Met Opera Summer Encores Return with Potsdam Broadcasts July 10

North Country audiences can enjoy encore broadcasts of Metropolitan Opera productions again this summer, bringing classic works to the silver screen.

The ninth summer season of The Met: Live in HD will feature rebroadcasts of four of the Met’s most popular operas, in startling high definition.

All are invited to spend “Mondays at the Met” this July, with four screenings offered at Potsdam’s Roxy Theater, all sponsored by SUNY Potsdam’s Crane School of Music and J.S. Cinemas.

The Met Opera Summer Encores will be offered weekly on Monday evenings, from July 10 to July 31, with all broadcasts kicking off at 6:30 p.m. at Potsdam’s Roxy Theater.

The 2017 Met Opera Summer Encores schedule is as follows:

Georges Bizet’s “Les Pêcheurs de Perles”: Monday, July 10 at 6:30 p.m.

Soprano Diana Damrau stars as Leïla, the beautiful priestess pursued by rival pearl divers competing for her affection. Tenor Matthew Polenzani and baritone Mariusz Kwiecien are her suitors, who sing the rapturous duet “Au fond du temple saint,” adored by opera fans worldwide. Director Penny Woolcock explores enduring themes of love, betrayal and vengeance, in a production that vividly depicts the mystical wonder of Southeast Asia, while conductor Gianandrea Noseda breathes new life into Bizet’s lush score.

Giuseppe Verdi’s “Macbeth”: Monday, July 17 at 6:30 p.m.

Star soprano Anna Netrebko delivers a searing portrayal as Lady Macbeth, the murderously cunning consort of Željko Lučić’s doomed Macbeth. Adrian Noble’s chilling production of Verdi’s tragic Shakespearean adaptation also features Joseph Calleja as Macduff and René Pape as Banquo, with Fabio Luisi conducting.

Giuseppe Verdi’s “Nabucco”: Monday, July 24 at 6:30 p.m.

Met Music Director Emeritus James Levine conducts Verdi’s early drama of ancient Babylon, with Plácido Domingo adding a new role to his Met repertoire as the title character. Soprano Liudmyla Monastyrska gives a tour-de-force role performance as Abigaille, Nabucco’s willful daughter, while the acclaimed Met Chorus delivers a moving performance of the iconic “Va, pensiero.”

Georges Bizet’s “Carmen”: Monday, July 31 at 6:30 p.m.

Sir Richard Eyre’s gritty production of Bizet’s steamy melodrama returns with mezzo-soprano Elīna Garanča as the ill-fated gypsy temptress. Tenor Roberto Alagna plays her desperate lover, the soldier Don José, and Teddy Tahu Rhodes is the swaggering bullfighter, Escamillo, who comes between them. Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts the timeless score, which features one beloved melody after another.

Shortened intermission features will allow for the enjoyment of younger audiences, as well as busy schedules. English subtitles bring the stories to life. All are welcome to experience the depth and raw energy of world-class opera without going all the way to New York City!

Special summer ticket pricing is discounted: $13 for adults, $11 for senior citizens, $9 for students and $7 for youth (ages 18 and under). Subscribe and save! If you buy tickets to the entire summer series, admission to one show is free. There is also a group discount of 15 percent available for groups of 10 or more.

Tickets are available by calling the Community Performance Series Box Office at (315) 267-2277, or in person at the Roxy Theater in downtown Potsdam. You can also reserve tickets online by visiting www.cpspotsdam.org.        

To find out more about the 2017 Summer Encores from The Met: Live in HD, visit www.metopera.org/hdlive.

Founded in 1886, SUNY Potsdam’s Crane School of Music has a long legacy of excellence in music education and performance. Life at Crane includes an incredible array of more than 300 recitals, lectures and concerts presented by faculty, students and guests each year. The Crane School of Music is the State University of New York’s only All-Steinway institution. To learn more, visit www.potsdam.edu/crane.