Metropolitan Opera's Summer Series To Offer Six Free Concerts Featuring Rising Stars

The 2017 Metropolitan Summer Recital Series will once again bring free outdoor recitals featuring rising young stars of the opera world to New Yorkers in all five boroughs. The series, now in its ninth year, is presented in collaboration with City Parks Foundation's SummerStage Festival and will feature six free concerts between June 12 and June 24. The first two recitals, on June 12 at 8 p.m. at Central Park SummerStage and June 14 at 7 p.m. at Brooklyn Bridge Park, will feature soprano Susanna Phillips, who starred as Clémence in the Met premiere of Kaija Saariaho's L'Amour de Loin this past season, tenor Stephen Costello, who recently starred as Roméo in Gounod's Roméo et Juliette, and mezzo-soprano Elizabeth DeShong, who's recent roles include Suzuki in Puccini's Madama Butterfly and Hermia in the Baroque pastiche The Enchanted Island, joined by pianist Dan Saunders.

Four additional recitals, again featuring Saunders, will feature soprano So Young Park, tenor Petr Nekoranec, and baritone Hyung Yun. These recitals will take place according to this schedule: Friday, June 16 at 7 p.m. in Clove Lakes Park (Staten Island); Saturday, June 17 at 7 p.m. in Crotona Park (Bronx); Friday, June 23 at 7:00 p.m. in Jackie Robinson Park (uptown Manhattan); and Saturday, June 24 at 7 p.m.in Socrates Sculpture Park (Queens).

No tickets are required for any of the performances.

The Met's Summer Recital Series will feature aria and duets from a variety of operas. There are no rain dates for any of the park recitals.

The Met's Summer Recital Series is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council, and in collaboration with the Department of Parks and Recreation. Major funding has also been provided by The Elizabeth B. McGraw Foundation, in honor of Mrs. McGraw, and the Robert Wood Johnson, Jr. Charitable Trust's Met Parks Concert Fund.

(Photo: Cory Weaver/Metropolitan Opera)