Great Performances at the Met: Season 4 (2009 - 2010)

Season 4 opens with Luc Bondy's staging of Puccini's "Tosca," starring soprano Karita Mattila as the title character, whose lover (Marcelo Álvarez) is arrested by a police chief (George Gagnidze) and threatened with death unless she gives herself to him.

A documentary about the 2007 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, in which contestants compete for cash prizes and the opportunity to launch a major operatic career. The competition is seen through the eyes of three hopefuls, including fiery 22-year-old Michael Fabiano; 25-year-old Alek Shrader, who tries to sing nine high Cs in a difficult aria; and 30-year-old Ryan Smith, who has little formal training.

Giuseppe Verdi's 1871 opera +Aida receives an interpretation by the Metropolitan Opera in this production from 2009. As directed for the stage by Gary Halvorson, and executive produced by Peter Gelb, it stars Roberto Scandiuzzi as Famfis, Johan Botha as Radamès, Dolora Zajick as 5Amneris and Violeta Urmana in the title role. The Metropolitan Opera, Orchestra, Chorus and Ballet lend accompaniment, with Donald Palumbo serving as chorus master and Daniele Gatti conducting. Gianni Quaranta designed the sets, Dada Saligeri created the costumes, and Alexei Ratmansky choreographed.

The Puccini opera "Turandot," about a ruthless Chinese princess (Maria Guleghina) who falls for an unknown prince (Marcello Giordani).

A production of Jacques Offenbach's opera "Les Contes d'Hoffmann," about the life, loves and psychological manifestations of the German Romantic author E.T.A. Hoffmann (Joseph Calleja). Antonia/Stella: Anna Netrebko. Olympia: Kathleen Kim. Giulietta: Ekaterina Gubanova.

Renée Fleming and Susan Graham star in Richard Strauss' comic "Der Rosenkavalier" as the middle-aged Marschallin and her young lover, Octavian, who falls for a woman (Miah Persson) closer to his age, but who's engaged to Marschallin's cousin (Kristinn Sigmundsson).

New York's legendary Metropolitan Opera mounted this elaborate production of Georges Bizet's +Carmen, with a production by Richard Eyre, and a cast that includes Elina Garanca in the title role, Roberto Alagna as Don José, Barbara Frittoli as Micaëla, and Teddy Tahu Rhodes as Escamillo. Rob Howell designed the sets and costumes; Christopher Wheeldon did the choreography. The production features accompaniment by the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, Chorus, and Ballet, with Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducting and Donald Palumbo serving as chorus master.

A production of Verdi's "Simon Boccanegra," starring Placido Domingo as a pirate-turned-chief magistrate. Soprano Adrianne Pieczonka costars as Amelia Grimaldi, Boccanegra's long-lost daughter.

The Ambroise Thomas opera "Hamlet," based on the Shakespeare play, starring baritone Simon Keenlyside as the prince and soprano Marlis Petersen as Ophélie. Mezzo-soprano Jennifer Larmore is Hamlet's mother, Gertrude, and James Morris is Claudius, the king who murdered Hamlet's father in order to advance to the throne.