The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra is regarded as one of the world’s finest orchestras. Since the Met’s inception in 1883, it has worked with leading conductors in both opera and concert performances, and has developed into an orchestra of enormous technical polish and style. The musicians maintain a demanding schedule of performances and rehearsals during the 33-week Lincoln Center season, with as many as seven performances per week in repertory that this season encompasses 23 operas. In addition to its opera schedule, the orchestra has a distinguished history of concert performances, including an annual series at Carnegie Hall.

The history of the Met Orchestra Chamber Ensemble goes back to 1998, when then–Music Director James Levine organized the group’s first performance at Carnegie Hall in an effort to showcase the artistry and virtuosity of the orchestra members, and to create an opportunity for the musicians to perform more intimate repertoire. The chamber ensemble gave performances until 2016, when the concerts were discontinued.

In 2021, the group returned in a new initiative of the Met, with an artistic committee of orchestra members planning its repertoire in collaboration with Met administration and music staff. All orchestra members have the opportunity to participate in the series, and the programs often feature guest singers from the Met’s roster. This season, the chamber ensemble presents six performances in Weill Recital Hall.

Visit metorchestramusicians.org to read bios for individual orchestra members.

Yamaha is the Official Piano of the Metropolitan Opera. The Met is grateful to Yamaha for providing the piano for this evening’s performance.

A graduate of the Met’s Lindemann Young Artist Development Program, Indiana-born tenor Paul Appleby made his debut with the company in 2011 as Brighella in Ariadne auf Naxos. Since then, he has delivered memorable portrayals as Grimoaldo in Rodelinda, David in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni, Pelléas in Pelléas et Mélisande, Belmonte in Die Entführung aus dem Serail, Tom Rakewell in The Rake’s Progress, Brian in the North American premiere of Nico Muhly’s Two Boys, Chevalier de la Force in Dialogues des Carmélites, Hylas in Les Troyens, and Demetrius in the company’s Baroque pastiche, The Enchanted Island.

His 2022–2023 season includes performances as Caesar in the world premiere of John Adams’s Antony and Cleopatra at San Francisco Opera, the title role of Candide in Lyon, Joe Cannon in Adams’s Girls of the Golden West in concert with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Bach’s St. Matthew Passion with the New York Philharmonic and Music of the Baroque Orchestra, Anthony Cheung’s The Echoing of Tenses with the American Modern Opera Company, and Schubert’s Die schöne Müllerin at the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival.

In recent seasons, Mr. Appleby has sung Bénédict in Béatrice et Bénédict in Cologne; Tamino in The Magic Flute at the Glyndebourne Festival and in Madrid; Jonathan in Handel’s Saul at Houston Grand Opera; Joe Cannon, Pelléas, Tom Rakewell, and Belmonte at Dutch National Opera; Candide in concert in Barcelona and with the Orchestra of St. Luke’s; and Joe Cannon in the world premiere of Girls of the Golden West at San Francisco Opera.

Equally at home on the concert stage, he has appeared with the Indianapolis and Pittsburgh symphony orchestras and the Bamberg Symphony, and has given recitals at London’s Wigmore Hall with Malcolm Martineau and on tour throughout North America with pianists Conor Hanick, Natalia Katyukova, and Ken Noda.