Empress / Deborah Voight
Dyer's Wife / Christine Brewer
Nurse / Jill Grove
Emperor / Robert Dean Smith
Barak / Franz Hawlata
Spirit Messenger / Quinn Kelsey
Voice of the Falcon / Stacey Tappan
Hunchbacked Brother / John Easterlin
One-Eyed Brother / Daniel Sutin
One-Armed Brother / Andrew Funk

CONDUCTOR: Sir Andrew Davis
LYRIC OPERA CHORUS & ORCHESTRA

June 28:
OPERA: FALSTAFF (in Italian)
COMPOSER: Giuseppe Verdi

APPROX. LENGTH: 3 hours 30 minutes

CAST:
Falstaff / Andrew Shore
Alice / Veronica Villarroel
Ford / Boaz Daniel
Mistress Quickly / Meredith Arwady
Meg Page / Elizabeth De Shong
Nannetta / Stacey Tappan
Fenton / Bryan Griffin
Dr. Caius / David Cangelosi
Bardolfo / Rodell Rosel
Pistola / Andrew Funk

CONDUCTOR: Sir Andrew Davis
LYRIC OPERA CHORUS & ORCHESTRA

Los Angeles Opera

July 5:

OPERA: FIDELIO (in German)
COMPOSER: Ludwig van Beethoven

APPROX. LENGTH: 3 hours

CAST:
Leonore Anja Kampe
Florestan Klaus Florian Vogt
Don Pizarro Eike Wilm Schulte
Rocco Matti Salminen
Don Fernando Oleg Bryjak
Marzelline Rebekah Camm
Jacquino Greg Fedderly
First Prisoner Robert MacNeil
Second Prisoner James Creswell

CONDUCTOR: James Conlon
LA OPERA CHORUS and ORCHESTRA

July 12:

OPERA: JENUFA (in Czech)
COMPOSER: Leos Janácek

APPROX. LENGTH: 3 hours

CAST:
Jenufa Karita Mattila
Laca Kim Begley
Kostelnicka Burjova Eva Urbanova
Steva Jorma Silvasti
Grandmother Buryja Elizabeth Bishop
Mill Foreman Jason Stearns
Mayor of the Village James Creswell
Karolka Lauren McNeese
Mayor’s Wife Margaret Thompson
Jano Lori Ann Fuller

CONDUCTOR: James Conlon
LA OPERA CHORUS and ORCHESTRA

July 19:

OPERA: DON GIOVANNI (in Italian)
COMPOSER: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

APPROX. LENGTH: 3 hours 15 minutes

CAST:
Don Giovanni Erwin Schrott
Leporello Kyle Ketelsen
Don Ottavio Charles Castronovo
Donna Anna Alexandra Deshorties
Donna Elvira Maria Kanyova
Zerlina Lauren McNeese
Masetto James Creswell
Commendatore Kang-Liang Peng

CONDUCTOR: Hartmut Haenchen
LA OPERA CHORUS and ORCHESTRA

July 26:

OPERA: TRISTAN UND ISOLDE (in German)
COMPOSER: Richard Wagner

APPROX. LENGTH: 4 hours 30 minutes

CAST:
Tristan John Treleaven
Isolde Susan Foster
King Marke Eric Halfvarson
Kurwenal Juha Uusitalo
Brangane Lioba Braun
Shepherd/Sailor Gregory Warren
Steersman Matthew Moore

CONDUCTOR: James Conlon
LA OPERA CHORUS and ORCHESTRA

August 2:

OPERA: OTELLO (in Italian)
COMPOSER: Giuseppe Verdi

APPROX. LENGTH: 3 hours 15 minutes

CAST:
Otello Ian Storey
Desdemona Elena Evseeva
Iago Mark Delavan
Cassio Derek Taylor
Emilia Ning Liang
Ludovico Eric Halfvarson
Roderigo Gregory Warren
Montano Ryan McKinny
Herald Matthew Moore

CONDUCTOR: James Conlon
LA OPERA CHORUS and ORCHESTRA

August 9:

OPERA PROJECT:  RECOVERED VOICES

APPROX. LENGTH: 2 hours 30 minutes

1st OPERA: THE BROKEN JUG (Opera in 1 Act)
COMPOSER: Viktor Ullmann

CAST:
Judge Adam James Johnson
Judge Walter Steven Humes
Licht Bonaventura Bottone
Frau Marthe Rull Elizabeth Bishop
Eve Melody Moore
Ruprecht Richard Cox
Servant Ryan McKinny
Viet Tumpel Jason Stearns
First Maid Rena Harms
Second Maid Lauren McNeese

2nd OPERA: THE DWARF (Opera in 1 Act)
COMPOSER: Alexander Zemlinsky

CAST:
The Dwarf Rodrick Dixon
The Infanta Mary Dunleavy
Don Estoban James Johnson
Ghita Susan B. Anthony
First Maid Melody Moore
Second Maid Lauren McNeese
Third Maid Elizabeth Bishop
First Playmate Karen Vuong
Second Playmate Rena Harms

CONDUCTOR: James Conlon
LA OPERA CHORUS and ORCHESTRA

August 16:

OPERA: LA RONDINE (in Italian)
COMPOSER: Giacomo Puccini

APPROX. LENGTH: 3 hours

CAST:
Magda Patricia Racette
Ruggero Marcus Haddock
Lisette Amanda Squitieri
Prunier Greg Fedderly
Rambaldo David Pittsinger
Perichaud Dale Travis
Crebillon Levi Hernandez

CONDUCTOR: Keri-Lynn Wilson
LA OPERA CHORUS and ORCHESTRA

San Francisco Opera

August 23:

OPERA: SAMSON AND DELILAH (in French)
COMPOSER: Camille Saint-Saens
LIBRETTO: Ferdinand Lemaire

APPROX. LENGTH: 3 hours

CAST:
Delilah Olga Borodina
Samson Clifton Forbis
High Priest of Dagon Juha Uusitalo
Old Hebrew Oren Gradus
Abimélech Eric Jordan
Philistines’ messenger Noah Stewart
First Philistine Richard Walker
Second Philistine Jere Torkelsen

CONDUCTOR: Patrick Summers
SAN FRANCISCO OPERA ORCHESTRA & CHORUS

August 30:

OPERA: TANNHÄUSER (in German)
COMPOSER: Richard Wagner

APPROX. LENGTH: 4 hours

CAST:
Tannhäuser Peter Seiffert
Elisabeth Petra Maria Schnitzer
Venus Petra Lang
Wolfram von Eschenbach James Rutherford
Hermann, Landgrave of
Thuringia Eric Halfvarson
Walther von der
Vogelweide Stefan Margita
Biterolf Gregory Reinhart
Reinmar von Zweter Ricardo Lugo
Heinrich der Schreiber Matthew O’Neill
Shepherd Ji Young Yang

CONDUCTOR: Donald Runnicles
SAN FRANCISCO OPERA ORCHESTRA & CHORUS

September 6:

OPERA: IPHIGÉNIE EN TAURIDE
COMPOSER: Christoph Willibald Gluck

details available at a later date...

September 13:

OPERA: MADAMA BUTTERFLY (in Italian)
COMPOSER: Giacomo Puccini
LIBRETTO: Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa

APPROX. LENGTH: 2 hours 45 minutes

CAST:
Cio-Cio-San Patricia Racette
B.F. Pinkerton Brandon Jovanovich
Suzuki Zheng Cao
Sharpless Stephen Powell

CONDUCTOR: Donald Runnicles
SAN FRANCISCO OPERA ORCHESTRA & CHORUS

September 20:

OPERA: APPOMATTOX (in English)
COMPOSER: Philip Glass
LIBRETTO: Christopher Hampton

APPROX. LENGTH: 2 hours 30 minutes

CAST:
Robert E. Lee Dwayne Croft
Ulysses S. Grant Andrew shore
Julia Dent Grant Rhoslyn Jones
Mary Custis Lee Eliza van den Heever
Mary Todd Lincoln Heidi Melton
Elizabeth Keckley Kendall Gladen
T. Morris Chester Noah Stewart
Abraham Lincoln Jeremy Galyon
Brig. Gen. Edward
Alexander Chad Shelton
Julia Agnes Lee Ji Young Yang
Edgar Ray Killen Philip Skinner

CONDUCTOR: Dennis Russell Davies
SAN FRANCISCO OPERA ORCHESTRA & CHORUS

September 27:

OPERA: DAS RHEINGOLD (in German)
COMPOSER: Richard Wagner

APPROX. LENGTH: 2 hours 35 minutes

CAST:
Wotan Mark Delavan
Loge Stefan Margita
Alberich Richard Paul Fink
Fricka Jennifer Larmore
Erda Jill Grove
Mime David Cangelosi
Fasolt Andrea Silvestrelli
Fafner Günther Groissböck

CONDUCTOR: Donald Runnicles
SAN FRANCISCO OPERA ORCHESTRA & CHORUS

October 4:

OPERA: ARIODANTE (in Italian)
COMPOSER: George Frideric Handel

APPROX. LENGTH: 3 hours 30 minutes

CAST:
Ariodante Susan Graham
Ginevra Ruth Ann Swenson
Polinesso Ewa Podles
Dalinda Veronica Cangemi
Lurcanio Richard Croft
The King of Scotland Eric Owens

CONDUCTOR: Patrick Summers
SAN FRANCISCO OPERA ORCHESTRA & CHORUS

October 11:

OPERA: LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR (in Italian)
COMPOSER: Gaetano Donizetti
LIBRETTO: Salvatore Cammarano

APPROX. LENGTH: 3 hours 15 minutes

CAST:
Lucia Natalie Dessay
Edgardo Giuseppe Filianoti
Enrico Gabriele Viviani
Raimondo Oren Gradus

CONDUCTOR: Jean-Yves Ossonce
SAN FRANCISCO OPERA ORCHESTRA & CHORUS

Houston Grand Opera

October 18:

OPERA: A MASKED BALL (in Italian)
COMPOSER: Giuseppe Verdi

APPROX. LENGTH: 3 hours 30 minutes

CAST:
Riccardo Ramón Vargas
Amelia Tamara Wilson
Renato Carlo Guelfi
Ulrica Ewa Podles
Oscar Lyubov Petrova
Tom Nikolay Didenko
Samuel Ryan McKinny
Silvano Liam Bonner
Magistrate Beau Gibson

CONDUCTOR: Patrick Summers
HOUSTON GRAND OPERA ORCHESTRA, CHORUS & CHILDREN’S CHORUS

October 25:

OPERA: THE DAUGHTER OF THE REGIMENT (in French)
COMPOSER: Gaetano Donizetti

APPROX. LENGTH: 2 hours

CAST:
Marie Laura Claycomb
Tonio Barry Banks
Sargeant Sulpice Bruno Praticò
Marquise de Berkenfeld Ewa Podles
Hortensius Liam Bonner
Corporal James J. Kee

CONDUCTOR: Riccardo Frizza
HOUSTON GRAND OPERA ORCHESTRA & CHORUS

November 1:

OPERA: THE ABDUCTION FROM THE SERAGLIO (in German)
COMPOSER: W.A. Mozart

CAST:
Konstanze Pamela Armstrong
Belmonte Paul Groves
Osmin Andrea Silvestrelli
Blondie Heidi Stober
Pedrillo Nicholas Phan
Pasha Selim Richard Spuler

CONDUCTOR: William Lacey
HOUSTON GRAND OPERA ORCHESTRA & CHORUS

November 8:

OPERA: THE MAGIC FLUTE (in German)
COMPOSER: W.A. Mozart

CAST:
Pamina Rebekah Camm
Tamino Eric Cutler
Papageno Patrick Carfizzi
Queen of the Night Albina Shagimuratova
Sarastro Raymond Aceto
Monostatos Jon Kolbet
Papagena Alicia Gianni
Speaker of the Temple Chen-Ye Yuan
First Lady Tamara Wilson
Second Lady Maria Markina
Third Lady Jamie Barton

CONDUCTOR: Steven Sloane
HOUSTON GRAND OPERA ORCHESTRA, CHORUS & CHILDREN’S CHORUS

November 15:

OPERA: BILLY BUDD (in English)
COMPOSER: Benjamin Britten

CAST:
Billy Budd: Daniel Belcher
Edward Fairfax Vere Andrew Kennedy
John Claggart Phillip Ens
Mr. Redburn Liam Bonner
Mr. Flint Ryan McKinny
Red Whiskers Joseph Evans
Donald Phillip Cutlip
Dansker Gwynn Howell
Novice Chad Freeburg
Novice’s Friend James J. Kee
Maintop Beau Gibson
Squeak Rodell Rosel

CONDUCTOR: Patrick Summers
HOUSTON GRAND OPERA ORCHESTRA, CHORUS & CHILDREN’S CHORUS

The MET will resume its broadcasts in early December, 2008.
(The 2008-09 schedule is unavailable at this time.)