Join us for WRTI's annual Opera Day, a fun-filled celebration of the passion, drama, humor, humanity, and richness that opera has to offer, on Saturday, Nov. 4 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
We'll journey through the most unforgettable moments in opera, featuring your favorite arias, choruses, overtures, and ballet music with hosts Mike Bolton, John T.K. Scherch, Melinda Whiting, and Mark Pinto. We'll also celebrate the upcoming centennial of the legendary diva Maria Callas throughout the day!
At 1 p.m., you'll hear a classic performance of Puccini’s Tosca — a 1953 recording by the Orchestra and Chorus of Teatro alla Scala starring Ms. Callas singing the title role, and Giuseppe di Stefano singing Cavaradossi. Victor de Sabata conducts.
Celebrate your love for opera on WRTI with a gift of support today! Help us reach our Opera Day goal of $30,000.
Donate today and you'll automatically be entered to win our Ultimate Opera Day Prize Package, which includes a 131-CD box set of the newly released La Divina: Maria Callas In All Her Roles and tickets to performances presented by:
- Academy of Vocal Arts: two tickets to Donizetti’s Anna Bolena on November 18, 2023
- Philadelphia Chamber Music Society: two tickets to hear tenor Matthew Polenzani sing works by Schubert, Schumann, Ives, and Finzi with pianist Julius Drake, April 2, 2024
- Opera Delaware: two tickets to Puccini’s Turandot and their Micro-Gala on May 17, 2024
Contribute $10/month or make a one-time gift of $120 now to keep opera on WRTI and we’ll thank you with La Divina: The Best of Maria Callas, the brand-new 2-CD set featuring 34 of Callas' most iconic performances, or a one-year digital subscription to Babbel Language for Life.
Opera Day celebrates the incredible variety of opera that WRTI brings you every Saturday afternoon and beyond, including live and archival broadcasts of The Metropolitan Opera's entire Saturday matinee season, and performances by Lyric Opera of Chicago, Royal Opera, La Scala, and other superb opera companies from the U.S. and around the world.
We can't wait to enjoy Opera Day with you on Saturday! And we hope that you'll help us preserve opera on WRTI with a gift of support today.