MET Opera 'Live In HD' Presents DER ROSENKAVALIER AND CARMEN In January At Town Hall Theatre

Richard Strauss and George Bizet play Middlebury in January, as their most famous works are broadcast live from Lincoln Center.

The popular Metropolitan Opera "Live in HD" series continues with Der Rosenkavalier on January 9 and Carmen on January 16 and 24.

The soprano Renée Fleming first sang the role of the Marschallin in Strauss's Rosenkavalier at the Metropolitan Opera in early 2000, to wide acclaim. The Octavian during that run was the mezzo-soprano Susan Graham, who had triumphed in the role since her first Met performances in 1995. This season the two are reunited. Both Ms. Fleming, who had not sung the role in nearly a decade, and Ms. Graham have once again received rave reviews. James Levine conducts.

This year's Carmen aroused a lot of interest when it was announced that fiery soprano Angela Gheorghiu would play the title role - written for a mezzo-soprano. When she withdrew, the production aroused even greater interest when her replacement turned out to be one of the most talked-about new singers, Latvian soprano Elina Garan?a. Anyone who saw her in last year's broadcast of Rossini's La Cenerentola could see a star in the making, with a voice of exceptional beauty and agility. She's also a knock-out, an asset in an art form that is placing new emphasis on a singer's stage presence.

Der Rosenkavalier will be presented live on Saturday, January 9, at 1 pm. Tickets are $22.

Carmen will be presented live on January 16 at 1 pm ($22), with an encore performance on January 24 at 3 pm ($22/$10 student).

Tickets may be purchased at www.townhalltheater.org, by calling 802 382-9222, in person at the THT Box Office (Monday-Saturday, noon-5), or at the door if available.