Richard Leech Debuts in the Met's THE MAKROPULOS CASE Tonight

Richard Leech will make his Met role debut as Albert Gregor in this season's performances of Janaek's The Makropulos Case, replacing Kurt Streit, who has withdrawn due to illness. The Makropulos Case opens tonight April 27 and will also be performed on May 1, 5 matinee, 8, and 11.

Leech has sung more than 150 Met performances in 12 roles, most frequently Rodolfo in Puccini's La Bohème, the title role in Gounod's Faust, the Duke of Mantua in Verdi's Rigoletto, Pinkerton in Puccini's Madama Butterfly, the title role in Offenbach's Les Contes d'Hoffmann, Cavaradossi in Puccini's Tosca, and Don José in Bizet's Carmen.

The Makropulos Case, conducted by Ji?í B?lohlávek and directed by Elijah Moshinsky, also stars Karita Mattila as Emilia Marty, Johan Reuter in his Met debut as Jaroslav Prus, and Tom Fox as Dr. Kolenaty.