Opera on 3 - Janacek's From the House of the Dead

This week's opera from the Met is Janacek's final opera, From the House of the Dead, based on Dostoyevsky's novel. The opera is set in a prison and focuses on the daily lives and pasts of its various inmates such as Shishkov, imprisoned for murdering his wife, and the wrongly imprisoned young Tatar Alyeya. Through their bleak existence, hope is given to the inmates by the defiance of an injured eagle, captive with them. The cast includes Willard White, Kurt Streit and Peter Mattei and is conducted by Esa-Pekka Salonen. Presented by Margaret Juntwait with guest commentator Ira Siff. Gorianchikov: Willard White (bass-baritone) Skuratov: Kurt Streit (tenor) Shishkov: Peter Mattei (tenor) Filka Morozov: Stefan Margita (tenor) Shapkin: Peter Hoare (tenor) Alyeya: Eric Stoklossa (tenor) Nikita: Peter Straka (tenor) Short Prisoner: Vladimir Chmelo (baritone) Prison Commandant: Vladimir Ognovenko (bass) Chekunov: Jeffrey Wells (bass) The Cook: Richard Bernstein (bass) Drunk Prisoner: Adam Klein (tenor) Priest: John Cheek (bass) Esa-Pekka Salonen (conductor) Chorus and Orchestra of Metropolitan Opera.