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The Best Episodes of Great Performances at the Met

Every episode of Great Performances at the Met ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of Great Performances at the Met!

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The Metropolitan Opera's series of live performance transmissions to movie theaters around the world.

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
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    Great Performances at the Met Season 3 Episode 5 - Thaïs
    9.0/10(35 votes)

    #1 - Thaïs

    S3:E5

    Soprano Renée Fleming stars in the title role of Jules Massenet's "Thaïs," about an Egyptian courtesan who causes the fall from grace of a monk (Thomas Hampson). Nicias: Michael Schade. Palémon: Alain Vernhes. La Charmeuse: Leah Partridge.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  2. Great Performances at the Met Season 1 Episode 4 - Eugene Onegin
    8.9/10(83 votes)

    #2 - Eugene Onegin

    S1:E4

    Tchaikovsky's “Eugene Onegin,” starring Renée Fleming as Tatiana, a young Russian who's rebuffed by the object of her affection, Eugene Onegin (Dmitri Hvorostovsky). Years later, after she has married a prince (Sergei Aleksashkin), the two meet again and Onegin realizes his error. Olga: Elena Zaremba. Larina: Svetlana Volkova. Lenski: Ramón Vargas.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  3. Great Performances at the Met Season 5 Episode 4 - La Fanciulla del West
    8.9/10(30 votes)

    #3 - La Fanciulla del West

    S5:E4

    A production of Puccini's "La Fanciulla del West," about an Old West saloon owner (Deborah Voigt) in a California gold-rush town who'll stop at nothing to get the man (Marcello Giordani) she wants. Originally broadcast live in movie theaters as part of The Met: Live in HD series.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  4. Great Performances at the Met Season 7 Episode 1 - L'Elisir d'Amore
    8.9/10(31 votes)

    #4 - L'Elisir d'Amore

    S7:E1

    Season 7 opens with Gaetano Donizetti's comic opera "L'Elisir d'Amore," about a peasant (Matthew Polenzani) who wins the heart of a beautiful farm owner (Anna Netrebko) with the help of a love potion he purchased from a quack doctor (Ambrogio Maestri). Originally broadcast live in movie theaters as part of The Met: Live in HD series. Originally broadcast live in movie theaters as part of The Met: Live in HD series.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  5. Great Performances at the Met Season 7 Episode 8 - Les Troyens
    8.9/10(31 votes)

    #5 - Les Troyens

    S7:E8

    Berlioz's "Les Troyens," about a Trojan military commander (Bryan Hymel) who flees the fallen Troy and lands in the North African kingdom of Carthage, where he falls for the queen (Susan Graham). Deborah Voigt plays Cassandra, the Trojan prophetess whose warnings about an apparent gift from the Greeks are ignored. Originally broadcast live in movie theaters as part of The Met: Live in HD series.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  6. Great Performances at the Met Season 13 Episode 6 - Carmen
    8.9/10(34 votes)

    #6 - Carmen

    S13:E6

    No description available

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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    The 20 WORST Episodes of Great Performances at the Met

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  7. Great Performances at the Met Season 14 Episode 7 - Der Fliegende Hollander
    8.9/10(31 votes)

    #7 - Der Fliegende Hollander

    S14:E7

    No description available

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  8. Great Performances at the Met Season 6 Episode 1 - Anna Bolena
    8.8/10(38 votes)

    #8 - Anna Bolena

    S6:E1

    Season 6 opens with Gaetano Donizetti's "Anna Bolena," based on the last days of Anne Boleyn (Anna Netrebko), the second wife of British monarch Henry VIII (Ildar Abdrazakov). Originally broadcast live in movie theaters as part of The Met: Live in HD series.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  9. Great Performances at the Met Season 13 Episode 9 - Episode 9
    8.8/10(24 votes)

    #9 - Episode 9

    S13:E9

    No description available

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  10. Great Performances at the Met Season 1 Episode 6 - Il trittico
    8.7/10(19 votes)

    #10 - Il trittico

    S1:E6

    “Il Trittico,” Puccini's collection of three one-act operas. “Il Tabarro” concerns doomed lovers (Maria Guleghina, Salvatore Licitra); “Suor Angelica,” is about the salvation of a nun (Barbara Frittoli); “Gianni Schicchi” is a charismatic scoundrel (Alessandro Corbelli) out to steal a fortune willed to the church.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  11. Great Performances at the Met Season 2 Episode 8 - La Fille du Régiment
    8.7/10(42 votes)

    #11 - La Fille du Régiment

    S2:E8

    Coloratura soprano Natalie Dessay stars as Marie, an orphan adopted by French troops in this production of Donizetti's comedic "Fille du Régiment," which updates the setting from the Napoleonic era to World War I. Tenor Juan Diego Flórez costars as Tonio, the soldier she's promised to wed. Marquise of Berkenfield: Felicity Palmer. Sgt. Sulpice: Alessandro Corbelli. Duchess of Krakenthorp: Marian Seldes.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  12. Great Performances at the Met Season 3 Episode 6 - Lucia di Lammermoor
    8.7/10(35 votes)

    #12 - Lucia di Lammermoor

    S3:E6

    A production of Gaetano Donizetti's "Lucia di Lammermoor," a tragic opera about a young woman (Anna Netrebko) whose brother (Mariusz Kwiecien) pressures her to marry a nobleman despite her love for another (Piotr Beczala).

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  13. Great Performances at the Met Season 4 Episode 6 - Der Rosenkavalier
    8.7/10(89 votes)

    #13 - Der Rosenkavalier

    S4:E6

    Renée Fleming and Susan Graham star in Richard Strauss' comic "Der Rosenkavalier" as the middle-aged Marschallin and her young lover, Octavian, who falls for a woman (Miah Persson) closer to his age, but who's engaged to Marschallin's cousin (Kristinn Sigmundsson).

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  14. Great Performances at the Met Season 5 Episode 1 - Don Pasquale
    8.7/10(77 votes)

    #14 - Don Pasquale

    S5:E1

    The Season 5 premiere features Donizetti's comic "Don Pasquale," starring soprano Anna Netrebko as a penniless young woman who tricks the wealthy Don (John Del Carlo) into thinking he's married her, then acts like a shrew so that he will consent to her marrying his nephew Ernesto (Matthew Polenzani). Originally broadcast live in movie theaters as part of The Met: Live in HD series.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  15. Great Performances at the Met Season 10 Episode 1 - Il Trovatore
    8.7/10(42 votes)

    #15 - Il Trovatore

    S10:E1

    Soprano Anna Netrebko appears in her Met role debut as Leonora, the tortured heroine who sacrifices her own life for the love of the Gypsy troubadour. Dmitri Hvorostovsky sings Count di Luna, Yonghoon Lee is Manrico in his Met role debut as the title character, Dolora Zajick sings her signature role of the gypsy Azucena, and Štefan Kocán is Ferrando. Marco Armiliato conducts Sir David McVicar’s Goya-inspired production.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  16. Great Performances at the Met Season 14 Episode 4 - Akhnaten
    8.7/10(96 votes)

    #16 - Akhnaten

    S14:E4

    No description available

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  17. Great Performances at the Met Season 15 Episode 2 - Jonas Kaufmann in Concert
    8.7/10(21 votes)

    #17 - Jonas Kaufmann in Concert

    S15:E2

    No description available

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  18. Great Performances at the Met Season 5 Episode 9 - Capriccio
    8.6/10(38 votes)

    #18 - Capriccio

    S5:E9

    Renée Fleming stars in Richard Strauss' "Capriccio," about a widowed countess who ponders whether the music or the written word is more important to musical drama while being wooed by a composer (Joseph Kaiser) and a poet (Russell Braun). Originally broadcast live in movie theaters as part of The Met: Live in HD series.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  19. Great Performances at the Met Season 6 Episode 7 - Ernani
    8.6/10(29 votes)

    #19 - Ernani

    S6:E7

    A production of Verdi's "Ernani," about a maiden (Angela Meade) who is romantically pursued by her uncle (Ferruccio Furlanetto), the Spanish king (Dmitri Hvorostovsky) and a bandit (Marcello Giordani). Originally broadcast live in movie theaters as part of The Met: Live in HD series.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  20. Great Performances at the Met Season 8 Episode 1 - Eugene Onegin
    8.6/10(43 votes)

    #20 - Eugene Onegin

    S8:E1

    Season 8 opens with Tchaikovsky's "Eugene Onegin," starring Anna Netrebko as Tatiana, a young Russian who's rebuffed by the object of her affection, Eugene Onegin (Mariusz Kwiecien). Originally broadcast live in movie theaters as part of The Met: Live in HD series.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  21. Great Performances at the Met Season 8 Episode 10 - La Cenerentola
    8.6/10(29 votes)

    #21 - La Cenerentola

    S8:E10

    Joyce DiDonato sings the title role in Rossini’s Cinderella story, La Cenerentola, with bel canto master Juan Diego Flórez as her dashing prince. Met Principal Conductor Fabio Luisi leads a cast that also includes Pietro Spagnoli in his Met debut as the servant Dandini, Alessandro Corbelli as Cenerentola’s stepfather Don Magnifico, and Luca Pisaroni as Don Ramiro’s tutor, Alidoro. Originally broadcast live in movie theaters as part of The Met: Live in HD series.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  22. Great Performances at the Met Season 10 Episode 9 - Roberto Devereux
    8.6/10(26 votes)

    #22 - Roberto Devereux

    S10:E9

    The last opera in Donizetti’s Tudor trilogy, directed by Sir David McVicar, stars Sondra Radvanovsky as Elizabeth I and features Matthew Polenzani, Elina Garanca and Mariusz Kwiecien. Maurizio Benini conducts.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  23. Great Performances at the Met Season 1 Episode 5 - The Barber of Seville
    8.5/10(73 votes)

    #23 - The Barber of Seville

    S1:E5

    Gioacchino Rossini's classic comic opera “The Barber of Seville” stars Peruvian tenor Juan Diego Flórez as Count Almaviva, whose pursuit of the lovely Rosina (Joyce DiDonato) is aided by the wily barber Figaro (Peter Mattei). Standing in his way is her guardian Dr. Bartolo (John Del Carlo), who plans to marry her himself. Don Basilio: John Relyea. Fiorello: Brian Davis. Ambrogio: Rob Besserer.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  24. Great Performances at the Met Season 3 Episode 9 - Madama Butterfly
    8.5/10(33 votes)

    #24 - Madama Butterfly

    S3:E9

    Puccini's classic "Madama Butterfly," about a Japanese geisha (Patricia Racette) who marries an American naval officer (Marcello Giordani).

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  25. Great Performances at the Met Season 5 Episode 3 - Don Carlo
    8.5/10(46 votes)

    #25 - Don Carlo

    S5:E3

    Verdi's "Don Carlo," about a Spanish prince (Roberto Alagna) who falls for the French princess (Marina Poplavskaya) he's supposed to marry as part of a Spanish-French peace treaty, only to have his father (Ferruccio Furlanetto) decide to wed her himself. Originally broadcast live in movie theaters as part of The Met: Live in HD series.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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Best Episodes Summary

"Thaïs" is the best rated episode of "Great Performances at the Met". It scored 9/10 based on 35 votes. Directed by Unknown and written by Unknown, it aired on 12/20/2008. This episode scored 0.1 points higher than the second highest rated, "Eugene Onegin".