Poughkeepsie, NY - The Bardavon is pleased to continue 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, November 14 at 1pm to experience an encore presentation of Puccini's Turnadot.

Director Franco Zeffirelli's breathtaking production of Puccini's last opera is a favorite of the Met repertoire. Maria Guleghina plays the ruthless Chinese princess of the title, whose hatred of men is so strong that she has all suitors beheaded who cannot solve her riddles. Marcello Giordani sings Calaf, the unknown prince who eventually wins her love and whose solos include the famous "Nessun dorma."

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 & 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, 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. SPACE IS LIMITED. Please call the restaurants directly to make advance 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."

Tickets for the Saturday, November 14, 1pm encore presentation of The Met: Live in HD - Puccini's Turandot at the Bardavon are available at the Bardavon Box Office (35 Market Street, Poughkeepsie, 845.473.2072), at the UPAC Box Office, (602 Broadway, Kingston, 845.339.6088) and through TicketMaster (800.745.3000 or www.ticketmaster.com). Seats are $22 (Adult), $20.00 (Bardavon Member), 15 (Children 12 and under). For further information, please visit: www.bardavon.org.



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

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 Elīna Garanča, 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