The Met Live in HD Screens THE MERRY WIDOW, AIDA at Ridgefield Playhouse

Following a successful season presenting The Met Opera Live in HD, three extraordinary productions return to the big screen at The Ridgefield Playhouse as part of their Summer Encore Series, including the blockbuster hit The Merry Widow tonight, July 31 at 7:00 p.m.

Celebrated soprano and musical ambassador, Renée Fleming stars in Susan Stroman's new production of Lehár's beloved operetta.

The story, which centers on an attractive widow from a Balkan land, now living in Paris, whose husband left her a fortune, touches on wistful emotions that often well up with the coming of a new year: the byways of romantic attachment, the passing of time, the difficulty of amending lost opportunities.

Finishing the Summer Encore Series on Friday, August 8 at 6:00 p.m. is Verdi's Aida, one of the world's best-known operas.

From the soft, stirring notes of the prelude to the magnificent Triumphal March and the heart-wrenching finale, Aida has captured the imaginations of operagoers for nearly a century and a half. At first glance an epic, monumental drama of ancient Egypt, it is at its heart the simplest and most tragic of tales -- an intimate story of loves forbidden, unrequited and enmeshed in a struggle for imperial power. Verdi's boldly atmospheric and colorful score never overwhelms the expressions of tenderness, jealousy, and longing that drive its three central characters: Liudmyla Monastyrska is Aida, the enslaved Ethiopian princess in love with the Egyptian warrior Radamès, sung by Roberto Alagna, and Olga Borodina is her rival, Amneris. Met Principal Conductor Fabio Luisi is on the podium.

Before each performance, visit Bernard's (20 West Lane, Ridgefield) for a special prix fixe menu when tickets are presented. The Met Opera Live in HD Series is made possible by the generous underwriting of Jeanne Cook, Anita and Nicholas Donofrio, Liz and Steven Goldstone, Sabina and Walter Slavin, with support from The Ridgefield Press and Whistle Stop Bakery.

In addition to seeing these world class performances, Met opera stars host the HD series, conducting interviews with cast, crew and production teams and introducing the popular behind-the-scenes features, an extra treat for HD fans. Altogether the worldwide HD audience is given an unprecedented look at what goes into staging an opera at one of the world's great houses.

For tickets ($25, Members and Seniors $20, Students $15), call the box office at 203-438-5795 or order online at ridgefieldplayhouse.org. Free tickets are offered to students 18 and under when ID is presented at the box office. The Ridgefield Playhouse is a not-for-profit performing arts center located at 80 East Ridge, parallel to Main Street, Ridgefield, CT.

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