17 episodes
The Met: In Focus The Metropolitan Opera
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- Music
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4.7 • 101 Ratings
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In Focus, a new podcast series from the Metropolitan Opera, introduces audience members to the operatic masterpieces presented in the company’s award-winning Live in HD cinema transmissions. Hosted by Met radio commentator and staff writer William Berger, In Focus provides historical context about the works and their creators, as well as insightful commentary about the drama and the music, accompanied by excerpts from past Met performances. For more information and a Live in HD schedule, visit metopera.org.
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Wagner’s Der Fliegende Holländer
A spectral sea captain, cursed to wander the open ocean for eternity—unless the true love of a woman can save him. Learn more about Wagner’s Der Fliegende Holländer with our In Focus podcast, hosted by author, Met radio commentator, and staff writer William Berger.
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Handel's Agrippina
Powerful men and—especially—women deceive and seduce one another to achieve their selfish ends, in a political satire as relevant now as ever. Learn more about Handel’s Agrippina with our In Focus podcast, hosted by author, Met radio commentator, and staff writer William Berger.
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Berg's Wozzeck
An ordinary soldier is driven to madness and murder by an intolerable cocktail of humiliation, jealousy, and the indignities of daily life—his suffering made visceral by one of opera’s most powerful scores. Learn more about Berg’s Wozzeck with our In Focus podcast, hosted by author, Met radio commentator, and staff writer William Berger.
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Glass's Akhnaten
A young pharaoh transforms ancient Egypt with his revolutionary religious ideas—a tale made modern through Philip Glass’s mesmerizing and distinctive musical style. Learn more about Akhnaten with our In Focus podcast, hosted by author, Met radio commentator, and staff writer William Berger.
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Puccini's Madama Butterfly
A clash of cultures and the heartless abandonment of a naïve young Japanese geisha lead to one of opera’s most devastating and emotionally direct tragedies. Learn more about Puccini’s Madama Butterfly with our In Focus podcast, hosted by Met radio commentator and staff writer William Berger.
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Massenet's Manon
A beautiful ingénue with a taste for the finer things makes her way to Paris, where she becomes irresistible to the men around her—including the passionate Chevalier des Grieux, whose all-consuming love for her leads to ruin. Learn more about Massenet’s Manon with our In Focus podcast, hosted by Met radio commentator and staff writer William Berger.
Customer Reviews
Great for a quick easy way to get the gist
the Met Opera Guild will delve deeper into each opera- bit with this podcast I get a neat package that explores all the necessary components of the work. I love listening to it right before seeing the show so that I’m as informed and excited as I can be.
Never appreciated Opera.
I never appreciated Opera. I didn’t even know where to begin. Did some research and found this podcast.
I dove right in with what was the most recent podcast. Then I started going back to previous episodes. I can now hold a conversation with the most snootiest upper class folk.
I also started to understand the complexities of the music and stories. Definitely a must for newbies as well as hardcore enthusiasts of this particular art-form that is both unique and complex.
William Berger is great
We look forward to listening to William Berger‘s podcast while we are driving to each HD performance. William Berger has the ability to make us excited about the opera we are about to see.