THE last in the current season of live satellite broadcasts from the Metropolitan Opera in New York, will be Richard Strauss’ masterpiece, Der Rosenkavalier, which can be seen live on the big screen at Weymouth Cineworld on Saturday, May 13 at 5.30pm.

The Met’s first new production of Richard Strauss’ rich romantic opera, Der Rosenkavalier since 1969, is conducted by music director James Levine and directed by Robert Carsen, whose most recent Met production was the hit 2013 staging of Falstaff.

Renée Fleming sings one of her signature roles as the middle-aged woman of the world, the Marschallin.

Meanwhile, Elina Garanca makes her North American debut as Octavian, her handsome young lover and the impulsive young title character who is Der Rosenkavalier.

Baron Ochs is intent on marrying the pretty young heiress, Sophie, much against her wishes. In keeping with the custom of the day, the Marschallin sends Octavian to present the bride to be with a silver rose. However, Octavian and Sophie fall deeply in love but it is only after a series of farcical tricks and manoeuvres, that they are able to outwit the Baron and placate the distraught Marshallin, so that the young lovers can be together.

Der Rosenkavalier is undoubtedly Richard Strauss’ most popular opera and was an immediate success from its premiere in Dresden in 1911.

Strauss intended his masterpiece, ‘a comedy to music,’ to be a homage to Mozart. The score is full of memorable waltzes whilst the plot is brimming with comical incidents and bittersweet romantic moments. The Met have set Der Rosenkavalier to a backdrop rich in gilt and red damask, which perfectly sums up its setting during the dying days of the Hapsburg Empire in Vienna.

The cast also includes Günther Groissböck as Baron Ochs, Erin Morley as Sophie with Marcus Brück and Matthew Polenzani. Der Rosenkavalier is a co-production with the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden and Teatro Regio Di Torino.

*Der Rosenkavalier, Weymouth Cineworld, Saturday, May 13 at 5.30pm