Metropolitan Opera 2014-15 Season Highlights and Surprises

With the Metropolitan Opera's 2014-15 season announced, there were many surprises and omissions. Here's a rundown of the new season and some of its highlights. 

Jonas Kaufmann to Sing Two Met Performances

This was probably the biggest surprise of the Met's season. Kaufmann has headlined four new productions over the past four years and has starred in four Live in HD performances. While it was expected Kaufmann would return to the Met, it was surprising that he will only sing in two performances of Bizet's "Carmen" with Elina Garanca and there will be no HD.

Angela Gheorghiu Returns to the Met

Gheorghiu has long been a fixture of the Met Opera world but has been absent from the Met for a number of years, supposedly due to cancellations. The soprano returns for two performances in Puccini's "La Boheme" and will sing alongside Ramon Vargas, with whom she sang in the Met's HD performances of the opera.

No HD for Diana Damrau Again

Diana Damrau has headlined some of the most important events in opera in recent years and this year she will bring her acclaimed interpretation of Massenet's "Manon" to the Met. The cast includes Vittorio Grigolo, who triumphed in the opera at the Royal Opera House when he sang alongside Anna Netrebko. Damrau has sung a number of roles at the Met to acclaim including Adina in Donizetti's "L'Elisir D'Amore," Rosina in Rossini's "Il Barbiere di Siviglia," and Lucia in Donzetti's "Lucia Di Lammermoor," none of which have been seen in HD. Additionally, many of her fans have complained about the lack of attention Damrau has gotten from the Met. While "Manon" has already been seen in HD, General Manager Peter Gelb is beginning to do repeats of operas on the series and with the new starry cast, this could have been a hot ticket.

Anna Netrebko to Headline Two HD Performances

Ann Netrebko has headlined a number of HD performances and has been seen in movie theaters every single year since the program began. This year she will be seen in two operas. She will debut the 2014-15 HD series with Verdi's "Macbeth" and later in February will sing her acclaimed interpretation of Tchaikovsky's "Iolanata."

The Death of Klinghoffer Goes to Movie Theaters

While it was a well known fact that the Met would present a new production of John Adam's well-regarded opera, it was never expected the opera would be part of the HD series. The opera is highly controversial and Gelb has shied away from bringing racy content to the series. Last year the Met decided not present Nico Muhly's first opera "Two Boys" in HD because it used profanity. Gelb has also censored some productions; In 2008, Gelb made sure that the nudity in Richard Strauss' "Salome" was edited out of the final HD performance, and in 2013 he covered up a stripper's breasts in the new production of Verdi's Rigoletto" set in Las Vegas. The move to present "The Death of Klinghoffer" in HD will undoubtedly be one of his riskiest investments this upcoming season.

Rene Pape Returns to the Met

Rene Pape is regarded as one of the greatest basses of our time but has not had a consistent schedule at the Met. He was absent from the season this past year and will return in 2014-15 for two operas and a recital. He will reprise his acclaimed role as Banquo in Verdi's "Macbeth" and will also sing Sarastro in Mozart's "Die Zauberflauote." He will also become the first bass since Marti Talvela to sing a recital at the Met. The recital comes on the heels of Vittorio Grigolo and Jonas Kaufmann's recital debuts.

No soprano Headlines Opening Night

For the past three years the Met opening night has been headlined by Anna Netrebko. However, many star sopranos have had the honor throughout Gelb's tenure. Natalie Dessay, Renee Fleming Cristina Gallardo Domas, and Karita Mattila were among the lucky sopranos. Only once before has a soprano not had the honor and that was when the Met opened with the new production of "Wagner's Das Rheingold." However, Deborah Voigt still had a number of posters all over the Met for opening night. This year Ildar Abdrazakov will headline the season in the title role of Mozart's "Le Nozze di Figaro." As a result it will be interesting to see what the Met's new promotional material will look like it.