March 16, 2020
Week 17: Lyric Commentaries for opera streaming and more!
Welcome to another week of opera streaming! Headlining our ongoing broadcast series with WFMT this week is Faust—Gonoud's thriller about a philosopher who sells his soul to the devil—featuring awe-inspiring performances from Benjamin Bernheim, Ailyn Pérez, and Ryan Opera Center alumnus Christian Van Horn. To help you get the most out of your listening experience, we've provided you with Lyric Commentaries, musical highlights, program articles, and photos.
Also in this week's lineup are selections from the Metropolitan Opera's week 17 of opera streaming, a family-friendly opera from Utah Opera, and Des Moines Opera's production of Billy Budd to finish your week.
To enrich your experience with this week's operas, Lyric Opera Commentaries discuss the synopses, music, and some historical insights into how each piece was created. It’s like a Pre-Opera Talk you can hear at home!
Enjoy the background, and enjoy the operas! View more Lyric Commentaries that enhance your weekly opera streaming.
Lyric Opera Commentaries are sponsored by the Patrick G. and Shirley Welsh Ryan Foundation in memory of their parents.
Monday, July 6
Metropolitan Opera
Puccini: La bohème
This production from the Metropolitan Opera stars Sonya Yoncheva, Ryan Opera Center alumna Susanna Phillips, Michael Fabiano, Lucas Meachem, Alexey Lavrov, and Matthew Rose, and was directed by Franco Zeffirelli. La bohème was conducted by Marco Armiliato on February 24, 2018. This opera stream will be available until 6:30pm on Tuesday, July 7.
Lyric Commentary from the 2018/19 Season is by Wynne Delacoma.
La bohème
by Giacomo Puccini
Lyric Opera Commentaries are sponsored by the Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Foundation in memory of their parents.
© 2018/19 Lyric Opera Commentaries. All rights reserved. Recording & Production services provided by Mark Travis. The music featured in Lyric Commentaries is generously furnished by Warner Classics.
A project of the Women’s Board
Commentary by Wynne Delacoma
Thursday, July 9
Utah Opera
Portman: The Little Prince
This family-friendly production from Utah Opera stars Nitai Fluchel, Jared Bybee, Melanie Ashkar, Grace Kahl, and Melissa Heath, and was directed by Tara Faircloth. The Little Prince was conducted by James Lowe in 2019. This opera stream will be available through August 5, 2020.
Metropolitan Opera
Zandonai: Francesca da Rimini
This production from the Metropolitan Opera stars Eva-Maria Westbroek, Marcello Giordani, and Mark Delavan, and was directed by Piero Faggioni. Francesca da Rimini was conducted by Marco Armiliato on March 16, 2013. This opera stream will be available until 6:30pm on Friday, July 10.
Friday, July 10
Metropolitan Opera
Tchaikovsky: Eugene Onegin
This production from the Metropolitan Opera stars Anna Netrebko, Piotr Beczała, Mariusz Kwiecień, and Alexei Tanovitski, and was directed by Deborah Warner. Eugene Onegin was conducted by Valery Gergiev on October 5, 2013. This opera stream will be available until 6:30pm on Saturday, July 11.
Lyric Commentary from the 2016/17 Season is by Roger Pines.
Eugene Onegin
by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Lyric Opera Commentaries are sponsored by the Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Foundation in memory of their parents.
© 2016/17 Lyric Opera Commentaries
Music furnished through an arrangement with Universal Music. All rights reserved. Recording & production services provided by Mark Travis.
A project of the Women's Board.
Commentary by Roger Pines, Dramaturg
San Francisco Opera
Celebrating the Summer Season
An evening of arias and interviews, San Francisco Opera will host "Celebrating the Summer Season," at 7:30pm PDT/9:30 CDT. With performances by Michelle Bradley, Louise Alder, Sasha Cooke, Jakub Józef Orliński, and Russell Thomas, you don't want to miss this evening of spectacular music. This stream will be available through Sunday, July 12.
Saturday, July 11
Lyric Opera of Chicago
Gonoud: Faust
This production of Faust from Lyric's 2017/18 Season stars Benjamin Bernheim, Ailyn Pérez, Ryan Opera Center alumnus Christian Van Horn, and Edward Parks, and was directed by Kevin Newbury. Faust was conducted by Emmanuel Villaume, who will be returning this season to conduct Samson and Delilah. Faust can be heard at 12pm on WFMT.
In addition to the Lyric commentary by Nicholas Ivor Martin, we invite you to visit our production page for musical highlights, program articles, a synopsis and photos.
Faust
by Charles Gounod
Lyric Opera Commentaries are sponsored by the Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Foundation in memory of their parents.
© 2017/18 Lyric Opera Commentaries Original sound recordings of musical excerpts used by permission of Warner Music Group. All rights reserved. Recording & Production services provided by Mark Travis.
A project of the Women’s Board
Commentary by Nicholas Ivor Martin
Sunday, July 12
Des Moines Opera
Britten: Billy Budd
This production from Des Moines Opera stars Craig Verm, Ryan Opera Center alumnus Roger Honeywell, Zachary James, Dennis Jesse and Frederico de Michelis, and was directed by Kristine McIntyre. Billy Budd was conducted by David Neely on July 11, 2017, and will be presented at 2pm CDT. This production is a part of Des Moines Opera's Virtual Festival, taking place through July.
Photos: Cory Weaver, Kyle Flubacker, Todd Rosenberg, Dan Rest