THE New Year will bring treats for fans of opera at the Met, thanks to the wonders of modern technology.

Eric Owens and Angel Blue are Porgy and Bess in the Met's first production of the opera in nearly 30 years, while Joyce DiDonato dominates in the Met Opera's first Agrippina, in February's broadcasts from The Met: Live in HD.

A spokesman said: "After successfully opening the 2019-20 Metropolitan Opera season The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess returns to the Met's stage once again and is broadcast Live in HD across the globe on Saturday 1 February at 5.55pm.

"The opera focuses on the joys and struggles of a black neighbourhood in South Carolina in the early 20th century. James Robinson’s stylish production transports audiences to Catfish Row on the Charleston waterfront, vibrant with the music, dancing, emotion, and heartbreak of its inhabitants. “All questions were pushed aside for me in the moment when hearing Gershwin's masterpiece, especially in a performance so authoritative and gripping" raved The New York Times when the production opened in New York in September 2019.

David Robertson conducts a dynamic cast featuring Eric Owens and Angel Blue in the title roles and an all-star ensemble that includes Golda Schultz, Latonia Moore, Denyce Graves, Frederick Ballentine and Alfred Walker. A 60-member chorus forms the essential backdrop of the opera, commenting on the action and driving the story forward.

Later in February, Agrippina, Handel’s tale of intrigue and impropriety in ancient Rome arrives at the Met for the first time and will be broadcast in cinemas worldwide on Saturday February 29 at 5.55pm.

Further details: www.metliveinhd.co.uk