Rossini's "Le Comte Ory" tells the story of a libidinous and cunning nobleman who disguises himself first as a hermit and then as a nun in order to gain access to the virtuous Countess Adele, whose brother is away at the Crusades. The 2011 Met production was directed by Tony Award winner Bartlett Sher, who presented the action as an opera within an opera, updating the action by a few centuries and giving the costume designer, Catherine Zuber, the opportunity to create some particularly extravagant headgear. Juan Diego Florez starred as the title role while Diana Damrau plays Countess Adele, and Joyce DiDonato was in breeches as his pageboy Isolier. Conducted with verve and finesse by Maurizio Benini, the production also features the stylish French baritone Stephane Degout as Ory's bibulous conspirator Raimbaud, charismatic Italian bass Michele Pertusi as the Count's long-suffering Tutor, and, formidable as Adele's housekeeper Ragonde, the Swedish dramatic mezzo Susanne Resmark.

A musician is offered a job in Vienna as stage director, but his disagreements with the aristocratic...

Riccardo Chailly inaugurates the 2024-2025 Opera Season with a new production of La forza del destin...

The life and career of Italian opera singer Farinelli, considered one of the greatest castrato singe...

"La Bohème" is one of Giacomo Puccini's most popular and timeless works and the second-most performe...

There are elements of Eurotrash in this outdoor Aix-en-Provence summer opera production. Nevertheles...

Sasha Regan’s award-winning All-male Company are set to lift everyone’s spirits with a treat in thei...

Carlos Álvarez takes the title role in the first of Verdi's Shakespearean operas, with Maria Guleghi...

This live version of Puccini s superbly dramatic opera was recorded in Rome in the exact locations a...
A colorful and comedic staging of the classic opera buffa by the Vienna State Opera.

The production by Deutsche Oper Berlin achieves a beautiful balance between the stage drama and the ...

1989 recording of the San Francisco Opera production of Mefistofele: Boito's retelling of Goethe's F...

With his affinity for the 16th-century sculptor Benvenuto Cellini's advocacy of artistic and persona...

An excellent performance of this delightful opera. The principals are superb, especially the sisters...

Woody Allen's production of the Puccini comic opera at LA Opera in 2015

Recorded at the Glyndebourne Festival Opera in 1995, this acclaimed presentation of composer Gioachi...

Joan Sutherland's farewell performance to the operatic stage offsets this story of the St. Bartholom...

Visually this is a gripping production which captures the drama of this opera perfectly. It's downri...

Witness the Zurich Opera's stunning production of Richard Wagner's masterpiece "Tannhauser," conduct...

Takarazuka Revue's Phantom based on the play by Maury Yeston and Arthur Kopit.

Originally commissioned to celebrate the completion of the Suez Canal and the opening of Cairos new ...