THE METROPOLITAN OPERA

On the evening of Oct. 23, the Met held its second performance of “La Fille du Régiment,” an evening that was filled with laughter, virtuosic roulades and high notes, and yes, an encore that stopped the show for several moments…

A Masterpiece…Vocal Fireworks…18 High C’s…Impeccable Chemistry…Comic Timing…In all, this was a triumph and the true return of Bel Canto at the Metropolitan Opera.

— OperaWire

Buoyed by a strong cast, the Metropolitan Opera continues its autumn bel canto streak with a winning revival of Donzetti’s La fille du regiment.

Laurent Pelly’s production, directed in revival by Gregory Keller, has conquered opera stages worldwide with its zany rendering of World War I aesthetics since its 2007 premiere at Covent Garden. There is no barbed wire here: only lines of laundry bobbing across giant, Anthropolgie-esque maps of the Tyrol. Yet, the production’s quirks and gags felt fresh, due in large part to the cohesive ensemble work of its cast.

Part of the joy of any successful musical comedy—operatic or otherwise—is feeling that the folks onstage are enjoying themselves just as much as those in the audience. That feeling can sometimes be more involving than the grandest of tragic gestures. And this revival conveyed it with aplomb—a decisive victory, to be sure.

— Parterre

Welcome to the Met’s second bel canto hit of the season, after Bellini’s “La Sonnambula” earlier this month. With Nadine Sierra and Xabier Anduaga in that opera, and Brownlee and the soprano Erin Morley in “Fille,” the Met has found casts who act as vividly as they sing.

In her Met debut, the actress Sandra Oh made for a deliciously haughty Duchess of Krakenthorp, spicing her lines with ad-libs and wielding her bustle like a weapon. Her speaking part comes with its own top note, an indignant screech protesting the happy union of Marie and Tonio that rang out with impressive, acidic power. It was a far cry from bel canto, but one of the many details in this production that polish the facets of Donizetti’s comic gem and help it sparkle well beyond the singing.

CRITIC’S PICK for November 2025

— The New York Times

No comedic opportunity is lost and one gets the sense that everyone onstage is enjoying themselves just as much as the audience is.

Morley, a soprano who has been at the top of her game for so long that it’s easy to forget her genius, delivered a perfect vocal performance here. Every note was vividly in tune, highly polished and sung with deceptive ease, even as she soared to the upper limits above the ledger line. Oh and she’s also funny, wrenching every bit of physical comedy out of her character, from her boyish walk to her occasional butt scratches. One particularly delightful moment: in a fight with father figure Sulpice, Morley shut herself behind an invisible door with a cry of “Slam!”

It’s hard to say who is having the most fun in Pelly’s production, but a case could be made for a tie between Susan Graham and Sandra Oh…Each is visibly reveling in her role, as only first-class artists in hammy bit parts can. I could have watched them face off for at least another hour.

The singing is wonderful, the production is darling and the French accents are of variable quality. What more can a guy’s girl want? So, break out the drums—there’s only one thing left to sing: Rataplan!

— OBSERVER

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Conductor: Giacomo Sagripanti

Production: Laurent Pelly

Set designer: Chantal Thomas

Costume designer: Laurent Pelly

Lighting designer: Joel Adam / John Frohlich

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Marie: Erin Morley

Tonio: Lawrence Brownlee

Marquise of Berkenfield: Susan Graham

Sulpice: Peter Kálmám

Duchess of Krakenthorp: Sandra Oh

Townsman: Remy Martin

Corporal: Yohan Yi

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October 17, 23, 26, 31

November 3, 8, 12, 2025

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Photos: Karen Almond / Met Opera