Opera at Eight

In addition to the opera excerpts presented throughout the day, WETA VivaLaVoce features a complete opera at 8 pm each day: Opera at 8. These opera performances are taken from the extensive WETA Classical library, ranging from classic recordings to the most recent releases.

  • Lucia di Lammermoor

    Episode

    Gaetano Donizetti

    Joan Sutherland (soprano) [Lucia] ** Luciano Pavarotti (tenor) [Edgardo] ** Sherill Milnes [Enrico] ** Nicolai Ghiaurov (bass) [Raimondo] ** Ryland Davies [Arturo] ** Huguette Tourangeau [Alisa] ** Pier Francesco Poli [Normanno] ** Chorus and Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden ** Richard Bonynge (conductor)
  • Libuse

    Episode

    Bedřich Smetana

    Eva Urbanová [Libuse] ** Vratislav Kriz [Premysl of Stadice] ** Ludek Vele [Chrudos from Otava] ** Jan Markvart [Stahlav from Radbuza] ** Miloslav Podskalsky [Lutobor from Dobroslavsky Chlumec] ** Pavel Cervinka [Radovan from the Stone Bridge] ** Helena Kaupova [Krasava] ** Miroslava Volkova [Radmila] ** Chorus of the Prague National Theatre ** Orchestra of the Prague National Theatre ** Oliver Dohnanyi (conductor)
  • The Tsar's Bride

    Episode

    Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov

    Gennady Bezzubenkov [Vasily Stepanovich Sobakin] ** Marina Shaguch [Marfa] ** Dmitri Hvorostovsky [Grigory Grigoryevich Gryaznoy] ** Sergei Alexashkin [Grigory Lukyanovich Malyuta-Skuratov] ** Evgeny Akimov [Ivan Sergeyevich Lykov] ** Olga Borodina [Lyubasha] ** Nikolai Gassiev [Yelisey Bomelius] ** Irina Loskutova [Domna Ivanovna Saburova] ** Olga Markova-Mikhailenko [Dunyasha] ** Lyubov Sokolova [Petrovna] ** Yuri Shkliar [Stoker] ** Lyudmila Kasjanenko [Serving Girl] ** Viktor Vikhrov [Lad] ** Kirov Chorus and Orchestra, St. Petersburg ** Valery Gergiev (conductor)
  • Rusalka

    Episode

    Antonín Dvořák

    Renée Fleming [Rusalka] ** Ben Heppner [The Prince] ** Franz Hawlata [The Water goblin (Vodník)] ** Dolora Zajick [Ježibaba] ** Eva Urbanová [The foreign princess (Cizí knezna)] ** Ivan Kusnher [The Gamekeeper (Hajný) ** A Huntsman (Lovec] ** Zdena Kloubová [The Turnspit (Kuchtík)] ** Lívia Aghová [Wood Nymph (Lesní žínky)] ** Dana Buresová [Wood Nymph (Lesní žínky)] ** Hana Minutillo [Wood Nymph (Lesní žínky)] ** The Kühn Mixed Choir [The Prince's entourage, Guests, Water nymphs] ** Czech Philharmonic Orchestra ** Sir Charles Mackerras (conductor)
  • Werther

    Episode

    Jules Massenet

    Roberto Alagna (tenor) [Werther] ** Angela Gheorghiu (soprano) [Charlotte] ** Thomas Hampson (baritone) [Albert] ** Patricia Petibon (soprano) [Sophie] ** Jean-Philippe Courtis [Le Bailli] ** Jean-Paul Fouchécourt [Schmidt] ** Jean-Marie Fremeau [Johann Faust] ** Pierre Dupont [Brühlmann] ** Sophie Boulanger [Kätchen] ** James Savage-Hanford [Hans] ** Kirsty Gifford [Gretel] ** Christopher Waine [Karl] ** Sally Cannon [Clara] ** Joel Gunger [Max] ** Sarah Baillie [Fritz] ** Tiffin Children's Choir [Les Enfants] ** London Symphony Orchestra ** Antonio Pappano (conductor)
  • Ariodante

    Episode

    George Frideric Handel

    Denis Sedov [Il Re di Scozia] ** Anne Sofie von Otter (mezzo-soprano) [Ariodante] ** Lynne Dawson (soprano) [Ginevra] ** Richard Croft [Lurcanio] ** Ewa Podles [Polinesso] ** Verónica Cangemi [Dalinda] ** Luc Coadou [Odoardo] ** Chour des Musiciens du Louvre ** Les musiciens du Louvre ** Marc Minkowski (conductor)
  • Tristan und Isolde

    Episode

    Richard Wagner

    Thomas Moser [Tristan] ** Deborah Voigt [Isolde] ** Petra Lang [Brangäne] ** Peter Weber [Kurwenal] ** Robert Holl [König Marke] ** Markus Nieminen [Melot] ** Michael Roider [Ein Hirt] ** In-Sung Sim [Ein Steuermann] ** John Dickie [Ein junger Seemann] ** Vienna State Opera Chorus ** Vienna State Opera Orchestra ** Christian Thielemann (conductor)
  • Pénélope

    Episode

    Gabriel Fauré

    Jessye Norman (soprano) [Pénélope] ** Jocelyne Taillon [Euryclée] ** Colette Alliot-Lugaz [Alkandre] ** Christine Barbaux (soprano) [Phylo] ** Danielle Borst [Lydie] ** Michelle Command [Mélantho] ** Norma Lerer [Cléone] ** Alain Vanzo [Ulysse] ** Jean Dupouy [Antinoüs] ** Paul Guigue [Ctésippe] ** Gérard Friedmann [Léodès] ** Philippe Huttenlocher [Eurymaque] ** José van Dam (baritone) [Eumée] ** François Le Roux [Pisandre] ** Ensemble Vocal Jean LaForge ** Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte-Carlo ** Charles Dutoit (conductor)
  • Dorilla in Tempe

    Episode

    Antonio Vivaldi

    Maria-Cristina Kiehr [Dorilla] ** John Elwes [Elmiro] ** Philippe Cantor [Admeto] ** Jean Nirouët [Nomio] ** Consuelo Carulli [Eudamia] ** Laure Florentin [Filindo] ** Chorus of Opera Nice ** Ensemble Baroque de Nice ** Gilbert Bezzina (conductor)
  • Andrea Chénier

    Episode

    Umberto Giordano

    José Carreras (tenor) [Andrea Chénier] ** Eva Marton [Maddalena di Coigny] ** Giorgio Zancanaro [Carlo Gerard] ** Tamara Takács [La Contessa di Coigny] ** Tullio Pane [L'Incredibile] ** Franco Federici [Jean-Antoine Roucher] ** Gábor Vághelyi [Pietro Fleville] ** Klára Takács [Bersi] ** Istvan Rozsos [L'Abate] ** József Gregor [Mathieu] ** Éva Farkas [La Vecchia] ** Kázmér Sárkány [Dumas] ** Tamás Bátor [Antoine Fouquier-Tinville] ** János Tóth [Schmidt] ** József Moldvai [Maestro di Casa] ** Chorus of the Hungarian State Radio and Television ** Children's Choir of the Hungarian State Opera ** Hungarian State Orchestra ** Giuseppe Patanè (conductor)
  • La gioconda

    Episode

    Amilcare Ponchielli

    Montserrat Caballé (soprano) [La Gioconda] ** Alfreda Hodgson [La Cieca] ** Luciano Pavarotti (tenor) [Enzo Grimaldo] ** Nicolai Ghiaurov (bass) [Alvise Badoero] ** Agnes Baltsa (mezzo-soprano) [Laura] ** Sherill Milnes [Barnaba] ** John Del Carlo [Zuane] ** Regolo Romani [Isepo] ** Neil Jenkins (tenor) [Pilota ** Prima voce dalla laguna] ** Geoffrey Shaw [Seconda voce dalla laguna] ** Stephen Varcoe (baritone) [Cantore] ** Rodney Macann [Barnabotto] ** London Opera Chorus [Barnabotti ** arnsenalotti, gentiluomini e dame, mascere, marinai e mozzi, cantori, popolo] ** National Philharmonic Orchestra ** Bruno Bartoletti (conductor)
  • La bohème

    Episode

    Giacomo Puccini

    Luciano Pavarotti (tenor) [Rodolfo] ** Mirella Freni (soprano) [Mimì] ** Elizabeth Harwood (soprano) [Musetta] ** Gianni Maffeo (baritone) [Schaunard] ** Nicolai Ghiaurov (bass) [Colline] ** Rolando Panerai (baritone) [Marcello] ** Gernot Pietsch (tenor) [Parpignol] ** Michel Sénéchal (bass) [Benoît ** Hans-Dieter Appelt (bass) [Sergente dei Doganieri] ** Hans-Dietrich Pohl (bass) [Doganiere] ** Schöneberger Sängerknaben [Urchins, students, children] ** Chor der Deutschen Oper Berlin [Street vendors, men, women, milkmaids, peasants] ** Berlin Philharmonic ** Herbert von Karajan (conductor)