The Met: Live in HD presents Hamlet at Fairfield University's Quick Center for the Arts March 27 | Press Releases

Image: Hamlet The Met: Live in HD returns to Fairfield University's Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts with Ambroise Thomas' "Hamlet" on Saturday, March 27 at 1:00 p.m. There is limited seating available for the 1:00 p.m. live performance. There will be an encore performance on the same day at 6:00 p.m. The Kelley Theatre opens one half hour prior to curtain so that audience may enjoy the pre-opera interviews hosted by Renée Fleming. This presentation is part of Fairfield University's Arts & Minds season.

The works of Shakespeare have inspired more operatic adaptations than any other writer, including Gounod's "Roméo et Juliette" and Verdi's "Macbeth," "Otello," and "Falstaff." In this new production of "Hamlet" directed by Patrice Caurier and Moshe Leiser, Simon Keenlyside and Marlis Petersen bring two of Shakespeare's unforgettable characters to life. Keenlyside's acclaimed interpretation of Hamlet in Geneva, London and Barcelona finally arrives in the United States, with a performance that was hailed in the British press as "magnificent ... sheer vocal genius." Petersen, who steps in for Natalie Dessay, brings her haunting portrayal of Ophélie to the Met; she earned praise for the role during a 2006 run in Düsseldorf.

Conducted by Louis Langrée, "Hamlet" also stars Jennifer Larmore as Gertrude, Toby Spence as Laërte and James Morris as Claudius. The creative team includes directors Caurier and Leiser, Christian Fenouillat with set designs, Agostino Cavalca with costume designs and Christophe Forey with lighting designs, all in their Met debuts.

When Thomas' "Hamlet" had its premiere in 1868, the opera featured considerable departures from the original storyline of Shakespeare's play, most notably a Hamlet who lives and is crowned king after killing Claudius. Thomas later rewrote the opera to provide an alternate ending for performances in London.

In the Met performances, the company's first since 1897, "Hamlet" will close with a tragic ending that combines the finale of the original version with the revised ending composed for London. This production first premiered in 1996 in Geneva, and went on to London and Barcelona. "Hamlet" will be performed at the Metropolitan Opera through April 9.

Expected running time is 3 hours, 43 minutes with 2 intermissions

Tickets for reserved seating are $22 general, $20 seniors and $15 for children and students. They are available online at fairfield.edu/quick or by calling the Box Office at (203) 254-4010. The toll free number is 1-877-ARTS-396. Special offers and discounts are available through the Quick Center's e-mail list. Join by contacting boxoffice@quickcenter.com . And become a fan of the Quick Center for the Arts on Facebook! Keep up-to-date with the latest performance news, plus special offers and discounts! Find the Quick Center at www.facebook.com/FairfieldQuickCenter.

Directions: Fairfield University is located off I-95, exit 22 at 1073 North Benson Road, Fairfield, CT 06824.