Piotr Beczala to Tour After Debut at Met

Internationally-renowned tenor Piotr Beczala wowed critics and Metropolitan Opera audiences, alike, Monday evening (March 26) with his first assumption of the role of the hapless and hopelessly romantic Chevalier des Grieux in Massenet's Manon. Mr. Beczala shares the stage with soprano Anna Netrebko as the work's seductive, eponymous heroine. This new production, directed by Laurent Pelly, receives eight subsequent performances (March 31e; April 3, 7m, 11, 14e, 17, 20 & 23) www.metoperafamily.org

The April 7 Manon will be a part of the Met's popular "Live in HD" series, currently seen in over 1700 theaters in 54 countries. In coming months it will be aired on PBS and subsequently available for commercial release on DVD.

Following the conclusion of Manon's run, the Polish-born singer travels to the Los Angeles-area to offer his first recital in any theater on April 28, 2012 as part of the Broad Stage series in Santa Monica, California. The tenor is accompanied for this auspicious debut by distinguished pianist Brian Zeger. The program consists of a mixture of arias and songs in seven languages by such composers as Beethoven, Gounod, Lehár, Leoncavallo, Rimsky-Korsakov, Rossini, Schumann, R. Strauss, Tchaikovsky and Verdi, and will also include rarely-heard works by Stanislaw Moniuszko (1819-1872), Mieczyslaw Karlowicz (1876-1909) and Karol Szymanowski (1882-1937).

The Eli and Edythe Broad Stage at Santa Monica College Performing Arts Center opened its doors in 2008 and presents a wide array of programming for audiences of all tastes and ages. It has quickly been hailed for its contribution to the Los Angeles-area's cultural community through excellence in education and the arts and in their efforts to help to build a new generation of audiences and artists. For ticket availability or further information on Mr. Becza?a's recital, call 310.434.3200 or go to www.thebroadstage.com.