This winter, Thomas Hampson returns to the Lyric Opera in one of his signature roles, Count Danilo, in Franz Lehár’s sparkling operetta The Merry Widow.

He is joined by soprano Renée Fleming as Hanna (Nicole Cabell sings the role from December 9-13), Heidi Stober as Valencienne, and Michael Spyres sings Camille, in this spectacular production first seen at The Metropolitan Opera. Sir Andrew Davis leads the Lyric Opera Orchestra and Chorus for these performances, which take place November 14, 17, 20, 23, 25 & 28 and December 3, 9, 11 & 13.

Hampson can also be heard as Danilo on a critically acclaimed EMI release, from a concert performance with the Glyndebourne Festival and London Philharmonic, available via Amazon.com:

“Hampson is a superb Danilo, relishing his hedonistic ‘Da geh’ ich zu Maxim’ moments – optimum characterisation and musical panache.” (Classical-music.com)

“Above all, Thomas Hampson sails gloriously through a role that was written for a tenor buffo but sits beautifully upon his flexible baritone. His really is as commanding an interpretation of a testing role as any on disc, and his contribution to the Act 3 love duet is exquisite.” (Gramophone)