Kristine Oplais makes her debut in the title role of La Rondine with Italian tenor Giuseppe Filianoti in the role of Ruggero
The Production
The production of La Rondine premiered in January 2009. The directing task went to Nicolas Joel whose production had premiered prior to the Met in London at the Royal Opera House. However during the premiere run Joel did not oversee the production because he suffered a stroke and Stephen Barlow took over the task. The production, set in the 1920's features Ezio Frigerio's Art decos quare colums, furniture out of an Astaire-Rogers musical and wallpaper alive with intricate images. The pavilion on the Riviera to which Magda flees with Ruggero in Act III is a sunny room with aquamarine stained-glass walls and ceiling. When the product premiered critics called it "stunning."
