Julien Robbins

Puccini: Manon Lescaut (1980)

All the throbbing eroticism—and ultimate heartbreak—of Puccini’s youthful score is unleashed by James Levine and his top-flight cast. Plácido Domingo is Des Grieux, the handsome, headstrong young aristocrat who falls head over heels for the enticing, impetuous ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Kirk Browning
CAST:  Renata Scotto  •  Plácido Domingo  •  Pablo Elvira  •  Renato Capecchi

All the throbbing eroticism—and ultimate heartbreak—of Puccini’s youthful score is unleashed by James Levine and his top-flight cast. Plácido Domingo is Des Grieux, the handsome, headstrong young aristocrat who falls head over heels for the enticing, impetuous ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Kirk Browning
CAST:  Renata Scotto  •  Plácido Domingo  •  Pablo Elvira  •  Renato Capecchi

Un Ballo in Maschera (1980)

Live from the Metropolitan Opera, 14 February 1980. This version takes place in Boston rather than Sweden.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Brian Large  •  Elijah Moshinsky
CAST:  Louis Quilico  •  Katia Ricciarelli  •  William Wildermann  •  Judith Blegen

Live from the Metropolitan Opera, 14 February 1980. This version takes place in Boston rather than Sweden.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Brian Large  •  Elijah Moshinsky
CAST:  Louis Quilico  •  Katia Ricciarelli  •  William Wildermann  •  Judith Blegen

La Traviata - The Met (1981)

James Levine leads a remarkable cast in one of Verdi’s most enduringly popular operas and brings fresh insights to this beloved score. Ileana Cotrubas is poignant and touching as Violetta, the consumptive courtesan who finds true love with Alfredo, sung with style ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Brian Large
CAST:  Ileana Cotrubas  •  Plácido Domingo  •  Cornell MacNeil  •  Ariel Bybee

James Levine leads a remarkable cast in one of Verdi’s most enduringly popular operas and brings fresh insights to this beloved score. Ileana Cotrubas is poignant and touching as Violetta, the consumptive courtesan who finds true love with Alfredo, sung with style ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Brian Large
CAST:  Ileana Cotrubas  •  Plácido Domingo  •  Cornell MacNeil  •  Ariel Bybee

Don Carlo (1983)

Ghiaurov, Freni, and Bumbry were great voices in their time, and they are still effective here -- good enough musicians to put over the quite heavy vocal and expressive demands of their roles. Louis Quilico was never quite in that league, and he sounds a bit spread ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Brian Large  •  John Dexter
CAST:  Plácido Domingo  •  Mirella Freni  •  Nicolai Ghiaurov  •  Louis Quilico

Ghiaurov, Freni, and Bumbry were great voices in their time, and they are still effective here -- good enough musicians to put over the quite heavy vocal and expressive demands of their roles. Louis Quilico was never quite in that league, and he sounds a bit spread ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Brian Large  •  John Dexter
CAST:  Plácido Domingo  •  Mirella Freni  •  Nicolai Ghiaurov  •  Louis Quilico

La Fanciulla del West (1992)

Giancarlo Del Monaco’s atmospheric production brings to colorful life a 19th-century mining camp during the California Gold Rush. At the center of the action is the good-hearted bar owner Minnie, sung by Barbara Daniels, who takes a motherly interest in the miners. ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Brian Large
CAST:  Plácido Domingo  •  Barbara Daniels  •  Sherrill Milnes  •  Anthony Laciura

Giancarlo Del Monaco’s atmospheric production brings to colorful life a 19th-century mining camp during the California Gold Rush. At the center of the action is the good-hearted bar owner Minnie, sung by Barbara Daniels, who takes a motherly interest in the miners. ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Brian Large
CAST:  Plácido Domingo  •  Barbara Daniels  •  Sherrill Milnes  •  Anthony Laciura

Berlioz: Les Troyens (2013)

Berlioz’s epic masterpiece retells the magnificent saga of the aftermath of the Trojan War and the exploits of Aeneas. Rising tenor Bryan Hymel, in his Met debut, stars as the hero charged by the gods with the founding of the city of Rome. Susan Graham is Dido, ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Barbara Willis Sweete
CAST:  Bryan Hymel  •  Dwayne Croft  •  Deborah Voigt  •  Julie Boulianne

Berlioz’s epic masterpiece retells the magnificent saga of the aftermath of the Trojan War and the exploits of Aeneas. Rising tenor Bryan Hymel, in his Met debut, stars as the hero charged by the gods with the founding of the city of Rome. Susan Graham is Dido, ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Barbara Willis Sweete
CAST:  Bryan Hymel  •  Dwayne Croft  •  Deborah Voigt  •  Julie Boulianne

Le Comte Ory (1997)

Glyndebourne's intimate opera house provides the perfect setting for Rossini's third French opera, a sparkling medieval comedy of lust and chastity.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Brian Large  •  Jérôme Savary
CAST:  Marc Laho  •  Annick Massis  •  Diana Montague  •  Ludovic Tézier

Glyndebourne's intimate opera house provides the perfect setting for Rossini's third French opera, a sparkling medieval comedy of lust and chastity.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Brian Large  •  Jérôme Savary
CAST:  Marc Laho  •  Annick Massis  •  Diana Montague  •  Ludovic Tézier

An Evening with Joan Sutherland and Luciano Pavarotti (1988)

Opera greats Luciano Pavarotti and Joan Sutherland -- one of the most acclaimed tenors and one of the most beloved sopranos of the 20th century -- take the stage at the Met for a gala evening of opera scenes with special guest Leo Nucci. Filmed in 1987, the ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Kirk Browning
CAST:  Joan Sutherland  •  Luciano Pavarotti  •  Leo Nucci  •  Isola Jones

Opera greats Luciano Pavarotti and Joan Sutherland -- one of the most acclaimed tenors and one of the most beloved sopranos of the 20th century -- take the stage at the Met for a gala evening of opera scenes with special guest Leo Nucci. Filmed in 1987, the ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Kirk Browning
CAST:  Joan Sutherland  •  Luciano Pavarotti  •  Leo Nucci  •  Isola Jones

Don Giovanni (1990)

Every woman wants him, every man wants to be him: Mozart’s version of the irresistible rogue who brings excitement with him and leaves destruction it his wake has always attracted top singing actors, as in this performance brilliantly led by James Levine. Samuel ...  (more)

DIRECTION: 
CAST:  Samuel Ramey  •  Carol Vaness  •  Jerry Hadley  •  Karita Mattila

Every woman wants him, every man wants to be him: Mozart’s version of the irresistible rogue who brings excitement with him and leaves destruction it his wake has always attracted top singing actors, as in this performance brilliantly led by James Levine. Samuel ...  (more)

DIRECTION: 
CAST:  Samuel Ramey  •  Carol Vaness  •  Jerry Hadley  •  Karita Mattila