Later in September, Villaz‹n joins his frequent stage partner, soprano Anna Netrebko, for the LA Opera premiere of Massenet's Manon, a co-production with the Staatsoper Berlin that will be directed and choreographed by Vincent Paterson. The tireless Plšcido Domingo (who's a conductor as well as the company's general director and still a star tenor) presides from the podium over seven performances from September 30 through October 21.

Also in the '06-07 lineup is a new production, opening February 10, 2007, of Kurt Weill's Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny, with Broadway stars Patti LuPone and Audra McDonald both making their LA Opera debuts. Conlon will collaborate with West End and Broadway director John Doyle for the production.

Later in the season, Conlon conducts Wagner's Tannh‹user, with Peter Seiffert, Petra Maria Schnitzer, Franz-Josef Selig, Martin Gantner, and Lioba Braun. Other highlights include a new production of Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel; the company premiere of Monteverdi's L'incoronazione di Poppea, with Susan Graham, Frederica von Stade, David Daniels and Kurt Streit; Franz Lehšr's operetta The Merry Widow starring Graham and Rod Gilfry; and Gershwin's Porgy and Bess, directed by Francesca Zambello.

The season closes with the company premiere of Federico Moreno Torroba's zarzuela Luisa Fernanda, which will run June 3-16, 2007.

For more information on Los Angeles Opera's 2006-07 season, visit www.laopera.com.