Performances

Ildar Abdrazakov in Moscow sang in Moscow just a few hours before his wife gave birth to a son.

Her face flush with emotion, Fleming gave one of the most moving performances, the “Ave Maria” from Verdi’s “Otello.” After a few moments of quiet, Gelb’s microphone caught him saying “Go, Gary,” to director Gary Halvorson in Los Angeles, a sign of the unusual technical logistics.

Some singers used recorded piano tracks played by Met director of music administration Thomas Lausmann and assistant conductors Howard Watkins and Bryan Wagorn. Lisette Oropesa went a step further, having a video of pianist Michael Borowitz on a video screen behind her playing “Idole de ma vie” from Meyerbeer’s “Robert Le Diable.”

Morley provided one of the best performances with fluid voice, considerable piano skill and ebullient personality in “Chacun le sait” from Donizetti’s “La fille du régiment (The Daughter of the Regiment),” imploring viewers to “sing along” for the choruses. Isabel Leonard sang an inspiring a cappella for “Somewhere” from Bernstein’s “West Side Story.”

Another highlight was Diana Damrau and husband Nicolas Testé in “Là ci darem la mano” from Mozart’s “Don Giovanni” while standing in front of their kitchen in Orange, France, joined after by excited sons Alexander and Colyn. Unable to perform at home in Vienna, Anna Netrebko and husband Yusif Eyvazov recorded separate pieces at an ORF network studio.

In the hardest technical tasks, lead video editor Pete Scalzitti spent most of the previous week piecing together the individual orchestra and choral videos for the intermezzo from Mascagni’s “Cavelleria Rusticana,” the “Va, pensiero” chorus from Verdi’s “Nabucco” and the third act prelude of Wagner’s “Lohengrin.” Nézet-Séguin air conducted as a video was made, and Lausmann used it to create a piano accompaniment sent to the players and singers. Up to 90 squares were used to show the videos aligned simultaneously, and David Frost mixed most to the audio.

Unable to globe trot, performers were happy to entertain. Many introduced and bantered with the person up next. “Ooh, it’s fun to get to sing again!” Jamie Barton exclaimed.

The Metropolitan Opera is the largest classical music organization in North America. It presents about 27 different operas each year from late September through May. The operas are presented in a rotating repertory schedule, with up to seven performances of four different works staged each week. Performances are given in the evening Monday through Saturday with a matinée on Saturday. Several operas are presented in new productions each season. Sometimes these are borrowed from or shared with other opera companies. The rest of the year’s operas are given in revivals of productions from previous seasons. The 2015–16 season comprised 227 performances of 25 operas.

The operas in the Met’s repertoire consist of a wide range of works, from 18th-century Baroque and 19thcentury Bel canto to the Minimalism of the late 20th century. These operas are presented in staged productions that range in style from those with elaborate traditional decors to others that feature modern conceptual designs.

The Met’s performing company consists of a large symphony-sized orchestra, a chorus, children’s choir, and many supporting and leading solo singers. The company also employs numerous free-lance dancers, actors, musicians and other performers throughout the season. The Met’s roster of singers includes both international and American artists, some of whose careers have been developed through the Met’s young artists programs. While many singers appear periodically as guests with the company, others maintain a close longstanding association with the Met, appearing many times each season until they retire.