Metropolitan Opera Announces 2008-2009 Season

The Metropolitan Opera has announced its 2008-2009 season, which will include a free performance of Verdi’s Requiem on September 18, to mark the anniversary of the death of Luciano Pavarotti; an opening night gala on September 22, which will feature Renee Fleming performing Violetta in La Triavata, the title role in Manon, and the Countess in Capriccio; and a special 125th Anniversary Gala on March 15, which will also honor Placido Domingo’s 40th anniversary with the company.

The season’s new productions will include John Adams’ Doctor Atomic, directed by Penny Wilcox and designed by Julian Crouch, Catherine Zuber, and Brian MacDevitt (October 13); Berlioz’s La Damnation de Faust, directed by Robert Lepage (November 7), and Bellini’s La Sonambula, directed by Tony Award winner Mary Zimmerman, starring Natalie Dessay and Juan Diego Florez (March 2), as well as Massenet’s Thais, starring Fleming in the title role (December 8), Puccini’s La Rondine (December 31), and Verdi’s Il Trovatore with Salvatore Licitra in the title role (February 16).

In addition, the Met will present 18 revivals of repertory productions, including Zimmerman’s 2007 production of Lucia de Lamermoor with Diana Damrau and Anna Netrbeko sharing the title role.

For more information, call 212-362-6000 or visit www.metopera.org.