Full of seasonal spirit, The Met: Live in HD begins the New Year with two operas brimming with comedy and fantasy, mingled with tragic love: Lehàr’s The Merry Widow and Offenbach’s Les Contes d’Hoffmann.

Combining the elegance of opera with the pizzazz of Broadway, the two operas which will be broadcast at Theatr Mwldan on January 17, 6pm, and February 4, 7pm, are directed by Tony Award winning directors Susan Stroman and Bartlett Sher.

Bringing in the New Year, The Merry Widow marks the Met debut of award-winning director and choreographer Susan Stroman, and features the lavish costumes of William Ivey Long with whom Stroman collaborated on The Producers and Crazy for You. Also from Broadway is the Valencienne of the production, Kelli O’Hara, who having trained as an opera singer went on to become the star of numerous musicals, garnering five Tony nominations in the process.

Opposite O’Hara and singing the lead role of the European millionairess, Hanna Glawari, Renée Fleming adds a further new role to her Live in HD triumphs. Not only is Hanna the 22nd role that

Fleming has sung at the Met, it is the ninth role that she has broadcast Live in HD. Joining Fleming and O’Hara on stage for this performance of Lehár’s best-known composition are Grammy award

winner Nathan Gunn as her womanising lover Danilo, and Alek Shrader as the young Frenchman Camille de Rosillon.

Two weeks later, on February 4The Met: Live in HD’s broadcast of Bartlett Sher’s wild, kaleidoscopic production of Offenbach’s masterpiece Les Contes d’Hoffmann stars Vittorio Grigolo in the role of the tormented poet, Hoffmann. Hibla Gerzmava will sing the dual roles of Antonia and Stella, with Erin Morley as Olympia and Kate Lindsey as Hoffmann’s muse Nicklausse. Making her Live in HD debut the British soprano, Christine Rice, will sing the role of the Venetian courtesan Giulietta. The Four Villains are sung by Thomas Hampson and, Yves Abel conducts.

Tickets for MET Opera screenings are £16 (£15) available from Mwldan's Box Office on 01239 621200, online or via Smartphones at www.mwldan.co.uk.