The Met assembled an ideal cast for François Girard’s acclaimed new production of Wagner’s final masterpiece: Jonas Kaufmann in the title role of the fool “made wise by compassion”, René Pape as Gurnemanz, the veteran Knight of the Grail, Katarina Dalayman as Kundry, Peter Mattei is Amfortas, the anguished ruler of the Grail’s kingdom, and Evgeny Nikitin sings the evil magician Klingsor.

An engrossing behind-the-scenes quasi-documentary as 10 hopefuls vie for a spot on the Met's roster.

Breaking the Waves tells the story of Bess McNeill, a religious young woman with a deep love for her husband Jan, a handsome oil rig worker. When Jan becomes paralyzed in an off-shore accident, Bess’s marital vows are put to the test as he encourages her to seek other lovers and return to his bedside to tell him of her sexual activities.

Seen in hundreds of theaters across North and South America, this is the emotionally charged culmination of Gustavo Dudamel’s 2012 Mahler Project in Los Angeles and Caracas: 1,400 American and Venezuelan performers assembled for a once-in-a-generation event and one of the most ambitious live recordings ever made.