GREAT PERFORMANCES AT THE MET: Un Ballo In Maschera

The Met’s new production of "Un Ballo in Maschera," Verdi's classic drama of political intrigue and thwarted romance, staged by acclaimed opera director David Alden and led by Met Principal Conductor Fabio Luisi, airs on GREAT PERFORMANCES AT THE MET.

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Marcelo Álvarez as King Gustavo III and Sondra Radvanovsky as Amelia in Verdi's "Un Ballo in Maschera."

Courtesy of Ken Howard/Metropolitan Opera

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Sondra Radvanovsky as Amelia and Stephanie Blythe as Madame Ulrica Arvidsson in Verdi's "Un Ballo in Maschera."

Courtesy of Marty Sohl/Metropolitan Opera

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Dmitri Hvorostovsky as Count Anckarström and Marcelo Álvarez as Gustavo III in Verdi's "Un Ballo in Maschera."

Courtesy of Ken Howard/Metropolitan Opera

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Mark Schowalter as the Judge and Kathleen Kim as Oscar in Verdi's "Un Ballo in Maschera."

Courtesy of Ken Howard/Metropolitan Opera

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Marcelo Álvarez (center) as King Gustavo III in Verdi's "Un Ballo in Maschera."

Courtesy of Ken Howard/Metropolitan Opera

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A scene from Verdi's "Un Ballo in Maschera" with Dmitri Hvorostovsky as Count Anckarström and Sondra Radvanovsky as Amelia.

Courtesy of Ken Howard/Metropolitan Opera

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Dmitri Hvorostovsky (center) as Count Anckarström in Verdi's "Un Ballo in Maschera."

Courtesy of Ken Howard/Metropolitan Opera

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Dmitri Hvorostovsky as Count Anckarström and Sondra Radvanovsky as Amelia in Verdi's "Un Ballo in Maschera."

Courtesy of Jonathan Tichler/Metropolitan Opera

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Marcelo Álvarez as Gustavo III with Kathleen Kim as Oscar in Verdi's "Un Ballo in Maschera."

Courtesy of Ken Howard/Metropolitan Opera

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Kathleen Kim as Oscar and Marcelo Álvarez as King Gustavo III in Verdi's "Un Ballo in Maschera."

Courtesy of Ken Howard/Metropolitan Opera

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A scene from Verdi's "Un Ballo in Maschera" with Kathleen Kim as Oscar and Dmitri Hvorostovsky as Count Anckarström.

Courtesy of Jonathan Tichler/Metropolitan Opera

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A scene from Verdi's "Un Ballo in Maschera."

Courtesy of Jonathan Tichler/Metropolitan Opera

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A scene from Verdi's "Un Ballo in Maschera" with Marcelo Álvarez as Gustavo III.

Courtesy of Jonathan Tichler/Metropolitan Opera

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A scene from Verdi's "Un Ballo in Maschera" with Sondra Radvanovsky as Amelia, Marcelo Álvarez as Gustavo III, and Dmitri Hvorostovsky as Count Anckarström.

Courtesy of Jonathan Tichler/Metropolitan Opera

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Dmitri Hvorostovsky as Count Anckarström and Marcelo Álvarez as Gustavo III in Verdi's "Un Ballo in Maschera."

Courtesy of Ken Howard/Metropolitan Opera

Some of the Met's leading Verdi stars take on the central roles in the opera's love triangle: Marcelo Álvarez as the ill-fated King Gustavo III; Dmitri Hvorostovsky as his best friend and eventual rival, Count Anckarström; and Sondra Radvanovsky as Amelia, Anckarström's wife and the object of the king's secret passion.

Kathleen Kim sings the coloratura role of Oscar, Gustavo's page, and Stephanie Blythe is Mme. Ulrica Arvidsson, a fortune-teller with ominous news for the king. Soprano Deborah Voigt hosts the transmission and conducts backstage interviews with the stars.

When the production debuted at the Met in November, the Associated Press hailed it as "An intriguing, fresh look at one of the essential works of the repertory,” while the Huffington Post sang the praises of "(a)n excellent cast who bring all the emotion, tenderness, and tension to a score that is both exciting and haunting.”

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"Kathleen Kim

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"Dmitri Hvorostovsky as Count Anckarström performs in "Un Ballo In Maschera" which airs Sunday