Paata Burchuladze performs the role of Kochubey during the final dress rehearsal of Tchaikovshy's "Mazeppa," Friday, March 3, 2006 at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. The Metropolitan Opera has never before staged Tchaikovsky's "Mazeppa," although the Kirov Opera brought it to the stage here in 1998. "Mazeppa" finally made its Metropolitan Opera debut on Monday, March 6, 2006. (AP Photo/Stephen Chernin)