This is the first joint production of the Teatr Wielki – Polish National Opera and New York's Met. The emotions it involved escalated even further when the premiere's date was changed following the news that the biggest snowstorm in a hundred years was approaching the U.S. East Coast. With many institutions closed, including the Metropolitan Opera, the premiere was moved from 26 to 29 January 2015. The change fuelled interest in the premiere even more, as evidenced by the show being completely sold out and the standing ovation at the end. The audience's enthusiastic response was certainly largely due to the great musical interpretations by Anna Netrebko (Iolanta), Piotr Beczała (Vaudemont) and Nadja Michael (Judith) conducted by Valery Gergiev. No wonder the New York Times had previewed the premiere of this double bill as one of the current season's most intriguing events.
Read a review in the New York Times
