XM has partnered with the Washington National Opera (WNO) to feature a new series aptly titled "Washington National Opera on XM" starting next week.
"Washington National Opera on XM" will debut on Tuesday, August 28th, with WNO's production of Norma, Bellini's bel canto drama about a Druid high priestess betrayed by her lover during the era of Roman occupation, which features two of opera’s most memorable tunes "Mira, O Norma" and "Casta Diva." Hasmik Papian sings the title role with Irina Mishura as Adalgisa and Richard Margison as Pollione.
Additional operas from WNO's recent seasons will premiere on XM's inaugural run of the program, including La Cenerentola, Die Walküre, A Streetcar Named Desire, Manon Lescaut, and La traviata.
"Washington National Opera on XM" will air Tuesdays at 12-noon ET on XM's opera/vocals channel VOX (ch 112), with encore broadcasts Fridays at 6pm ET and Saturdays at 12-midnight ET.
View a schedule of operas to air through early-October after the jump...
Vincenzo Bellini's Norma
August 28, 12 noon ET
Encore broadcasts:
August 31, 6 p.m. ET
September 1, 12 midnight ET
Emmanuel Villaume, conductor
Norma: Hasmik Papian
Adalgisa: Irina Mishura
Pollione: Richard Margison
Gioachino Rossini's La Cenerentola
September 4, 12 noon ET
Encore broadcasts:
September 7, 6 p.m. ET
September 8, 12 midnight ET
Riccardo Frizza, conductor
Angelina: Sonia Ganassi
Don Ramiro: Jesús Garcia
Dandini: Simone Alberghini
Don Magnifico: Alfonso Antoniozzi
Richard Wagner's Die Walküre
September 11, 12 noon ET
Encore broadcasts:
September 14, 6 p.m. ET
September 15, 12 midnight ET
Heinz Fricke, conductor
Brünnhilde: Janice Watson
Sieglinde: Anja Kampe
Fricka: Elena Zaremba
Siegmund: Plácido Domingo
Wotan: Alan Held
Hunding: Kurt Rydl
André Previn's A Streetcar Named Desire
September 18, 12 noon ET
Encore broadcasts:
September 21, 6 p.m. ET
September 22, 12 midnight ET
André Previn, conductor
Blanche DuBois: Susannah Glanville
Stella Kowalski: Peggy Kriha Dye
Mitch: Anthony Dean Griffey
Stanley Kowalski: Teddy Tahu Rhodes
Giacomo Puccini's Manon Lescaut
September 25, 12 noon ET
Encore broadcasts:
September 28, 6 p.m. ET
September 29, 12 midnight ET
Plácido Domingo, conductor
Manon: Verónica Villarroel
des Grieux: Franco Farina
Lescaut: Roberto Servile
Giuseppe Verdi's La traviata
October 2, 12 noon ET
Encore broadcasts:
October 5, 6 p.m. ET
October 6, 12 midnight ET
Giovanni Reggioli, conductor
Violetta: Hei-Kyung Hong
Alfredo: John Matz
Germont: Jorge Lagunes
Well, this is probably a good thing for XM subscribers, but I can't say I'm too happy about it. Ever since Sirius changed their classical vocal station to Metropolitan Opera Radio, fans of choral music have gotten the short-stick there, and as a consequence, I've been spending more time at XM's Vox. Now, I'm going to have less time for choral music on Vox.
Aparrently the universe (or satellite radio, at least) is not set up just to please me. ;-)