“Among the highlights on the night itself were the contributions of the two star vocal soloists . . . The Latvian soprano Kristine Opolais, Nelsons’s wife, sings a vivid “Un Bel Di” from “Madama Butterfly” as well as a smoldering duet with Kaufmann: “Tu, Tu, amore? Tu?” from Puccini’s “Manon Lescaut,” a work this pair is slated to perform together next season in a new Met production directed by Richard Eyre. For an additional opening night souvenir, the two singers also offered as an encore a melting, sweet-toned account of “O Soave Fanciulla” from the Act I finale of “La Bohème.”

Jeremy Eichler – The Boston Globe

The special premieres on PBS affiliate stations beginning May 29, 2015

Image: Tatyana Vlasova