The legendary Cesare Siepi sings one of his most popular roles in this historic broadcast—the effervescent servant Figaro in this classic performance from 1956.
Sung in Spanish and inspired by Gabriel García Márquez, Florencia en el Amazonas tells the story of an opera diva who returns to her homeland to perform at the legendary opera house of Manaus… and to search for her lost lover.
“It is rare, not only for a male singer who’s not a tenor, but especially a bass-baritone to be able to do this kind of concert with an orchestra like the Chicago Philharmonic.”
Bumbry was among the winners of the 1958 Met National Council Auditions. She had a recital debut in Paris that same year and made her Paris Opéra debut in 1960.
The opera that announced the young Mozart’s genius to the world returns to the Met stage, with acclaimed maestro Manfred Honeck making a notable company debut on the podium
“We demonstrate the free world’s ongoing cultural resolve to defend Ukraine’s liberty in the face of brutal oppression,” said Met general manager Peter Gelb during intermission.
Tenor Matthew Polenzani reflects that “there are definitely pieces where what’s required dramatically in a hall of 4,000 seats is different from what’s required dramatically on a screen.”
Peter Gelb, Met Opera’s general manager, says it’s “a great artistic loss for the Met.” But with what’s happening in Ukraine, Gelb said there was ”no way forward.”
The version is largely based on the 1867 rehearsals and Paris Opéra premiere, including long-lost sections rediscovered in the late 1960s by David Rosen and Andrew Porter.
