Poughkeepsie, NY - The Bardavon is pleased to launch the The Met: Live in HD 2009/10 season, the Metropolitan Opera's popular award-winning series of live transmissions. Join us at the Bardavon on Saturday, October 10 at 1pm to experience a new production of Puccini's Tosca starring Karita Mattila. This opera, directed by Luc Bondy in his Met debut and conducted by Met Music Director James Levine, also features Marcelo Alvarez and Juha Uusitalo.

The Met: Live in HD at the Bardavon is made possible in large part through the generous support from the Jane Nuhn Charitable Trust. Additional support is also provided by the Dr. Edwin Ulrich Charitable Trust as well as the Benjamin Strong Opera Fund of the Community Foundation of Dutchess County. The sponsor is Red Wing & Package Pavement.

Lunch and Learn: The Bardavon and two local restaurants are also pleased to partner on a very special opportunity for opera lovers to be nourished by knowledge and great food. At 11:30am, prior to each 1pm Saturday opera broadcast, ticket holders are invited to enjoy an insightful talk on that day's production lead by Leslie Gerber who is a music teacher at Marist's Center for Lifetime Studies and author of all HVP playbill liner notes. The Artist's Palate (307 Main Street, Poughkeepsie, 845.483.8074) will host lunches prior to broadcasts at the Bardavon, and Frank Guido's Little Italy (14 Thomas Street, Kingston, 845.340.1682) will host for UPAC broadcasts. Please call the restaurants directly to make reservations.

The Met: Live in HD series was recently honored with a prestigious 2008 Peabody Award for its vividly designed, smartly annotated productions of Hansel and Gretel, Doctor Atomic, Peter Grimes, and other operas. The Met employed state-of-the-art digital technology to reinvent the presentation of a classic art form. Additionally, The Met won a special Emmy Award in January 2009 for "advancing technology through ongoing, live, global transmission of high-definition programming to movie theaters."

THE MET: LIVE IN HD 2009/10 SEASON
All screenings are on Saturdays at 1pm and are at the Bardavon unless otherwise noted.

Saturday, October 10 - TOSCA - A new production of Puccini's Tosca by Luc Bondy in his house debut, starring Karita Mattila in her first performance of the title role outside her native Finland, and Marcelo Alvarez as Cavaradossi. Juha Uusitalo sings the role of Scarpia. James Levine conducts. HD host: Susan Graham. NEW PRODUCTION

Saturday, October 24 - AIDA at UPAC in Kingston - Daniele Gatti returns for the first time in 14 years to conduct a cast of powerful voices in Verdi's Aida. Violeta Urmana sings the title role, while Dolora Zajick returns in one of her most acclaimed portrayals as the Egyptian princess Amneris. Johan Botha is Radames and Carlo Guelfi sings Amonasro. HD host: Renee Fleming.

Saturday, November 14 - TURANDOT - (Encore presentation) Franco Zeffirelli's classic production of Puccini's Turandot features the Met role debuts of Maria Guleghina in the title role, Marcello Giordani as Calaf, Samuel Ramey as Timur, and Marina Poplavskaya as Liu. Conductor Andris Nelsons makes his Met debut.

Saturday, December 19 - LES CONTES D'HOFFMANN - Bartlett Sher, whose staging of Rossini's Il Barbiere di Siviglia was a hit two seasons ago, returns to direct his second Met production; conducted by James Levine. Joseph Calleja stars as Hoffmann, with Anna Netrebko as Antonia, Ekaterina Gubanova as Giulietta, Kate Lindsey as Nicklausse, Kathleen Kim as Olympia, and Alan Held as the four villains. NEW PRODUCTION

Saturday, January 9 - DER ROSENKAVALIER at UPAC in Kingston - James Levine conducts a stellar cast led by Renee Fleming as the Marschallin and Susan Graham as Octavian. Eric Cutler is the Italian Singer, Kristinn Sigmundsson sings the role of Baron Ochs, and Christine Schafer is Sophie. HD host: Placido Domingo.

Saturday, January 16 - CARMEN - The new Carmen, starring Elina Garanca, who sang the title role of La Cenerentola at the Met last spring to great acclaim, will also feature the debuts of director Richard Eyre and conductor Yannick Nezet-Seguin. Roberto Alagna is the soldier Don Jose, Barbara Frittoli is Micaela, and Mariusz Kwiecien is the bullfighter Escamillo. HD host: Renee Fleming. NEW PRODUCTION

Saturday, February 6 - SIMON BOCCANEGRA - Four decades into a legendary Met career, Placido Domingo makes history by singing the baritone title role of Verdi's Simon Boccanegra, conducted by James Levine. Adrianne Pieczonka, Marcello Giordani, and James Morris co-star. HD host: Renee Fleming.

Saturday, March 27 HAMLET - Last performed at the Met in 1897, Ambroise Thomas's Hamlet will be seen in a new production by Patrice Caurier and Moshe Leiser, conducted by Louis Langree and starring Simon Keenlyside in the title role and Natalie Dessay as Ophelie. With Jennifer Larmore as Gertrude, Toby Spence as Laertes and James Morris as Claudius. HD host: Renee Fleming NEW PRODUCTION

Saturday, May 1 - ARMIDA - The season's final new production features Renee Fleming in Rossini's bel canto tour de force Armida, directed by Mary Zimmerman and conducted by Riccardo Frizza. Also starring Lawrence Brownlee, Bruce Ford, Jose Manuel Zapata, Barry Banks, and Kobie van Rensburg. HD host: Deborah Voigt NEW PRODUCTION