The Saturday Matinee Radio Broadcasts for the Metropolitan Opera for 2020-21 — its 90th consecutive season on radio — features new commentary and intermission content. The season runs Dec. 5 through June 5 with Mary Jo Heath as host. Ira Siff is commentator and this year’s complement of matinees includes new artist interviews, special features and the opera quiz.
WGCU airs these performances on Saturdays at 1 pm on its HD2 classical radio channel.
Highlights of this season include a rare performance of Philip Glass’ Satyagraha and a 1961 performance of Il Trovatore with Leontyne Price and Franco Corelli in honor of the 60th anniversary of their Met debuts. Four broadcasts will be conducted by Met Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin: Faust featuring Jonas Kaufmann and Rene Pape, Rusalka with Renee Fleming and Piotr Beczala, Otello with Sonya Yoncheva and Aleksandrs Antonenko, and Anna Netrebko’s 2019 New Year’s eve Puccini Gala which will make its Saturday matinee debut on May 8. The season concludes with a broadcast of Benjamin Britten’s Billy Budd.
Throughout December, listeners can vote on their favorite Met broadcasts in a new “Listener’s Choice” event. The winning broadcast will be announced in the new year.
December’s schedule follows.
Saturday, Dec. 5: War and Peace (Prokofiev). Last broadcast Dec. 22, 2007.
Saturday, Dec. 12: Fidelio (Beethoven). April 1, 2017.
Saturday, Dec. 19: Hansel and Gretel (Humperdinck). Jan. 6, 2018.
Saturday, Dec. 26: The Magic Flute (Mozart) Dec. 28, 2019.
