In Focus, a new podcast series from the Metropolitan Opera, introduces audience members to the operatic masterpieces presented in the company’s award-winning Live in HD cinema transmissions. Hosted by Met radio commentator and staff writer William Berger, In Focus provides historical context about the works and their creators, as well as insightful commentary about the drama and the music, accompanied by excerpts from past Met performances. For more information and a Live in HD schedule, visit metopera.org.
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A spectral sea captain, cursed to wander the open ocean for eternity—unless the true love of a woman can save him. Learn more about Wagner’s Der Fliegende Holländer with our In Focus podcast, hosted by author, Met radio commentator, and staff writer William Berger.
Powerful men and—especially—women deceive and seduce one another to achieve their selfish ends, in a political satire as relevant now as ever. Learn more about Handel’s Agrippina with our In Focus podcast, hosted by author, Met radio commentator, and staff writer William Berger.
An ordinary soldier is driven to madness and murder by an intolerable cocktail of humiliation, jealousy, and the indignities of daily life—his suffering made visceral by one of opera’s most powerful scores. Learn more about Berg’s Wozzeck with our In Focus podcast, hosted by author, Met radio commentator, and staff writer William Berger.
A young pharaoh transforms ancient Egypt with his revolutionary religious ideas—a tale made modern through Philip Glass’s mesmerizing and distinctive musical style. Learn more about Akhnaten with our In Focus podcast, hosted by author, Met radio commentator, and staff writer William Berger.
A clash of cultures and the heartless abandonment of a naïve young Japanese geisha lead to one of opera’s most devastating and emotionally direct tragedies. Learn more about Puccini’s Madama Butterfly with our In Focus podcast, hosted by Met radio commentator and staff writer William Berger.
A beautiful ingénue with a taste for the finer things makes her way to Paris, where she becomes irresistible to the men around her—including the passionate Chevalier des Grieux, whose all-consuming love for her leads to ruin. Learn more about Massenet’s Manon with our In Focus podcast, hosted by Met radio commentator and staff writer William Berger.
In ancient China, a princess tests the worthiness of her suitors by posing a series of riddles—killing those who answer incorrectly—until a brave warrior proves he’s up to the challenge. Learn more about Puccini’s Turandot with our In Focus podcast, hosted by Met radio commentator and staff writer William Berger.
From a convent in northeastern France, amid the chaos of the Revolution, an order of nuns commit the ultimate act of martyrdom, giving opera one of its most devastating and unforgettable final scenes. Learn more about Francis Poulenc’s Dialogues des Carmélites with our In Focus podcast, hosted by Met radio commentator and staff writer William Berger.
A gallant warrior-goddess bravely defies her father to save a mortal from certain death. Her sisters chime in with one of music’s most famous battle cries. Learn more about Wagner’s Die Walküre with our In Focus podcast, hosted by Met radio commentator and staff writer William Berger.
She’s a spunky orphan brought up by an army regiment in the Alps. He’s the local country boy who falls in love with her. Together, they deliver unforgettable vocal fireworks, in Donizetti’s bel canto charmer. Learn more about La Fille du Régiment with our In Focus podcast, hosted by Met radio commentator and staff writer William Berger.
She’s one of opera’s iconic heroines, the irresistible gypsy seductress who leads her jealous lover to tragedy. Learn more about Bizet’s Carmen with our In Focus podcast, hosted by Met radio commentator and staff writer William Berger.
A passionate, larger-than-life stage actress vies with a conniving princess for the love of the same dashing count. Learn more about Cilea’s Adriana Lecouvreur with our In Focus podcast, hosted by Met radio commentator and staff writer William Berger.
Love. Heartbreak. Death. A classic tragedy and a classic opera. Learn more about Verdi’s La Traviata with our In Focus podcast, hosted by Met radio commentator and staff writer William Berger.
Theft, denial, deceit, and a captivating, enigmatic heroine. Learn more about composer Nico Muhly and librettist Nicholas Wright’s new opera Marnie with our In Focus podcast, hosted by Met radio commentator and staff writer William Berger.
A gun-slinging heroine. A romantic tale of the Wild West. The first great opera with an American setting. Learn more about Puccini’s La Fanciulla del West with our In Focus podcast, hosted by Met radio commentator and staff writer William Berger.
An immortal biblical tale. An underrated operatic masterpiece, with some of the repertory’s most luscious and seductive music. Learn more about Samson et Dalila with our In Focus podcast, hosted by Met radio commentator and staff writer William Berger.
Verdi's Aida delves into the Metropolitan Opera's presentation of this grand work, examining its unique blend of massive spectacle and clear psychological drama. The episode details the central love triangle involving Aida, Amneris, and Radames, emphasizing Aida's internal conflict between love and duty to her country. It also discusses Verdi's compositional genius, the opera's exotic themes, and the demanding vocal and dramatic qualities required for the title role, showcasing how the music conveys deep emotional struggles.
