A fantastic duo takes the stage in this Puccini opera first performed at New York's Metropolitan Opera with Toscanini conducting. Born in the Netherlands, Eva-Maria Westbroek is unique: she often plays leading roles in pieces that have ended up on the periphery of the repertoire, but does so with dazzling intensity. This time, she'll bring to life Minnie, heroine of the Wild West. Her partner Jonas Kaufmann needs no introduction, as audiences at Müpa Budapest witnessed his stunning versatility not so long ago. We will now see the star tenor playing a true bad boy in his role as the bandit Dick Johnson. The role of Sheriff Jack Rance goes to Željko Lučić, a returning guest of the Met since 2006, whose name is associated with such timeless Verdi characters as Rigoletto, Macbeth and Iago.
The conductor of the performance, Genoa-born Marco Armiliato, has conducted Puccini and Verdi productions at the New York opera for two decades. Bringing the opera to the stage is Giancarlo Del Monaco, one of the best-known and most sought-after directors, whose first work at the Metropolitan Opera was a production of La Fanciulla del West in 1991. (The director is the son of Mario Del Monaco, one of the greatest tenors of the 20th century.) In this Wild West story, the bartender at the Polka Saloon is played by Carlo Bosi, Sonora the gold miner by Michael Todd Simpson, Ashby the railroad company agent by Matthew Rose, and the minstrel Jake Wallas by Oren Gradus.

The 'Metropolitan Opera Live in HD” transmissions have been made possible through the cooperation of our partner, Cikánek Management.

Presented by: Müpa Budapest