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

Elektra

February 1, 2026

Richard Strauss

Regina Resnik [Klytämnestra] ** Birgit Nilsson (soprano) [Elektra] ** Marie Collier [Chrystotemis] ** Gerhard Stolze [Aegisth] ** Tom Krause [Orest] ** Tugomir Franc [Der Pfleger] ** Margareta Sjöstedt [Die Vertraute] ** Margarita Lilowa [Die Schleppträgerin] ** Helen Watts (alto) [Erste Magd] ** Maureen Lehane [Zweite Magd] ** Yvonne Minton (mezzo-soprano) [Dritte Magd] ** Jane Cook [Vierte Magd] ** Felicia Weathers [Fünfte Magd] ** Pauline Tinsley [Aufseherin] ** Gerhard Unger [Junger Diener] ** Leo Heppe [Alter Diener] ** Vienna Philharmonic ** Sir Georg Solti (conductor)

  • The Golden Cockerel

    Episode

    Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov

    Artur Eisen [King Dodon] ** Arkadiy Mishenkin [Prince Gvidon] ** Vladimir Redkin (baritone) [Prince Afron] ** Nikolaï Nizinenko [Commander Voyevoda Polkan] ** Nina Gaponova [Housekeeper Amelfa] ** Oleg Biktimirov [The Astrologer] ** Elena Brileva [Queen of Shemakha] ** Irena Udalova [The Golden Cockerel] ** Chorus of the Bolshoi Theatre Moscow [Boyars, Soldiers, Warriors, Crowd, Slaves, Guards] ** Orchestra of the Bolshoi Theatre Moscow ** Evgeny Svetlanov (conductor)

  • Serse (Xerxes)

    Episode

    George Frideric Handel

    Judith Malafronte [Serse (Xerxes)] ** Jennifer Smith (soprano) [Romilda] ** Lisa Milne (soprano) [Atalanta] ** Susan Bickley [Amastre] ** Brian Asawa [Arsamene] ** David Thomas [Elviro] ** Dean Ely [Ariodate] ** Hanover Band and Chorus ** Nicholas McGegan (conductor)

  • Les Pêcheurs de perles

    Episode

    Georges Bizet

    Janine Micheau [Leïla] ** Nicolai Gedda [Nadir] ** Ernest Blanc [Zurga] ** Jacques Mars [Nourabad] ** Chours du Théâtre National de l'Opéra-Comique ** Orchestre du Théâtre National de l'Opéra-Comique ** Pierre Dervaux (conductor)

  • Daphne

    Episode

    Richard Strauss

    Renée Fleming (soprano) [Daphne] ** Kwangchul Youn [Peneios] ** Lisa Larsson (soprano) [Gaea] ** Michael Schade [Leukippos] ** Johan Botha [Apollo] ** Eike Wilm Schulte [Shepherd] ** Cosmin Ifrim [Shepherd] ** Gregory Reinhart [Shepherd] ** Carsten Wittmoser [Shepherd] ** Julia Kleiter [Maid] ** Twyla Robinson [Maid] ** Herren des WDR Rundfunkchors Köln ** WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln ** Semyon Bychkov (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)

  • Paride ed Elena

    Episode

    Christoph Willibald Gluck

    Magdalena Kozená [Paride] ** Susan Gritton (soprano) [Elena] ** Carolyn Sampson [Amore] ** Gillian Webster [Pallade] ** Gabrieli Consort and Players ** Paul McCreesh (conductor)

  • Khovanshchina

    Episode

    Modest Mussorgsky

    Aage Haugland (bass) ** Vladimir Atlantov [Prince Andrei Khovansky] ** Vladimir Popov [Prince Vasili Golitsyn] ** Anatoly Kotcherga (bass) ** Paata Burchuladze [Dosifei] ** Marjana Lipovsek (alto) [Marfa] ** Brigitte Poschner-Klebel (soprano) ** Heinz Zednik (tenor) [Scribe] ** Joanna Borowska [Emma] ** Wilfried Gahmlich [Kuzka] ** Peter Köves [Strelyets] ** Goran Simic [Strelyets] ** Peter Köves [Varsonofiev] ** Bojidar Nikolov (tenor) ** Vienna State Opera Concert Chorus ** Slovak Philharmonic Choir, Bratislava ** Vienna Boys Choir ** Vienna State Opera Orchestra ** Claudio Abbado (conductor)

  • Il turco in Italia

    Episode

    Gioachino Rossini

    Michele Pertusi [Selim] ** Cecilia Bartoli (mezzo-soprano) [Donna Fiorilla] ** Alessandro Corbelli [Don Geronio] ** Ramon Vargas [Don Narciso] ** Roberto de Candia (baritone) [Poeta] ** Laura Polverelli [Zaida] ** Francesco Piccoli [Albazar] ** Coro e Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala ** Riccardo Chailly (conductor)

  • Die Walküre

    Episode

    Richard Wagner

    Jon Vickers [Siegmund] ** Martti Talvela [Hunding] ** Thomas Stewart (baritone) [Wotan] ** Gundula Janowitz [Sieglinde] ** Régine Crespin (soprano) [Brünnhilde] ** Josephine Veasey [Fricka] ** Liselotte Rebmann [Gerhilde] ** Carlotta Ordassy [Ortlinde] ** Ingrid Steger [Waltraute] ** Lilo Brockhaus [Schwertleite] ** Daniza Mastilovic [Helmwige] ** Barbro Ericson [Siegrune] ** Cvetka Ahlin [Grimgerde] ** Helga Jenckel [Roßweisse] ** Berlin Philharmonic ** Herbert von Karajan (conductor)

  • Le nozze di Figaro

    Episode

    Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Thomas Hampson (baritone) [Count Almaviva] ** Kiri Te Kanawa (soprano) [Countess Almaviva] ** Dawn Upshaw (soprano) [Susanna] ** Ferruccio Furlanetto (bass) [Figaro] ** Anne Sofie von Otter (mezzo-soprano) [Cherubino] ** Tatiana Troyanos [Marcellina] ** Paul Plishka [Bartolo] ** Anthony Lacuira [Basilio] ** Michael Forest [Don Curzio] ** Renato Capecchi [Antonio] ** Heidi Grant [Barbarina] ** Joyce Guyer [Contadina] ** Stella Zambalis [Contadina] ** The Metropolitan Opera Chorus ** The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra ** James Levine (conductor)

  • I Vespri Siciliani

    Episode

    Giuseppe Verdi

    Cheryl Studer (soprano) [Elena] ** Chris Merritt [Arrigo] ** Giorgio Zancanaro [Monforte] ** Ferruccio Furlanetto [Procida] ** Gloria Banditelli [Ninetta] ** Ernesto Gavazzi [Danieli] ** Enzo Capuano [Bethune] ** Francesco Musinu [Vaudemont] ** Paolo Barbacini [Tebaldo] ** Marco Chingari [Roberto] ** Ferrero Poggi [Manfredo] ** Coro del Teatro alla Scala [Sicilian men and women, French soldiers] ** Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala ** Riccardo Muti (conductor)

  • Roméo et Juliette

    Episode

    Charles Gounod

    Roberto Alagna (tenor) [Roméo] ** Angela Gheorghiu (soprano) [Juliette] ** José van Dam (baritone) [Frère Laurent] ** Marie-Ange Todorovitch [Stéphano] ** Simon Keenlyside (baritone) [Mercutio] ** Alain Fondary [Capulet] ** Claire Larcher [Gertrude] ** Daniel Galvez Vallejo [Tybalt] ** Guy Flechter [Benvolio] ** Didier Henry [Pâris] ** Till Fecnher [Grégorio] ** Alain Vernhes [Le Duc] ** Christophe Fel [Frère Jean] ** Anne Constantin [Manuela] ** Doris Lamprecht [Pepita] ** Yann Beuron [Angelo] ** Chœur et Orchestre du Capitole de Toulouse ** Michel Plasson (conductor)