Not heard in Covent Garden since the 18th Century and sung in the original English libretto by Thomas Morell, Theodora is a tour de force for soloists and chorus alike, with ensembles, duets and arias of profound depth and beauty. This new interpretation, conducted by Baroque specialist Harry Bicket, shines a new, feminist light on the story.

Joyce DiDonato, Ailyn Pérez, Frederica von Stade, Nathan Gunn, Anthony Roth Costanzo

Patrick Summers, conductor

Opera star Arden Scott returns to her hometown to save the struggling company that launched her career. The opening night performance of the long-lost opera she discovered falls on the same night as the home team’s first National Championship game (Go, Grizzlies!). The fate of the company hangs in the balance as Arden discovers that greatness is truly a matter of heart.

*World Premiere

To open the Met’s 2017–18 season, powerhouse soprano Sondra Radvanovsky tackled one of opera’s most fearsome roles, the title druid priestess of Bellini’s Norma, and mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato sang Norma’s friend and rival, Adalgisa, in Sir David McVicar’s evocative production.

Available November 16, 2018

When the project “In War & Peace: Harmony through Music” first came to me, it was my strong reaction to the terror attack in Paris in November, 2015. I felt the need to respond to the world around me with the expressive outlet I know best: music. My hope was that through this repertoire that I love so deeply I might bring comfort not only to myself, but to you, the audience.

As human beings, the precious gift of peace comes and goes, but I believe profoundly that it is one well worth nourishing and cultivating at every corner of our lives. It is, in fact, how we change the world — from our very own inner corner outwards. My most sincere hope is that this musical journey will bring you lasting comfort and a glimpse into the possible journey from chaos into peace.

– Joyce DiDonato

With her flexible and darkly-timbred mezzo-soprano, Joyce DiDonato is the star guest at Sir Simon Rattle’s side during the New Year’s Eve Concert, singing Richard Strauss’s lavishly beautiful orchestral songs. The program also includes works by Dvořák, Stravinsky, Bernstein and Shostakovich and will create the perfect atmosphere for the New Year’s Eve celebrations.

This title will be released on March 9, 2018.

Director: Ralf Pleger

The Florence Foster Jenkins Story, a film directed by Ralf Pleger, staring Joyce DiDonato, has been released on DVD in Germany, and is scheduled for a release in the fall of 2017 worldwide. A mix between drama and documentary, the film explores the career of Florence Foster Jenkins. Called the worst singer in the world, she pursued a career as an opera singer, staring in the 1920s, in New York City. Despite her lack of natural talent, and vocal technique, she performed in prestigious venues, and recorded records that are still sold today. Cole Porter, Gian Carlo Menotti, Lily Pons, and Sir Thomas Beecham, were counted among her fans, while Enrico Caruso is said to have “regarded her with affection and respect.” She remains a fascinating figure to this day.

As one of the leading singers performing today, the dichotomy of casting Ms. DiDonato to play the role of one of the worst performers in history might seem strange. Director Ralf Pleger explains, however, that the film explores not only how she was viewed by the public, but also how she viewed herself. This disparity is explored by contrasting recording of Ms. DiDonato singing with that of how Mrs. Jenkins actually sounded. From an acting perspective, Ms. DiDonato enjoyed exploring the challenge of portraying a singer with utmost belief in her incredibly flawed performance.

Ruth Ziesak
Joyce DiDonato
Daniel Taylor
Paul Agnew
Dietrich Henschel

“In a short interview before this concert in Notre-Dame Cathedral, John Nelson calls this performance ‘a culmination of my experience with Bach’ and it is one which is characterised by the conductor’s highly considered and distilled understanding of the score.” (Jonathan Freeman-Attwood in Gramophone)

“Watching this film is life-enhancing.” (International Record Review)

“An all-star cast… virtuoso choral singing… one of the best ever.” (The Philadelphia Inquirer)

“Intensely expressive and meticulously shaped… will bring a lump to your throat.” (Fanfare Magazine)

Conductor: Fabio Luisi
Director: Christof Loy

Opernhaus Zürich

The story of Romeo and Juliet, who pay for their passion with their lives, has been interpreted in the widest variety of literary and musical genres ever since the Renaissance. Vincenzo Bellini’s much too rarely staged Romeo and Juliet opera, I Capuleti e i Montecchi, is far removed from Shakespeare’s version: rather than telling the story of a tenderly burgeoning love, the piece is an account of the last 24 hours in the two young people’s lives. The underlying mood of the piece is thus one of melancholy – which then develops into a catastrophic maelstrom. The première of the thrilling Zurich production of this bel canto gem, directed by Christof Loy and conducted by Fabio Luisi, was enthusiastically received by critics and audiences alike. The two protagonists also met with acclaim: experience world star Joyce DiDonato in the trouser role of Romeo, with the young Ukrainia soprano Olga Kulchynska at her side as Giulietta.

Reviews

“When Joyce DiDonato is on stage, she sings everyone off the stage. The strength of her voice, her sophisticated technique, the variation of her timbre, and the different aspects of her expression coupled with her stage presence are always impressive.”

{Wenn Joyce DiDonato auf der Bühne steht, dann singt sie alle an die Wand. Die Stärke ihrer Stimme, ihre ausgefeilte Technik, die Variation ihrer Klangfarben, sowie die Facetten ihre Darstellung gekoppelt mit ihrer Bühnenpräsenz sind immer wieder beeindruckend.}

Dagmar Wacker – HuffingtonPost.de

“The Triumph of Joyce DiDonato. With Joyce DiDonato, [Fabio Luisi] won one of the world’s finest representatives of the Bellini trouser role Romeo at the Opera House. The American singer is invested in the beauty of the voice, sophisticated phrasing, of the expressiveness in the elegiac melodies of Bellini, it was an event in itself . . . Joyce DiDonato appeared incredibly boyish. Her portrayal was a bit reminiscent of Barbara Streisand’s Yentl.”

{Der Triumph von Joyce DiDonato . . . Fabio Luisi hatte schon die CD-Aufnahme von Bellinis Oper „I Capuleti e i Montecchi“ . . . Mit Joyce DiDonato holte er sich eine der weltbesten Vertreterinnen der Hosenrolle Romeo Bellinis ans Opernhaus. Was nun die amerikanische Sängerin an Schönheit der Stimme, an edler Stimmführung, an Ausdruckskraft in die elegischen Melodien Bellinis investierte, war schon ein Ereignis an sich . . . Beide Sängerinnen harmonierten auf schönste Weise. Joyce DiDonato wirkte erstaunlich burschenhaft . . . }

John H. Mueller – Online Merker

“Hands down, it was . . . the seasoned operatic powerhouse, Joyce DiDonato as Romeo, who stole the show . . . Unsurprisingly, Joyce DiDonato’s flawless voice made her Romeo a stunner. She convincingly sang, “May blood so senselessly shed indite you before Heaven” to the host of men who rejected her plea for peace between the two families . . .  her range and the way she carved out tones in both her head and chest voices were extraordinary.”

Sara Batschelet – Bachtrack.com

“The most active, dramatic part in this constellation is the Romeo of Joyce DiDonato. Even with the first incognito appearance as a messenger of peace in the house of the warring Capulets, Romeo makes it clear that he acts with total commitment and will fight for his love for Giulietta, even at the price of their own lives. Joyce DiDonato develops also vocally into the center of power of the production . . . Her energetic, demanding, and more mature sound complements the pure and almost instrumental sound of soprano Kulchynska.”

{Der aktive, handelnde Part in dieser Konstellation ist der Romeo von Joyce DiDonato. Schon mit dem ersten Inkognito-Auftritt als Friedensbote im Haus der verfeindeten Capulets macht dieser Romeo klar, dass er mit vollem Einsatz spielt und um seine Liebe zu Julia kämpfen wird, und sei es um den Preis des eigenen Lebens. Joyce DiDonato entwickelt sich auch sängerisch zum Kraftzentrum der Produktion . . . Ihr energiegeladener, fordernder, auch hörbar reiferer Ton steht komplementär zu dem reinen, fast instrumental geführten Sopran Kulchynska. Doch in ihrem grossen Liebesduett – das eher eine leidenschaftliche Diskussion als ein Unisono-Schmachten ist – und vor allem dann im gemeinsamen, eigentlich absurden Tod in der Schlussszene finden beide zu einem lyrischen Einklang, der den Lauf der Zeit anzuhalten scheint.}

Christian Wildhagen – NZZ.ch

“The tragedy of “I Capuleti ei Montecchi” by Bellini thrilled the audience at the Zurich Opera. The American mezzo Joyce DiDonato gives a fiery portrayal of Romeo . . . it is also the fiery temperament of Joyce DiDonato as Romeo . . . that brings the emotion to its peak. At the Zurich Opera, the two singers are frequently applauded, as their tones blend in beautifully . . .

From her first aria, Joyce Di Donato wonderfully portrays the lover as a warrior. The voice is alternately sharp as a blade . . . and soothing with beautiful shades of mezza voce. And her low notes are superb!”

{La tragédie «I Capuletti e i Montecchi» de Bellini fait vibrer le public à l’Opéra de Zurich. La mezzo américaine Joyce DiDonato campe un Roméo de feu . . .  Il faut aussi le tempérament de feu d’une Joyce DiDonato en Roméo . . . pour porter l’émotion à son comble. A l’Opéra de Zurich, les deux cantatrices sont très applaudies ces jours-ci, tant leurs timbres se marient admirablement . . .

Dès son premier air, Joyce Di Donato campe formidablement l’amant guerrier. La voix est tour à tour tranchante comme une lame . . . et cajoleuse dans de magnifiques nuances mezza voce . Et ses graves sont superbes!}

Julian Sykes – Le Temps

“The American singer is known for testing boundaries to give as much expression and credibility as possible to a given role. This truly shows in her portrayal of Romeo in Bellini’s deeply sad opera “I Capuleti ei Montecchi’ at Opernhaus Zurich . . .”

{Die amerikanische Sängerin ist bekannt dafür, dass sie an Grenzen geht, um einer Partie möglichst viel Ausdruck und Glaubwürdigkeit zu geben. Das zeigt sie auch als Romeo in Bellinis tieftrauriger Oper «I Capuleti e i Montecchi».}

Cordelia Fankhauser – Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen

“Joyce DiDonato has sung many Romeos, notably in Paris in 2007, alongside Anna Netrebko, or San Francisco in 2012, in the production of Vincent Boussard which was already the subject of a DVD. Very comfortable in drag and totally invested in the character she is thoroughly familiar with, the Yankee Diva gives presence and made an impulsive Romeo, violent, according to the text she recites.”

{Joyce DiDonato a beaucoup chanté Roméo, notamment à Paris en 2007, aux côtés d’Anna Netrebko, ou à San Francisco en 2012, dans la production de Vincent Boussard qui fit, déjà, l’objet d’un DVD. Très à l’aise en travesti et totalement investie dans un personnage qu’elle connaît à fond, la Yankee Diva se donne à fond et compose un Roméo impulsif, violent, conformément au texte qu’il déclame.}

Laurent Bury – ForumOpera.com

“Joyce DiDonato is a fiery Romeo with a full, round mezzo timbre, not affected by the excursions into the soprano, with a sense of style for the endless melody, full of emphasis in the “Se Romeo t’uccise un figlio”, with a rapid cabaletta and beautiful swell on “Deserto.”

{Joyce DiDonato gibt einen feurigen Romeo mit vollem, rundem Mezzoton, nicht beeinträchtigt durch die Ausflüge ins Sopranfach, mit viel Stilgefühl für die unendliche Melodie, voller Emphase im „Se Romeo t’uccise un figlio“, mit rasanter Cabaletta und schönem Schwellton auf „Deserto“.}

Ingrid Wanja – Opera Lounge

William Christie, conductor
Luc Bondy, stage director

“But it’s the grand portrait of Dejanira that holds the attention in a marvellously evocative performance from Joyce DiDonato; her departures from Handel’s notes in the cause of dramatic effect are small blots on a magnificent landscape.”
-Classical-Music.com

“Joyce DiDonato is a referential Dejanirah. And at thirty-five years of age, the remarkable American mezzo was the great successor to Marilyn Horne and seems to converge on the roads paved by lyric mezzo predecessors as diverse as Janet Baker, Cecilia Bartoli, Lorraine Hunt Lieberson, Sarah Connolly, Susan Graham and Anne Sofie von Otter, another Dejanirah of renown. The Kansas singer portrays admirably, one with Christie unleashing torrential drama from the pit becomes, her arsenal holds a surprising vocal resources and she is also an extraordinary actress; rather, revelatory interpreter – final scene of madness crowned with the famous Where Shall I Fly a milestone in a career that would take her to where she is today.”

{Joyce DiDonato es una Dejanirah referencial. Ya a sus treinta y cinco años la notable mezzo americana era la gran sucesora de Marilyn Horne y donde parecerían convergir los caminos pavimentados por mezzos líricas precursoras tan diferentes como Janet Baker, Cecilia Bartoli, Lorraine Hunt Lieberson, Sarah Connolly, Susan Graham y Anne Sofie von Otter, otra Dejanirah de temer. La cantante de Kansas se acopla admirablemente, se hace una con el dramatismo torrencial que desata Christie desde el foso, ostenta una sorprendente batería de recursos vocales y es además una actriz extraordinaria; su escena final de locura – mejor dicho, de revelatoria lucidez – coronada con el célebre Where Shall I Fly marca un hito en una carrera que la llevaría al lugar en el que se encuentra hoy.}

-Miami Clásica

“Joyce DiDonato is brilliant as Dejanira, Hercules’ threatened wife …”

-The Whole Note

Conductor: Michele Mariotti
Director: Paul Curran

The Metropolitan Opera

*Opera Magazine Disc of the Month (February, 2016)

Joyce DiDonato is the world’s greatest living mezzo-soprano, thrilling audiences with, and garnering universal critical acclaim for, her expression, stagecraft, and flawless technique. The reception of her performances in the Paul Curran production of Rossini’s La Donna del Lago for the Metropolitan Opera were no exception, and this DVD and Bluray release, whose stellar cast includes Juan Diego Florez, John Osborn and Daniela Barcellona, cements this as a signature role for DiDonato. –Amazon.com

Reviews

“Ms. DiDonato sang Rossini’s beguiling phrases with soft yet penetrating richness, subtly folding ornaments and runs into the long melodic arcs . . . The aria eventually breaks into joyous bursts of dazzling coloratura passagework, with rousing exclamations from the chorus, and Ms. DiDonato delivered . . . It was good to have the stage so bright for Ms. DiDonato’s triumphant performance of “Tanti affetti.” Besides adding an important Rossini opera to the Met’s repertory, this production gives those who have only heard her sing that aria as an encore a chance to get to know the long opera that precedes it.”

Anthony Tommasini – The New York Times

“Joyce DiDonato emerges triumphant. It doesn’t take much courage to tell the listening public that DiDonato is among the world’s greatest singing actors of any voice type; on Monday she was beyond perfect. Given the opportunity to introduce a major role to the Met’s audience, she gave a performance that may ultimately stand as a high point in her already lofty career. What we heard was one of the world’s best voices in top form—her tone was pure honey, her coloratura effortlessly fluttering, her ornamentation fearless.”

Eric C. Simpson – New York Classical Review

“Vocally she is at the top of her game. Technically a mezzo, her range is such that she can easily take soprano roles and soar. She is also a first-rate actress, convincing both as the maiden in love we first meet and as the reluctant bride-to-be. Her smile alone would melt any king’s heart.”

Wilborn Hampton – Huffington Post

“Joyce DiDonato as the much sought-after heroine is, as always, in tremendous form, no only master of all the required skills, but a sensitive actor and altogether one of the great operatic stars of the present . . . Lovers of this operatic repertoire could wish for no more. And anyone who doubts that Rossini was capable of powerful, serious drama should see this and find themselves revising their opinion.” Performance: ★★★★★

Michael Tanner – BBC Music Magazine

“. . . and in every other respect – musicianly authority, ease and accuracy in lines of fast-moving agilità, unfailingly attractive characterization and naturalness of stage deportment – this Elena, self-gathered flowers in hand, adds up to a remarkably complete and precisely-composed portrayal . . .”

-Opera Magazine

“. . . a prestigious cast, in which its absolute queen is Joyce DiDonato.

Better than June Anderson, who could present a certain coldness and a clearly insufficient focus in the low range, the American mezzo-soprano here is working in a range ideally suited to her voice. Facing the most readily apparent and formidable pitfalls, her Elena is lively, sensual and passionate, and is similar to the character of Fiona portrayed by Cyd Charisse in Brigadoon, a magical film from Vincente Minnelli.”

{. . . au sein de cette équipe de prestige, qui trouve en Joyce DiDonato sa reine absolue.

Mieux que June Anderson, à qui l’on pouvait reprocher une certaine froideur, ainsi qu’une assise nettement insuffisante dans le grave, la mezzo-soprano américaine évolue ici dans un domaine convenant idéalement à sa voix. Affrontant sans difficulté apparente les plus redoutables écueils, son Elena vive, sensuelle et ardente, n’est pas très éloignée de la Fiona qu’interprétait Cyd Charisse dans Brigadoon, film magique de Vincente Minnelli.}

Pierre Cadars – Opéra Magazine