The New Season at the Metropolitan Opera - 2012-2013

The Metropolitan Opera’s 2012-2013 season will see Marcello Giordani in three very different and very challenging roles: Calaf in Franco Zeffirelli’s dazzling production of Puccini’s last opera Turandot; Eneas in the grandiose production by Francesca Zambello of Berlioz’s epic masterpiece Les Troyens; and Paolo il Bello in Riccardo Zandonai’s Francesca da Rimini in the stunning production of Piero Faggioni.

Puccini’s Turandot – October-November 2012
In the Fall of 2012, the Metropolitan Opera will bring back Franco Zeffirelli’s sumptuous production of Puccini’s Turandot, which had its premiere at the Met in 1987. This revival of the opera will also bring back Marcello Giordani in the role of the unknown prince, Calaf, which he sang for the first time at the Met in 2009.

Marcello’s debut as Calaf took place in 2003 in Torre del Lago, Italy, and since then he has sung it in some of the major opera houses including the Teatro alla Scala of Milan, the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, the Terme of Caracalla in Rome, the Hungarian State Opera of Budapest and, most recently, at the inauguration of the Royal Opera House Muscat in the Sultanate of Oman.

The opera is based on a play by Italian dramatist Carlo Gozzi. It remained unfinished by the time of Puccini's death and was later completed by composer Franco Alfano. The first performance was held at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan on 25 April 1926 and was conducted by Arturo Toscanini. At the point where Puccini stopped composing, leaving the opera unfinished, the Maestro put down the baton saying, "Here Death triumphed over Art". He then stepped down from the podium and the audience left the theatre in silence.

Berlioz’s Les Troyens - Dicember 2012-January 2013
Berlioz’ epic masterpiece, Les Troyens, returns to the stage of the Metropolitan in May 2013 with a starry cast which includes Marcello Giordani in the role of Eneas, Deborah Voigt as Cassandra, and Susan Graham as Dido. The five-act two parts opera was never performed in its entirety during Berlioz’ lifetime. The Met production by Francesca Zambello, last seen at the Met in 2003, presents the opera in its entirely and in the original French.

Based on the 2nd and 4th books of Virgil’s The Aeneid (adapted by Berlioz himself ), Les Troyens is a grand opera of epic proportions, and is reputed to be Berlioz’ greatest musical achievement. In a letter written in 1861, Berlioz declared: “I am sure that I have written a great work, greater and nobler than anything done hitherto.”

Zandonai’s Francesca da Rimini - May 2013
The strikingly beautiful production of Zandonai’s Francesca da Rimini by Italian director and scenographer Piero Faggioni returns to the stage of the Metropolitan in March 2013 after an absence of 27 years. Staged for the first time at the Met in 1986 with Placido Domingo and Renata Scotto as the doomed lovers, Paolo and Francesca, it will be revived in the Fall with two major stars of the today’s international opera world: Marcello Giordani and Eva-Maria Westbroek.

The story of Paolo and Francesca, historical figure of the XIII century, was immortalized by Dante in the Canto V of the Divine Comedy, and has inspired poets, composers, dramatists and artists through the centuries. The libretto of the opera is based on the 1901 verse tragedy by the same title by Italian poet Gabriele D’Annunzio, who composed it for his mistress, the famous Italian actress Eleonora Duse. Adapted by Tito Ricordi, it maintains intact the poetic lyricism of D’Annunzio’s poem.

The performance of Les Troyens of January 5, 2013 and that of Francesca da Rimini of March 16, 2013 will be transmitted “live in HD” from the stage of the Metropolitan Opera to participating movie theaters throughout the world. Check the Metropolitan Opera website additional information on this and other HD Met simulcasts.