Two of opera’s biggest stars, soprano Angela Gheorghiu and tenor Roberto Alagna, will perform at Prospect Park, June 20 at 8 p.m., together with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Chorus, in what is anticipated to be one of the Metropolitan Opera’s largest outdoor concerts in company history.
“Met Summer Concert: Live in Prospect Park” is expected to draw an audience of up to 150,000 people, who will be drawn from all five boroughs and the suburbs. The performance will be broadcast live on WQXR-FM (96.3 FM), and streamed live on the Met’s website, www.metopera.org.
The married star couple of Gheorghiu and Alagna will sing popular arias and duets by Verdi, Puccini, Donizetti, Massenet, and others, conducted by Ion Marin.
Gheorghiu and Alagna will perform on a larger than normal stage in Prospect Park’s Long Meadow baseball fields, surrounded by six jumbo video screens that will be strategically placed throughout the area to maximize the viewing experience.
The concert is presented in partnership with the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, Commissioner Kate D. Levin; Department of Parks & Recreation, Commissioner Adrian Benepe; Bank of America, corporate sponsor; and the office of the Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, with support from the Borough Presidents of Manhattan, Queens, Bronx, and Staten Island.
In order to attract the widest possible audience for “Met Summer Concert: Live in Prospect Park,” 25,000 pre-paid MTA MetroCards will be provided by Bank of America at selected banking locations in each of the five New York City boroughs.
The MetroCards, which come in a commemorative holder, will be available beginning June 16, on a first-come, first-served basis at the branch located at 449 Myrtle Avenue.
Each person who picks up a MetroCard will also receive a card that, once scanned at Prospect Park, will make them eligible for free prizes, which include tickets to a performance during the Metropolitan Opera’s upcoming season, or Grand Prizes of a vacation package or a cash gift provided by the bank.
WQXR, “The New Yorker” magazine, and NY1 are the official media sponsors for the event and will provide promotional and editorial support to provide maximum visibility and accessibility to opera lovers throughout the city.
The concert begins at 8 p.m. at Prospect Park, 95 Prospect Park West. The rain date is scheduled for June 21, also at 8 p.m.
For more, call 212-362-6000 or visit www.metopera.org/park.
