The New York Grand Opera Stages a Free Performance of “Tosca” at Central Park’s Naumburg Bandshell

The New York Grand Opera Company presented a free outdoor performance of "Tosca" earlier this evening at Central Park's Naumburg Bandshell. Tosca is an opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini. It is a melodramatic piece set in Rome in 1800, with the Kingdom of Naples' control of Rome threatened by Napoleon's invasion of Italy. It contains depictions of torture, murder and suicide, yet also includes some of Puccini's best-known lyrical arias. Another Puccini performance (Madama Butterfly) will be offered at the same venue on July 18. The Bandshell is located south of Bethesda Terrace near 72nd Street. 

The Metropolitan Opera's Summer HD Festival Kicks Off With TOSCA At Lincoln Center Plaza

The Metropolitan Opera's popular Summer HD Festival, first presented last year, kicked off last night with the outdoor screening of Luc Bondy’s season-opening new production of Puccini’s TOSCA, starring Karita Mattila and Marcelo Álvarez. This year, 10 outstanding HD productions will be presented on consecutive nights at the Lincoln Center Plaza. The screenings are free with no tickets required; 2,800 seats will be available each night on a first-come, first-served basis. There are no rain dates. 

The Met Opera HD schedule is as follows:



Aug. 28 - “Tosca” at 8 p.m.


Aug. 29 - “The Magic Flute” at 8 p.m.


Aug. 30 - “Der Rosenkavalier” at 7:15 p.m.


Aug. 31 - “Doctor Atomic” at 7:45 p.m.


Sept. 1 - “Les Contes D’Hoffman” at 7:45 p.m.


Sept. 2 - “La Boheme” at 8 p.m.


Sept. 3 - “Hansel and Gretel” at 8 p.m.


Sept. 4 - “Turandot” at 8 p.m.


Sept. 5 - “Aida” at 8 p.m.


Sept. 6 - “Carmen” at 7:45 p.m.

The METROPOLITAN OPERA Open House Free Dress Rehearsals start with TOSCA

This morning, the Metropolitan Opera hosted its first of the three free Open Houses this season with the final dress rehearsals for “Tosca.” The “Tosca” Open House took place at 11:00 AM today, four days before the opening night gala. It stars Karita Mattila in the new Luc Bondy staging of the Puccini opera under the music direction of James Levine. The free tickets were given out at the Met box office last Sunday, September 13 two per person.

The second Open House will be held Nov. 30 for Bartlett Sher’s new production of Offenbach’s “Les Contes d’Hoffmann,” starring Joseph Calleja. The third Open House will be April 9 for Mary Zimmerman’s new production of Rossini’s “Armida” starring Renée Fleming.