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.

Current Episode

Boris Godunov

October 6, 2026

Modest Mussorgsky

Alexander Vedernikov [Boris Godunov] ** Glafira Koroleva [Feodor] ** Elena Shkolnikova [Xenia] ** Nina Grigorieva [Nurse] ** Andrei Sokolov [Shuisky] ** Alexander Voroshilo [Shchelkalov] ** Vladimir Matorin (bass) [Pimen] ** Vladisolav Piavko [Grigory/Dmitri] ** Irina Arkhipova [Marina Mnishek] ** Yuri Masurok [Rangoni] ** Artur Eisen [Varlaam] ** Anatoli Mishutin [Missail] ** Ludmila Simonova [Hostess] ** Janis Sporgis [Simpleton] ** Vladimir Filippov [Nikitich] ** Nikolaï Nizinenko [Mitiukha] ** Yuri Elnikov [Boyar/Khrushchov/Lavitsky] ** Vladimir Silaev [Chernikovsky] ** USSR TV and Radio Large Chorus and Symphony Orchestra ** Vladimir Fedoseyev (conductor)

  • Tosca

    Episode

    Giacomo Puccini

    Katia Ricciarelli (soprano) [Floria Tosca] ** José Carreras (tenor) [Mario Cavaradossi] ** Ruggero Raimondi (baritone) [Il barone Vitellio Scarpia] ** Gottfried Hornik (bass) [Cesare Angelotti] ** Heinz Zednik (tenor) [Spoletta] ** Fernando Corena [Un sagrestano] ** Victor von Halem (baritone) [Sciarrone] ** Victor von Halem (baritone) [Un carceriere] ** Wolfgang Bünten (tenor) [Un pastore] ** Chor der Deutschen Oper Berlin ** Schöneberger Sängerknaben ** Berlin Philharmonic ** Herbert von Karajan (conductor)

  • Pelléas et Mélisande

    Episode

    Claude Debussy

    Colette Alliot-Lugaz [Mélisande] ** Didier Henry [Pelléas] ** Gilles Cachemaille (bass) [Golaud] ** Pierre Thau [Arkel] ** Claudine Carlson [Geneviève] ** Françoise Golfier [Yniold] ** Phillip Ens [Un berger ** Un médecin] ** Chours de l'Orchestre symphonique de Montréal [Marins en coulisse, servantes mendiants] ** Orchestre symphonique de Montréal ** Charles Dutoit (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)

  • Armida

    Episode

    Antonio Salieri

    Lenneke Ruiten (soprano) [Armida] ** Florie Valiquette (soprano) [Rinaldo] ** Teresa Iervolino (mezzo-soprano) [Ismene] ** Ashley Riches (baritone) [Ubaldo] ** Les Talens Lyriques ** Christophe Rousset (conductor)

  • Hamlet

    Episode

    Ambroise Thomas

    Thomas Hampson (baritone) [Hamlet] ** June Anderson [Ophélie] ** Samuel Ramey (bass) [Claudius, Roi du Danemark] ** Gregory Kunde [Laërte] ** Denyce Graves [La Reine Gertrude] ** Jean-Philippe Courtis [Le Spectre] ** Gerard Garino [Marcellus] ** François Le Roux [Horatio] ** Michel Trempot [Polonius] ** Thierry Felix [Premier Fossoyeur] ** Jean-Pierre Furlan [Second Fossoyeur] ** Ambrosian Opera Chorus ** London Philharmonic Orchestra ** Antonio de Almeida (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)

  • Die Frau ohne Schatten

    Episode

    Richard Strauss

    Plácido Domingo (tenor) [Der Kaiser] ** Julia Varady (soprano) [Die Kaiserin] ** Reinhild Runkel [Die Amme] ** Albert Dohmen [Der Geisterbote] ** José van Dam (baritone) [Barak, der Färber] ** Hildegard Behrens (soprano) [Baraks Frau] ** Sumi Jo [Die Stimme des Falken] ** Robert Gambill [Die Erscheinung eines Jünglings] ** Alzbieta Ardam [Eine Stimme von oben] ** Eva Lind [Der Hüter der Schwelle] ** Gottfried Hornik (bass) [Der Einäugige] ** Hans Franzen [Der Einarmige] ** Wilfried Gahmlich [Der Bucklige] ** Vienna Boys Choir ** Vienna State Opera Concert Chorus ** Vienna Philharmonic ** Sir Georg Solti (conductor)

  • Medea

    Episode

    Luigi Cherubini

    Maria Callas [Medea] ** Renata Scotto (soprano) [Glauce] ** Miriam Pirazzini [Neris] ** Mirto Picchi [Giasone] ** Giuseppe Modesti [Creonte] ** Lidia Morimpietri [Prima ancella] ** Elvira Galassi [Seconda ancella] ** Alfredo Giacomotti [Capo delle guardie] ** Coro e Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala ** Tullio Serafin (conductor)

  • La fille du régiment

    Episode

    Gaetano Donizetti

    Joan Sutherland (soprano) [Marie] ** Luciano Pavarotti (tenor) [Tonio] ** Monica Sinclair [La marquise de Berkenfield] ** Jules Bruyère [Hortensius] ** Spiro Malas [Sulpice] ** Eric Garrett [Le caporal] ** Edith Coates [La duchesse de Crakentorp] ** Alan Jones [Un paysan] ** Omar Gorde [Un notaire] ** Chorus and Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden ** Richard Bonynge (conductor)

  • Der Traumgörge

    Episode

    Alexander von Zemlinsky

    David Kuebler [Görge] ** Patricia Racette [Gertraud] ** Iride Martinez [Grete] ** Andreas Schmidt (baritone) [Hans] ** Zelotes Edmund Toliver [Der Müller] ** Julian Rodescu [Der Pastor] ** Susan Anthony [Die Prinzessin] ** Machiko Obata [Eine Traumstimme] ** Michael Volle [Kaspar] ** Lothar Odinius [Züngl] ** Zelotes Edmund Toliver [Mathes] ** Natalie Karl [Marei] ** John C. Pierce [Ein Wirt] ** Machiko Obata [Eine Wirtin] ** Julian Rodescu [Ein Bauer] ** Opernchor der Hochschule für Musik Köln [Burschen und Mädchen, Dorfleute, Traumstimmen, Bauern, Kinder] ** Gürzenich-Orchester Kölner Philharmoniker ** James Conlon (conductor)

  • Macbeth

    Episode

    Giuseppe Verdi

    Leo Nucci (baritone) [Macbeth] ** Samuel Ramey (bass) [Banco] ** Shirley Verrett [Lady Macbeth] ** Anna Caterina Antonacci [Dama] ** Veriano Luchetti [Macduff] ** Antonio Barasorda [Malcolm] ** Sergio Fontana [Medico] ** Gianfranco Casarini [Servo] ** Gastone Sarti [Sicario] ** Giuseppe Morresi [Araldo] ** Natale de Carolis [Prima apparizione] ** Barbara Briscik [Seconda apparizione] ** Marco Fanti [Terza apparizione] ** Coro del Teatro Comunale di Bologna [Streghe, messaggeri del re, nobili e profughi scozzesi, sicari, soldati inglesi, bardi] ** Orchestra del Teatro Comunale di Bologna ** Riccardo Chailly (conductor)

  • Thésée

    Episode

    Jean-Baptiste Lully

    Howard Crook [Thésée] ** Laura Pudwell [Medée] ** Ellen Hargis [Æglé] ** Harry van der Kamp [Ægée] ** Suzie LeBlanc [Cleone] ** Mireille Lebel [Dorine ** Venus ** Une autre Bergere] ** Amanda Forsythe [La Grande Prestresse de Minerve ** Minerve ** Olivier Laquerre [Arcas] ** Marc Molomot [Bachus ** Un Vieillard ** Un Berger] ** Marek Rzepka [Mars ** Un Combattant] ** Aaron Engebreth [Un Plaisir] ** Un Jeux] ** Aaron Sheehan [Un autre Plaisir] ** Un Jeux ** Un Vieillard] ** Yulia Van Doren [Cerés ** Une Bergere] ** Teresa Wakim [Cerés ** Boston Early Music Festival Orchestra and Chorus ** Paul O'Dette & Stephen Stubbs (Musical Directors)