On 16 September 1966, the new Metropolitan Opera House opened in Lincoln Center with the world premiere of Barber’s Antony and Cleopatra, with Leontyne Price and Justino Díaz in the title roles. That first season in the Met’s new home not only ushered in a new age of theatrical possibility, it also featured an embarrassment of vocal riches, with such incomparable artists as Birgit Nilsson and Franco Corelli facing off in an unforgettable Turandot; Joan Sutherland delivering a Lucia di Lammermoor mad scene for the ages; and Jon Vickers making a historic role debut in Peter Grimes. Now, ten performances from that inaugural season – plus a bonus CD of highlights – have been collected and remastered in this essential milestone set, also featuring such legends as Grace Bumbry, Mirella Freni, Christa Ludwig, Anna Moffo, Roberta Peters, Leonie Rysanek, Renata Tebaldi, Carlo Bergonzi, Robert Merrill, and Richard Tucker, among others.

Contents:
Barber - Antony and Cleopatra (2CD) 16 September 1966
- Leontyne Price, Justino Díaz, Jess Thomas, cond. Thomas Schippers

Puccini - Turandot (2CD) 3 December 1966
- Birgit Nilsson, Franco Corelli, Mirella Freni, Bonaldo Giaiotti, cond. Zubin Mehta

R Strauss - Die Frau ohne Schatten (3CD) 17 December 1966
- Leonie Rysanek, Christa Ludwig, Irene Dalis, James King, Walter Berry, cond. Karl Böhm

Donizetti - Lucia di Lammermoor (2CD) 31 December 1966
- Joan Sutherland, Richard Tucker, Anselmo Colzani, Nicola Ghiuselev, cond. Richard Bonynge

Britten - Peter Grimes (2CD) 11 February 1967
- Jon Vickers, Lucine Amara, Geraint Evans, cond. Colin Davis

Mozart - Die Zauberflöte (2CD) 4 March 1967
- Judith Raskin, Roberta Peters, George Shirley, Theodor Uppman, John Macurdy, cond. Josef Krips

Verdi - Otello (2CD) 11 March 1967
- James McCracken, Montserrat Caballé, Tito Gobbi, cond. Zubin Mehta

Puccini - Madama Butterfly (2CD) 18 March 1967
- Renata Scotto, George Shirley, Nedda Casei, Ron Bottcher, cond. Francesco Molinari-Pradelli

Verdi - Rigoletto (2CD) 8 April 1967
- Cornell MacNeil, Roberta Peters, Nicolaï Gedda, Bonaldo Giaiotti, Belén Amparan, cond. Lamberto Gardelli

Verdi - Aida (2CD) 25 February 1967
- Leontyne Price, Carlo Bergonzi, Grace Bumbry, Robert Merrill, cond. Thomas Schippers

Bonus Disc: Highlights of the Met's 1966-67 Season
1. 16/9/1966 Opening Night at the New Met — Live Radio Interviews: Pre-Curtain   
- Milton Cross, Rudolf Bing, Thomas Schippers, Leontyne Price, Justino Díaz, Franco Zeffirelli, John D. Rockefeller III

2. 16/9/1966 Opening Night at the New Met — Live Radio Interviews: Intermission   
- Milton Cross, Edward Downes, Lady Bird Johnson, Lotte Lehmann, Cecil Beaton, Marc Chagall

3. 28/1/1967  Mozart - Don Giovanni, Act I: Don Ottavio, son morta! — Or sai, chi l'onore
- Joan Sutherland, Nicolai Gedda, cond. Karl Böhm

4. 15/4/1967  Ponchielli - La Gioconda, Act II: E un anatèma! ... L'amo come il fulgor del creato
- Renata Tebaldi, Rosalind Elias, cond. Fausto Cleva
5. La Gioconda, Act II: Il mio braccio t'afferra!
- Renata Tebaldi, Rosalind Elias, Cornell MacNeil, Barry Morell, cond. Fausto Cleva
6. La Gioconda, Act II: Vedi là, nel canal morto
- Renata Tebaldi, Barry Morell, Metropolitan Opera Chorus, cond. Fausto Cleva

7. 21/1/1967  Wagner - Lohengrin, Act II: Du wilde Seherin! Wie willst du doch geheimnisvoll   
- Walter Berry, Christa Ludwig, cond. Karl Böhm

8. 4/2/1967  Puccini - La Bohème, Act III: Donde lieta uscì
- Teresa Stratas, cond. Fausto Cleva

9. 25/3/1967  Verdi - La Traviata, Act II: Pura siccome un angelo
- Robert Merrill, Anna Moffo, cond. Georges Prêtre
10. La Traviata, Act II: Non sapete quale affetto — Un dì, quando le veneri
- Anna Moffo, Robert Merrill, cond. Georges Prêtre
11. La Traviata, Act II: Ah! Dite alla giovine
- Anna Moffo, Robert Merrill, cond. Georges Prêtre

12. 18/2/1967  Verdi - Il Trovatore, Act I: Tace la notte!
- Robert Merrill, Richard Tucker, Martina Arroyo, cond. Francesco Molinari-Pradelli
13. Il Trovatore, Act I: Di geloso amor sprezzato
- Robert Merrill, Martina Arroyo, Richard Tucker, cond. Francesco Molinari-Pradelli

14. 10/12/1966  Strauss - Elektra: Ich habe keine guten Nächte
- Regina Resnik, Birgit Nilsson, cond. Thomas Schippers
15. Elektra: Wenn das rechte Blutopfer unterm Beile fällt
- Birgit Nilsson, Regina Resnik, cond. Thomas Schippers
16. Elektra: Was bluten muss?
- Birgit Nilsson, cond. Thomas Schippers

17. 1/4/1967  Levy - Mourning Becomes Electra, Act II: Forgive me — He takes my place
- Marie Collier, John Reardon, Evelyn Lear, Sherrill Milnes, cond. Zubin Mehta