Maria Zifchak

The Metropolitan Opera - Puccini: Madama Butterfly (2016)

Anthony Minghella’s beautiful, atmospheric production enhances Puccini’s drama of unfortunate, doomed love. Soprano Kristine Opolais brings all of her passionate commitment to her portrayal of Cio-Cio-San, the teenage geisha who gives up everything for Lt. ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Gary Halvorson  •  Carolyn Choa
CAST:  Roberto Alagna  •  Kristine Opolais  •  Maria Zifchak  •  Dwayne Croft

Anthony Minghella’s beautiful, atmospheric production enhances Puccini’s drama of unfortunate, doomed love. Soprano Kristine Opolais brings all of her passionate commitment to her portrayal of Cio-Cio-San, the teenage geisha who gives up everything for Lt. ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Gary Halvorson  •  Carolyn Choa
CAST:  Roberto Alagna  •  Kristine Opolais  •  Maria Zifchak  •  Dwayne Croft

The Metropolitan Opera: Rigoletto (2013)

Michael Mayer’s acclaimed production, first seen in the 2012–13 season, sets the action of Verdi’s masterpiece in 1960 Las Vegas—a neon-lit world ruled by money and ruthless, powerful men. Piotr Beczała is the Duke, a popular entertainer and casino owner who will ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Michael Mayer  •  Matthew Diamond
CAST:  Željko Lučić  •  Piotr Beczala  •  Diana Damrau  •  Alexander Lewis

Michael Mayer’s acclaimed production, first seen in the 2012–13 season, sets the action of Verdi’s masterpiece in 1960 Las Vegas—a neon-lit world ruled by money and ruthless, powerful men. Piotr Beczała is the Duke, a popular entertainer and casino owner who will ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Michael Mayer  •  Matthew Diamond
CAST:  Željko Lučić  •  Piotr Beczala  •  Diana Damrau  •  Alexander Lewis

Parsifal (2013)

The Met assembled an ideal cast for François Girard’s acclaimed new production of Wagner’s final masterpiece: Jonas Kaufmann in the title role of the fool “made wise by compassion”, René Pape as Gurnemanz, the veteran Knight of the Grail, Katarina Dalayman as ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  François Girard  •  Barbara Willis Sweete
CAST:  Jonas Kaufmann  •  Katarina Dalayman  •  René Pape  •  Evgeniy Nikitin

The Met assembled an ideal cast for François Girard’s acclaimed new production of Wagner’s final masterpiece: Jonas Kaufmann in the title role of the fool “made wise by compassion”, René Pape as Gurnemanz, the veteran Knight of the Grail, Katarina Dalayman as ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  François Girard  •  Barbara Willis Sweete
CAST:  Jonas Kaufmann  •  Katarina Dalayman  •  René Pape  •  Evgeniy Nikitin

The Metropolitan Opera: Maria Stuarda (2013)

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 ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  David McVicar  •  Gary Halvorson
CAST:  Joyce DiDonato  •  Elza van den Heever  •  Matthew Rose  •  Joshua Hopkins

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 ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  David McVicar  •  Gary Halvorson
CAST:  Joyce DiDonato  •  Elza van den Heever  •  Matthew Rose  •  Joshua Hopkins

Philip Glass: Satyagraha (2011)

Following the success of his first foray into opera, Einstein on the Beach, revolutionary American composer and musician Philip Glass soon turned to another great figure of the 20th century for inspiration. Set to lines from the Hindu Bhagavad Gita, Satyagraha ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Barbara Willis Sweete  •  Phelim McDermott
CAST:  Richard Croft  •  Rachelle Durkin  •  Kim Josephson  •  Alfred Walker

Following the success of his first foray into opera, Einstein on the Beach, revolutionary American composer and musician Philip Glass soon turned to another great figure of the 20th century for inspiration. Set to lines from the Hindu Bhagavad Gita, Satyagraha ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Barbara Willis Sweete  •  Phelim McDermott
CAST:  Richard Croft  •  Rachelle Durkin  •  Kim Josephson  •  Alfred Walker

The Metropolitan Opera: Il Trovatore (2011)

Verdi’s IL TROVATORE again storms the Met stage in a star-studded, anvil-wielding cast , including Sondra Radvanovsky, Dolora Zajick and Dmitri Hvorostovsky. Marcelo Álvarez sings Manrico, the troubadour of the title. The story is well-known already: The gypsy ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  David McVicar  •  Barbara Willis Sweete
CAST:  Marcelo Álvarez  •  Sondra Radvanovsky  •  Dmitri Hvorostovsky  •  Dolora Zajick

Verdi’s IL TROVATORE again storms the Met stage in a star-studded, anvil-wielding cast , including Sondra Radvanovsky, Dolora Zajick and Dmitri Hvorostovsky. Marcelo Álvarez sings Manrico, the troubadour of the title. The story is well-known already: The gypsy ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  David McVicar  •  Barbara Willis Sweete
CAST:  Marcelo Álvarez  •  Sondra Radvanovsky  •  Dmitri Hvorostovsky  •  Dolora Zajick

The Metropolitan Opera: Madama Butterfly (2009)

Anthony Minghella’s stunning production of Puccini’s opera opened the Met’s 2006–07 season and was seen by thousands of people around the world as part of the company’s Live in HD series. Patricia Racette is Cio-Cio-San, the trusting and innocent young geisha of ...  (more)

DIRECTION: 
CAST:  Patricia Racette  •  Marcello Giordani  •  Greg Fedderly  •  Maria Zifchak

Anthony Minghella’s stunning production of Puccini’s opera opened the Met’s 2006–07 season and was seen by thousands of people around the world as part of the company’s Live in HD series. Patricia Racette is Cio-Cio-San, the trusting and innocent young geisha of ...  (more)

DIRECTION: 
CAST:  Patricia Racette  •  Marcello Giordani  •  Greg Fedderly  •  Maria Zifchak

Massenet: Thaïs (2008)

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 ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Gary Halvorson  •  John Cox
CAST:  Renée Fleming  •  Michael Schade  •  Thomas Hampson  •  Alain Vernhes

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 ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Gary Halvorson  •  John Cox
CAST:  Renée Fleming  •  Michael Schade  •  Thomas Hampson  •  Alain Vernhes

The Met — Il Trovatore (2015)

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 ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Gary Halvorson
CAST:  Anna Netrebko  •  Yonghoon Lee  •  Dmitri Hvorostovsky  •  Dolora Zajick

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 ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Gary Halvorson
CAST:  Anna Netrebko  •  Yonghoon Lee  •  Dmitri Hvorostovsky  •  Dolora Zajick

The Metropolitan Opera: La Traviata (2018)

Any new Met production of Verdi’s beloved tragedy La Traviata would be noteworthy, but Michael Mayer’s dazzling staging, which premiered during the 2018–19 season, was doubly significant as it marked Yannick Nézet-Séguin’s first performances as the Met’s Jeanette ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Michael Mayer  •  Gary Halvorson
CAST:  Diana Damrau  •  Juan Diego Flórez  •  Quinn Kelsey  •  Maria Zifchak

Any new Met production of Verdi’s beloved tragedy La Traviata would be noteworthy, but Michael Mayer’s dazzling staging, which premiered during the 2018–19 season, was doubly significant as it marked Yannick Nézet-Séguin’s first performances as the Met’s Jeanette ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Michael Mayer  •  Gary Halvorson
CAST:  Diana Damrau  •  Juan Diego Flórez  •  Quinn Kelsey  •  Maria Zifchak

Wagner: Parsifal (2013)

The Met assembled an ideal cast for François Girard’s acclaimed new production of Wagner’s final masterpiece. Jonas Kaufmann in the title role of the fool “made wise by compassion” is as convincing vocally as he is haunting dramatically, delivering a thoroughly ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  François Girard  •  Barbara Willis Sweete
CAST:  Jonas Kaufmann  •  Katarina Dalayman  •  Peter Mattei  •  Evgeny Nikitin

The Met assembled an ideal cast for François Girard’s acclaimed new production of Wagner’s final masterpiece. Jonas Kaufmann in the title role of the fool “made wise by compassion” is as convincing vocally as he is haunting dramatically, delivering a thoroughly ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  François Girard  •  Barbara Willis Sweete
CAST:  Jonas Kaufmann  •  Katarina Dalayman  •  Peter Mattei  •  Evgeny Nikitin

I Puritani (2007)

It's hard to imagine a video opera collection without this superbly sung MET production of Bellini's I Puritani. Not that it's perfect by any means, but its excellences--most especially Anna Netrebko's electrifying singing and acting of Elvira--banish carping about ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Sandro Sequi
CAST:  Eric Cutler  •  Anna Netrebko  •  John Relyea  •  Valerian Ruminski

It's hard to imagine a video opera collection without this superbly sung MET production of Bellini's I Puritani. Not that it's perfect by any means, but its excellences--most especially Anna Netrebko's electrifying singing and acting of Elvira--banish carping about ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Sandro Sequi
CAST:  Eric Cutler  •  Anna Netrebko  •  John Relyea  •  Valerian Ruminski

Verdi: Il Trovatore (2011)

Giuseppe Verdi's masterpiece calls for 4 great singers: one weak link and the whole may collapse. The Metropolitan Opera assembled a quartet of stars for this new production by David McVickar: Sondra Radvanovsky, Marcelo Álvarez, Dolora Zajick, and Dmitri ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  David McVicar
CAST:  Sondra Radvanovsky  •  Marcelo Álvarez  •  Dmitri Hvorostovsky  •  Dolora Zajick

Giuseppe Verdi's masterpiece calls for 4 great singers: one weak link and the whole may collapse. The Metropolitan Opera assembled a quartet of stars for this new production by David McVickar: Sondra Radvanovsky, Marcelo Álvarez, Dolora Zajick, and Dmitri ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  David McVicar
CAST:  Sondra Radvanovsky  •  Marcelo Álvarez  •  Dmitri Hvorostovsky  •  Dolora Zajick