Gary Halvorson

Little Johnny Jones

Gary Halvorson

Ernie Sabella, Lenny Wolpe

An American jockey rides his horse in a London race but is accused of throwing it, until he finds out he was framed by a gambler and clears his name in this filmed stage production from Goodspeed Opera House.

Le Nozze di Figaro

Gary Halvorson, Jonathan Miller

Renée Fleming, Cecilia Bartoli

The Met assembled a vocal dream team for Jonathan Miller’s stylish production of the eternal Mozart masterpiece: Renée Fleming as the Countess, Cecilia Bartoli as Susanna, and Bryn Terfel as Figaro. With James Levine—one of the world’s great conductors of Mozart—in the pit, Bartoli interpolating two rarely heard alternate arias, and Dwayne Croft as the Count and Susanne Mentzer as Cherubino, this is a performance for the record books.

Vanities

Gary Halvorson

Three best friends (Joanne, Kathy, and Mary) grow up and apart in three acts, starting as HS cheerleaders in Waco, TX (Nov 1963), then as college seniors in Austin, TX (Feb 1968), and finally meeting again as adults in New York City (June 1974).

The Regard of Flight

Gary Halvorson

Bill Irwin, Doug Skinner

A performer/artist with a bag of vaudeville tricks and the help of his trusty piano player must prove to a critic that there is still a way to present New Theatre without relying on devices. Like trampolines.

Die Walküre - Met Opera Live

Gary Halvorson, Robert Lepage

Christine Goerke, Eva-Maria Westbroek

Soprano Christine Goerke plays Brünnhilde, Wotan’s willful warrior daughter, who loses her immortality in opera’s most famous act of filial defiance. In this Live in HD transmission of Die Walküre, the second and most popular installment in the composer’s sweeping tetralogy, Goerke is joined by bass-baritone Greer Grimsley as Brünnhilde godly father, Wotan, and mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton as his unbending wife, Fricka. As the incestuous lovers Siegmund and Sieglinde, soprano Eva-Maria Westbroek and tenor Stuart Skelton—alongside bass Günther Groissböck as Sieglinde’s bloodthirsty husband, Hunding—round out the principal cast. And on the podium, Maestro Philippe Jordan conducts Robert Lepage’s innovative staging, which uses state-of-the-art stage technology to tell Wagner’s mythic tale.

Jerry Herman's Broadway at the Hollywood Bowl

Gary Halvorson

Bea Arthur, Carol Channing

He hasn't had a new Broadway show since 1983's La Cage Aux Folles, but composer Jerry Herman has become ubiquitous on the concert, tribute and benefit scene, as evidenced by a video release of "Jerry Herman's Broadway - at the Hollywood Bowl." The star-studded event celebrating Herman's 30-plus-year career includes performances by Carol Channing, Leslie Uggams, Lorna Luft and Lee Roy Reams all together on "Hello, Dolly!"; George Hearn singing "Movies Were Movies" (Mack And Mabel); Davis Gaines crooning "Song On The Sand" and "I Am What I Am" (La Cage Aux Folles); Rita Moreno advising "Tap Your Troubles Away" (Mack And Mabel); and Beatrice Arthur pointing out "The Man In The Moon" (also from Mame). There is also special taped greetings from Angela Lansbury and Paul & Linda McCartney.

Massenet: Thaïs

Gary Halvorson, John Cox

Renée Fleming, Thomas Hampson

When the most voluptuous, sought-after courtesan in the world meets an ascetic monk whose life is devoted to God, you know erotic sparks are going to fly. And when the clash takes place in a glorious, but rarely performed, opera by Massenet, it’s a delight to the ear just as much as to the eye. Renée Fleming is every inch the glamorous Thaïs, swathed in elegant gowns designed by Christian Lacroix. Thomas Hampson is Athanaël, the tortured man of God. This production by John Cox, which premiered in December 2008, brilliantly sets the stage for a confrontation as old as civilization itself.

Don Giovanni

Gary Halvorson, Franco Zeffirelli

Bryn Terfel, Ferruccio Furlanetto

Live performance at the Metropolitan Opera in 2000.

Wagner: Das Rheingold

Gary Halvorson

Bryn Terfel, Richard Croft

In the depths of the Rhine, the three Rhinemaidens guard the Rhinegold, a treasure of immeasurable value. The Nibelung dwarf Alberich is dazzled by the sight of it. The girls explain that whoever wins the gold and forges it into a ring will gain power over the world, but must first renounce love. Frustrated by his unsuccessful attempts to catch one of the girls, Alberich curses love and steals the gold. Wotan, lord of the gods, is reproached by his wife Fricka: he has promised to give Freia, goddess of youth, to the giants Fasolt and Fafner in return for their building a fortress for the gods. When the giants demand their reward, Loge, the god of fire, suggests an alternative payment: the ring Alberich has forged from the Rhinegold, and his other treasures. The giants agree, and Wotan and Loge leave for the Nibelungs’ underground home.

Donizetti: L'Elisir d'Amore

Bartlett Sher, Gary Halvorson

Anna Netrebko, Matthew Polenzani

Anna Netrebko as the beautiful and wealthy Adina leads the cast in Barlett Sher’s production of Donizetti’s charming comedy, first seen on Opening Night of the Met’s 2012–13 season. Matthew Polenzani is Nemorino, the poor but good-hearted country boy who wins her love—with the help of the magic “elixir” sold by the quack Dulcamara, played by Ambrogio Maestri. Mariusz Kwiecien is the swaggering Sergeant Belcore and Maurizio Benini conducts.

The Metropolitan Opera: Agrippina

David McVicar, Gary Halvorson

Joyce DiDonato, Nicholas Tamagna

As the imperious title empress, mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato leads the Met premiere of Handel’s tale of deception and deceit. Harry Bicket conducts Sir David McVicar’s wry new production, which gives this Baroque black comedy a politically charged, modern updating.

Met Opera — Donizetti: Maria Stuarda

David McVicar, Gary Halvorson

Joyce DiDonato, Elza van den Heever

Joyce DiDonato gives a sensational performance as Mary, Queen of Scots, in Donizetti’s bel canto drama, opposite Elza van den Heever as Queen Elizabeth. This Live in HD presentation of David McVicar’s acclaimed 2012 production also stars Matthew Polenzani as Leicester, the man caught between the rival queens. Maurizio Benini conducts.

Verdi: Don Carlo

Gary Halvorson, Nicholas Hytner

Roberto Alagna, Marina Poplavskaya

Family jealousy, threat of rebellion, political back-stabbing and the Inquisition weigh heavy on the court of King Phillip II. The tension finally ignites at the King's coronation, where a number of heretics are to be burnt at the stake.

The Met — Il Trovatore

Gary Halvorson

Anna Netrebko, Yonghoon Lee

Soprano Anna Netrebko appears in her highly anticipated Met role debut as Leonora, the tortured heroine who sacrifices her own life for the love of the Gypsy troubadour. Dmitri Hvorostovsky sings Count di Luna, Yonghoon Lee is Manrico in his Met role debut as the title character, Dolora Zajick sings her signature role of the gypsy Azucena, and Štefan Kocán is Ferrando. Marco Armiliato conducts Sir David McVicar’s Goya-inspired production.

Met Opera — Donizetti: Anna Bolena

David McVicar, Gary Halvorson

Anna Netrebko, Ekaterina Gubanova

David McVicar's atmospheric and brooding production captures the drama of this riveting piece of British history, retold as only Donizetti could. International superstar Anna Netrebko is Queen Anne Boleyn, trapped in an unhappy marriage to King Henry VIII (Ildar Abdrazakov) whose roving eye has settled on another woman—Jane Seymour (Ekaterina Gubanova), Anna's friend, but now her unwitting rival. Add in Anna's early love, Percy (Stephen Costello), just returned to the court from exile, and the result is a haunting, explosive account of Queen Anna's tragic final days, before she goes to her execution in one of the most moving and dazzling final scenes in all of opera.

Philip Glass: Akhnaten

Gary Halvorson, Phelim McDermott

Anthony Roth Costanzo, J’Nai Bridges

Philip Glass’ opera “Akhnaten”, premiered in Stuttgart in 1984, forms the third part of the portrait opera trilogy about personalities who have influenced the course of human history. The conclusion of the trilogy deals with the ancient Egyptian pharaoh Akhenaten, who attempted to establish a kind of monotheistic cult around the god Aton during his reign in the 14th century BC, but failed due to the resistance of the priesthood. The production presented here was undoubtedly one of the very great successes of the 2019/20 season at New York’s Metropolitan Opera, due not only to the outstanding cast of singers (led by countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo) but also to Phelim McDermott’s imaginative staging, which captivates with sometimes breathtaking imagery.