Metropolitan Opera. (United States: New York; Opera in Review)

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The Metropolitan Opera's 2001/2002 season ended on a somewhat sour note with the much publicized cancellation of tenor Luciano Pavarotti, who turns 67 this fall.

Fortunately, the events leading up to it were generally happier affairs: with outstanding performances of Berg's Lulu (starring Christine Schafer as a peerless Lulu); a welcome revival of Parade (a collection of three French works by Ravel, Satie and Poulenc); a new but uneven production of Verdi's Luisa Miller (featuring Canadian bass Phillip Ens, who sang the role of Wurm with sonorous voice and sinister intent); a major restoration of Franco Zeffirelli's timeless production of Verdi's Falstaff; and the Met premiere …