Opera Matinee

WETA Classical is Washington's home for opera year round. From December through early June, experience the power and passion of the Metropolitan Opera's Saturday Matinee Broadcasts. The rest of the year features performances from leading opera houses around the world.

Next Episode

Peter Grimes

November 7, 2026 1:00 pm

Benjamin Britten

A work of subtle beauty, Benjamin Britten’s Peter Grimes delivers a tragically realistic rendering of the mistrust, misunderstandings within a small 19th century fishing village, and an enigmatic fisherman accused of murdering two apprentices. A recorded performance from the Royal Opera House, London, featuring Allan Clayton and Sir Bryn Terfel.

  • Rienzi

    Rienzi

    November 14, 2026 1:00 pm

    Richard Wagner

    Wagner's early opera, composed in the French grand style, is set in 14th century Rome and based on the historical figure of Cola di Rienzo, a populist who strove to restore Rome to its former grandeur but ultimately faces objection from nobles and Church, and violence from the populace. A recorded performance from the Bayreuth Festival.
  • Adriana Lecouvreur

    Adriana Lecouvreur

    November 21, 2026 1:00 pm

    Francesco Cilea

    Cilea's romantic opera unfolds through a love triangle -- an actress, her lover and a jealous princess -- that turns deadly through a bouquet of poisonous violets. A showcase for some of history’s greatest sopranos. This recorded performance from Vienna State Opera led by Marco Armiliato.
  • La clemenza di Tito

    La clemenza di Tito

    November 28, 2026 1:00 pm

    Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Composed in Mozart's final year, an historically based tangled web of political intrigue and power plays with malevolent characters seeking to cause the downfall of the Emperor Titus, who is ultimately merciful and forgives his enemies. A recorded performance from Vienna State Opera led by Pablo Heras-Casado.
  • Samson et Dalila

    Samon et Dalila

    December 5, 2026 12:00 pm

    Camille Saint-Saëns

    Camille Saint-Saëns’s spectacular take on the Biblical story of a hero of legendary strength and the seductive beauty who attempts to overtake him. French grand opera live from the Metropolitan Opera in New York.
  • Maria Stuarda

    Maria Stuarda

    December 12, 2026 1:00 pm

    Gaetano Donizetti

    An historical chapter in English history, with political intrigue, suspicion, jealousy and revenge, in this tale of rival monarchs -- Queen Elizabeth I and Mary, Queen of Scots -- and the man caught in between. A live performance from the Metropolitan Opera with Lisette Oropesa and Angela Meade.
  • The Magic Flute

    The Magic Flute

    December 19, 2026 1:00 pm

    Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Mozart's final opera is a fairy tale morality play about human integrity, courage and the triumph of benevolence over evil, knowledge over superstition, light over darkness, represented through delightful characters and a magic flute. A special holiday, English-language abridged version live from the Metropolitan Opera.
  • Hansel and Gretel

    Hansel and Gretel

    December 26, 2026 1:00 pm

    Engelbert Humperdinck

    Humperdinck's take on a medieval fairy tale, collected by the Grimm Brother, is a spooky yet triumphant tale of a brother and sister who outwit an evil with. A special English-language version recorded in 2008 from the Metropolitan Opera.