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And where you can see them live!
Gounod's Romeo et Juliette takes the romantic tragedy of Shakespeare's play to operatic proportions through its stunning music and sheer beauty.
Where to see it: The Metropolitan Opera (with Stephen Costello and Pretty Yende in the title roles) until March 18. Get tickets on the Met's website or rush tickets on the day of the performance. Or you can watch the Met's 2007 production of the opera through Met Opera on Demand.
"Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears." For some good old Baroque opera? Anytime!
Where to see it: Houston Grand Opera (with countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo in the title role) in October and November of 2017. Be sure to check out their affordable ticket initiatives. If you don't live near Houston, there are tons of full performances available for you to watch on Youtube.
"What, can the devil speak true?" Yes! And Otello, Hamlet, A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Falstaff (based on The Merry Wives of Windsor), too!
Where to see them: Check them out on Youtube, the Met Opera On Demand, or your nearest opera house (or an opera house in a city that you're visiting on vacation!).
La Bohème tells the story of a group of young bohemians living in the Latin Quarter in Paris in the 1800s. It's romantic, heartbreaking, and altogether stunning both musically and dramatically.
Where to see it: San Francisco Opera this June. Check out the cast and creative team and get tickets for as low as $26 on their website (or rush tickets on the day of the performance). You can also visit the National Opera Center's website for info on other upcoming productions around the US.
They're both based on La Belle et la bête, which was written by Jeanne-Marie Le Prince de Beaumont. Fun fact: Apparently, Grétry's opera served as the inspiration for the name of Catherine the Great's most beloved Italian Greyhound.
Where to see it: Opera Saratoga this July. Unfortunately, this opera isn't performed all that often, so there aren't many full performances available on Youtube. However, you can listen to excerpts of the opera, including the stunning soprano aria "La Fauvette" on Youtube.
The two operas are very different from one another, but they're both absolute masterpieces. Check 'em out:
Where to see Cendrillon: It's still a ways away, but the Metropolitan Opera will be producing Massenet's version of the fairy tale in April and May of 2018, with a Live in HD performance in movie theaters on April 28, 2018. The rockstar cast includes Kathleen Kim, Joyce DiDonato, Alice Coote, and Stephanie Blythe.
Where to see La Cenerentola: Check out one of the full productions on Youtube or one of the Met's past productions on the Met's On Demand website.
Look at that picture. Need we say more?
Where to see it: The Metropolitan Opera this April and May, conducted by operatic legend Plácido Domingo. Get tickets in advance or rush tickets on the day of the performance. Or go onto Youtube and pick a production to watch in full.
Because everyone has to see a Wagner opera at least once in their lives. His works are epic in every way, shape, and form.
Where to see it: The Metropolitan Opera (conducted by future music director of the Met, Yannick Nézet-Séguin) this April and May. Rush tickets are also available on the day of the performance. If you can't make it, be sure to go on Youtube to check out other full productions.
It may be based on Greek mythology, but this opera is filled with experimental music that will leave you awestruck.
Where to see it: San Francisco Opera (with Christine Goerke and Stephanie Blythe) in September 2017. If you can't make that one, you can also catch it at Houston Grand Opera in January 2018 (also with Christine Goerke, along with Tamara Wilson and other incredible artists). There are also a bunch of full productions of Elektra available on Youtube.
This opera will shock you in more ways than one. It's not to be missed.
Where to see it: LA Opera (with Patricia Racette in the title role) through March 19. Student rush tickets are available for $25 and senior rush tickets for 50% off the original ticket price. More info here. If you don't live out in LA, no worries! There are plenty of full productions available on Youtube.
A ghostly work, woven together by a true master of his craft.
Where to see it: The Dallas Opera in March (with Emma Bell, Ashley Emerson, and William Burden, among others). Get tickets for as low as $19 here or student rush tickets for as low as $15 here. If you can't make it to the live thing, check out some full productions on Youtube.
It's a fairly new opera that premiered in 2007 and it's definitely worth checking out.
Where to see it: Check out the newly revised version of the opera at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis this May and June. Single tickets go on sale for as low as $25 at the end of February. Find out about special discounted ticket offers here.
Wait, did we say an opera? We meant TWO operas: Massenet's Manon and Puccini's Manon Lescaut.
Where to see Manon: San Francisco Opera (with Nadine Sierra, Michael Fabiano, and David Pershall) in November 2017. Single tickets go on sale on June 26 here.
Where to see Manon Lescaut: Available in full on the Metropolitan Opera's On Demand website and on Youtube. (Massenet's Manon is also available on the Met's On Demand website, if you can't make the real thing.)
You're guaranteed to already know a ton of the music from movies, TV, cartoons, and commercials anyway, so why not see the rest of it, too??
Where to see it: Lyric Opera of Chicago through March 25 (with Ekaterina Gubanova and Anita Rachvelishvili splitting the role of Carmen, and Joseph Calleja and Brandon Jovanovich splitting that of Don José). Tickets for as low as $20 here and info on tons of other discounted ticket initiatives here. Check out where else you can catch Carmen here or go on your nearest opera house's website to see if it's in their season.
And remember, it's awesome that so many operas are available in full on Youtube, Spotify, and the like, but there's nothing quite like seeing the real thing. So, head to your nearest opera house and revel in the awesome power of music for a few hours. You'll be glad you did!