Meanwhile, the London Conchord Ensemble will visit Lisburn’s Island Arts Centre on December 6, the Market Place Theatre in Armagh on December 7, and Down Arts Centre in Downpatrick on December 8. Formed in 2002, the ensemble is composed of principal players from the Philharmonia, the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, the Royal Opera House Orchestra, and the BBC Symphony Orchestra.

Mary Zimmerman s sober but involving new production of Lucia di Lammermoor features a glittering cast (including Marcello Giordani, Mariusz Kwiecien, and John Relyea) singing under the experienced direction of James Levine. (The soprano Annick Massis replaces Natalie Dessay in the title role.) (Oct. 17 and Oct. 20 at 8.) | Jonathan Miller s production of Le Nozze di Figaro, with Hei-Kyung Hong, Lisette Oropesa, Michele Pertusi, and Erwin Schrott; Philippe Jordan, a fine young Mozartean, conducts.

(Oct. 18 at 8.) | The Met s new Madama Butterfly ushered in Peter Gelb s tenure last year with such brazen confidence that not a single patron has looked back. It s even more stunning in revival, with the exquisite Patricia Racette offering a tireless performance as the heartbroken Cio-Cio-San. In the filmmaker Anthony Minghella s production, fabrics twirl, lanterns move, and screens slide to create an enchanting cinematography for the stage.

With Roberto Alagna, Maria Zifchak, and Luca Salsi; Mark Elder. (Oct. 19 and Oct. 23 at 8.) | Sonja Frisell s grand production of Aida is so overpowering that it can easily survive the Met s rotating casts. The newest one features such estimable singers as Micaela Carosi, Olga Borodina, Marco Berti, Juan Pons, and Vitalij Kowaljow; Kazushi Ono. (Oct.

20 at 1:30.) | Maria Guleghina, the forceful Russian soprano who has (gloriously) sung the role of Abigaille in the Met s production of Verdi s Nabucco, returns to take on another punishing part Lady Macbeth in a new production (by Adrian Noble) of the same composer s Macbeth, one of the most complex and demanding of his creations; Zeljko Lucic , who made his Met d but in last season s La Giaconda, takes the title role. Also with Dimitri Pittas and John Relyea; Levine. (Oct.