THE METROPOLITAN OPERA: “Our 2009-10 season presents the extraordinary range of the MET’s artistic forces: the world’s leading singers, guest conductors, stage directors, and designers, and a compelling span of repertoire, from the classic to the novel.”
-Peter Gelb, General Manager & James Levine, Music Director

THE NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC: “Founded in 1842, the NY Philharmonic is by far the oldest symphony orchestra in the United States, and one of the oldest in the world. It currently plays some 180 concerts a year – a milestone unmatched by any other symphony orchestra in the world.”
- nyphil.org

The MET’s extraordinary’09-’10 season will afford us two star-studded four-night holidays during March and April of 2010. We have chosen four thrilling performances for each of these NY visits, centering of course on this year’s imaginative repertoire at today’s foremost American opera house.

First, our March program will include a trio of MET performances showcasing today’s leading artists. A pair of eagerly anticipated new productions will introduce Verdi’s ‘early period’ Attila and Ambroise Thomas’ French opera Hamlet to MET audiences, featuring Violeta Urmana and Ildar Abdrazakov in Verdi’s powerful score and Natalie Dessay opposite Simon Keenlyside as Thomas’ Shakespeareans. Third, we cannot resist adding Zeffirelli’s sensational staging of La Boheme to experience Anna Netrebko and Piotr Beczala in Puccini’s soaring lyricism. Our fourth performance in March will be a subscription concert by the New York Philharmonic under guest conductor Christoph Eschenbach focused on the music of Johannes Brahms with Pinchas Zukerman as the solo violinist.

Similarly, our April dates coincide with three of the MET’s most exciting spring nights and again a pair of new productions. Rossini’s ‘bel canto’ rarity Armida will be a ‘tour-de-force’ for Renée Fleming in the dazzling title role, and a refreshing new take on Bizet’s Carmen will be ignited by Angela Gheorghiu as the gypsy and Jonas Kaufmann as Don José. Wagner’s riveting music-drama Der Fliegende Hollander will be our third MET performance, starring Deborah Voigt ideally cast as Senta opposite Juha Uusitalo as the brooding Dutchman. Finally, our New York Philharmonic concert in April will be led by the Russian maestro Valery Gergiev and will include Stravinsky’s shattering opera Oedipus Rex brilliantly cast with Waltraud Meier and Anthony Dean Griffey.

Accommodations. Both holidays (four nights in both March and April) will be accommodated at the private New York Athletic Club (NYAC), beautifully located on Central Park South (59th street at 7th Avenue). The NYAC offers extremely pleasant bedrooms and many advantages of a large, private club: a spacious dining room overlooking Central Park from the 11th floor; friendly bars on the main floor and in the second-floor Tap Room which serves convenient meals; the best-equipped large swimming-pool and sauna/steamroom complex in the city; extensive health-club features and exercise equipment; and a relaxing library with a wide collection of books and current journals. There are several appealing cafés and restaurants in the immediate neighborhood, and Carnegie Hall is only one block away from the 58th street rear entrance.

A cocktail buffet will be enjoyed on the first evening of each weekend, which will provide an opportunity to meet other members of the Tour. Our party will be in a private room of the Club. On our last evening, dinner will be arranged in one of the interesting restaurants in the Lincoln Center or Carnegie Hall area. Our recent meals have been served at Josephina’s and Bar Boulud directly across the street from Lincoln Center. For imaginative and high quality cuisine, efficient and pleasant service, and the most convenient location to our performances, Josephina’s and Bar Boulud have no rivals. Prior to our Carnegie Hall concerts, we have enjoyed the Austrian cuisine of the brand new Seasonal restaurant on 58th street behind the Club, and the Northern Italian menus of Nocello on west 55th street.

We are pleased to offer you a Guest Pass to the Metropolitan Museum of Art on Fifth Avenue at 82nd Street. Your pass will allow for free entry at your own convenience into all permanent galleries, such as the sensational Lila Acheson Wallace Wing of 20th century painting and sculpture, the extensive collection of French Impressionists, and the recently opened American Wing.

Transfers are included for all of our performances not at Carnegie Hall. (The Club is only one block of easy walking distance from Carnegie Hall.)

All MET Opera performances are now performed with MET TITLES optionally displayed on the seat in front of you, which has proven to be enormously popular.