(Posted this afternoon on the TONY Blog)

You know that the Metropolitan Opera has a major hit on its hands
when the entire run of a new show sells out before opening night. And
that’s the case with director Laurent Pelly’s new staging of La Fille de Régiment,
a dizzy, tuneful bel canto comedy by Donizetti. The production, which
features two of the most charismatic performers on the Met roster,
soprano Natalie Dessay and tenor Juan Diego Flórez, did boffo box
office during its previous runs in London and Vienna, creating huge
anticipation and demand here.

But before you go selling plasma (or other precious bodily fluids)
in the vain hope of scoring a ticket on the plaza, consider attending
the final dress rehearsal on Friday, April 18, at 11am. It’s part of a
free open house the Met will host from 10am to 4pm, with an onstage Q&A session following the complete morning run-through. Tickets for
the event are available this Sunday, April 13, at noon; you can make
reservations by calling 212-362-6000 or by visiting the Met’s website. You’ll then need to pick up your tickets (limited to two per customer) at the Met box office by Wednesday, April 16, at 5pm.