Stars of the Met Will Perform This Sunday at "Taste of France"

Stars of the Metropolitan Opera Will Perform French Arias, Duets, and Songs As the Concluding Event of “Taste of France” Show

 Sunday, September 29 at 5 p.m. in Bryant Park 

Met stars performing at the event include Susanna Phillips, Jamie Barton,Isabel Leonard, Paul Appleby, Paulo Szot, and pianist Carrie-Ann Matheson

New York, NY (September 24, 2013) – Stars of the Metropolitan Opera will perform selections from French operas and popular songs as the concluding event of the Taste of France show on Sunday, September 29 at 5 p.m. in Manhattan’s Bryant Park. Taste of France, which takes place on September 28 and 29, is the world’s largest event dedicated to France and will showcase the most renowned aspects of French technology, cuisine, lifestyle, tourism, beauty, and culture.
Met stars who will perform at the event include soprano Susanna Phillips, whose three Met roles this season are Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte, Musetta in Puccini’s La Bohème, and Rosalinde in a new production of Johann Strauss II’s Die Fledermaus; mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton, who makes her company role debut as Adalgisa in Bellini’s Norma this season; mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard, who sings Dorabella opposite Phillips in Mozart’s Così fan tutte; tenor Paul Appleby, who stars as Brian in the North American premiere of Nico Muhly’s Two Boys; and baritone Paulo Szot, who stars as Kovalyov in the first Met revival of Shostakovich’s The Nose. The singers will be joined by Met assistant conductor Carrie-Ann Matheson on piano. Met General Manager Peter Gelb will introduce the program with brief remarks.
The Metropolitan Opera season opened September 23 with a new production of Tchaikovsy’s Eugene Onegin, conducted by Valery Gergiev and directed by Deborah Warner. The season features five additional new productions—including a new staging by Richard Eyre of Massenet’s French opera Werther—and 21 revivals. For more information on the Met’s season, please visit www.metopera.org.