Gerald Finley Papageno, Figaro, the Count and Don Giovanni. He made his New York City debut at the Metropolitan Opera on January 24, 1998 in the role of Papageno in "Die Zauberflöte". He has subsequently performed the title role of "Don Giovanni", Marcello in Puccini's "La bohème", and the title role of "Rossini"'s "Guillaume Tell" at the Metropolitan Opera. In addition to his success with Mozart, Finley has been active in contemporary opera. He has created a number of roles including J. Robert Oppenheimer in the world premiere of John Adams' opera "Doctor Atomic" at the San Francisco Opera on October 1,
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Prague pointed out how precarious opera production was in the city throughout the eighteenth century. Indeed, productions of Italian opera in Prague ceased again already in 1789, not to re-appear again until 1791, due to the departure of the impresario Domenico Guardasoni and the death of the impresario Pasquale Bondini. Another possible reason why Mozart didn't stay is given by Volkmar Braunbehrens, citing Schenk: the death in Vienna in November 1787 of Gluck, whose post in the Imperial musical establishment Mozart sought (and ultimately got, though at a much lower salary); Mozart needed to return home to lobby for the position.