Met Orchestra Returning to Carnegie Hall in May

Music Director James Levine Conducts Concerts with Pianist Evgeny Kissin on May 19 and an All-Wagner Program with Soprano Christine Goerke and Tenor Stefan Vinke on May 26;

Conductor David Robertson Leads the Orchestra on May 22
Joined by Soprano Renée Fleming for All-Richard Strauss Program
The MET Orchestra returns to Carnegie Hall's Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage for three exciting performances presented over eight days this May.

Music Director James Levine launches the orchestra's series on Thursday, May 19 at 8:00 p.m. when the orchestra is joined by pianist and Carnegie Hall Perspectives artist Evgeny Kissin for Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor, Op. 18. Also featured on the program is Glinka's Overture to Ruslan and Lyudmila and Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 6 in B Minor, Op. 74, "Pathétique."

Conductor David Robertson steps in for Maestro Levine on Sunday, May 22 at 3:00 p.m., leading an all-Richard Strauss program featuring soprano Renée Fleming. The program includes Strauss's Don Juan and Also sprach Zarathustra (replacing the previously announced Le bourgeois gentilhomme Suite and Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche). The remainder of the program?including lieder selections and the Four Last Songs with Ms. Fleming?remains unchanged.

Maestro Levine returns on Thursday, May 26 at 8:00 p.m. for the orchestra's third and final performance this spring, collaborating with soprano Christine Goerke and tenor Stefan Vinke in excerpts from Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen. Mr. Vinke replaces previously announced tenor Johan Botha who has withdrawn from the program due to illness.

The MET Orchestra's May 19 concert also marks the sixth and final event of Evgeny Kissin's Perspectives series which has been presented throughout Carnegie Hall's 2015-2016 season. The series, which has highlighted Mr. Kissin's artistic versatility, celebrating 25 years since he made his Carnegie Hall debut?launched in October 2015 when he appeared as soloist in Carnegie Hall's Opening Night gala performance with Alan Gilbert and the New York Philharmonic. In addition to performing two grand concertos with two New York orchestras at the beginning and end of the season, Mr. Kissin played program of piano trios with violinist Itzhak Perlman and cellist Mischa Maisky, a solo recital performed twice within one week (the first pianist to do so at Carnegie Hall since Vladimir Horowitz in the 1970s), as well as a special performance celebrating Jewish traditions in which he recited Yiddish poetry and performed music by Jewish composers this season.

The MET Orchestra is today regarded as one of the world's finest orchestras. From the time of the company's inception in 1883, the ensemble has worked with leading conductors in both opera and concert performances and has developed into an orchestra of enormous technical polish and style. The orchestra made its debut at Carnegie Hall in 1894 and has since performed at the Hall more than 80 times, most recently under the baton of James Levine in May 2015. The Metropolitan Opera's 2015-2016 season has featured 26 operas, including six new productions and 18 revivals, showcasing the talents of the finest singers, conductors and theater artists in the world.

Program Information
Thursday, May 19, 2016 at 8:00 p.m.
Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage
The MET Orchestra
James Levine, Music Director and Conductor
Evgeny Kissin, Piano

MIKHAIL GLINKA Overture to Ruslan and Lyudmila
SERGEI RACHMANINOFF Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor, Op. 18
PYOTR ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No. 6 in B Minor, Op. 74, "Pathétique"

Tickets: $63-$205

Perspectives: Evgeny Kissin

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Sunday, May 22, 2016 at 3:00 p.m.
Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage
The MET Orchestra
David Robertson, Conductor
Renée Fleming, Soprano

ALL-RICHARD STRAUSS PROGRAM
Don Juan, Op. 20
Four Last Songs
"Meinem Kinde," Op. 37, No. 3
"Liebeshymnus," Op. 32, No. 3
"Das Bächlein," Op. 88, No. 1
"Ruhe, meine Seele," Op. 27, No. 1
"Die heiligen drei Könige aus Morgenland," Op. 56, No. 6
Also sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30

Tickets: $53- $170.

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Thursday, May 26, 2016 at 8:00 p.m.
Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage
The MET Orchestra
James Levine, Music Director and Conductor
Christine Goerke, Soprano
Stefan Vinke, Tenor

RICHARD WAGNER Excerpts from Der Ring des Nibelungen

Tickets: $53-$170.

Bank of America is the Proud Season Sponsor of Carnegie Hall.

Tickets are available at the Carnegie Hall Box Office, 154 West 57th Street, or can be charged to major credit cards by calling CarnegieCharge at 212-247-7800 or by visiting the Carnegie Hall website, carnegiehall.org.

For Carnegie Hall Corporation presentations taking place in Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage, a limited number of seats, priced at $10, will be available day-of-concert beginning at 11:00 a.m. Monday through Saturday and 12:00 noon on Sunday until one hour before the performance or until supply lasts. The exceptions are Carnegie Hall Family Concerts and gala events. These $10 tickets are available to the general public on a first-come, first-served basis at the Carnegie Hall Box Office only. There is a two-ticket limit per customer.

In addition, for all Carnegie Hall presentations in Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage a limited number of partial view (seats with obstructed or limited sight lines or restricted leg room) will be sold for 50% of the full price. For more information on this and other discount ticket programs, including those for students, Notables members, and Bank of America customers, visit carnegiehall.org/discounts. Artists, programs, and prices are subject to change.