On the evening of February 23, 2009, alumna Katie Van Kooten (B.M. 2001) replaced Angela Gheorghiu, in the role of Magda, in the evening performance of Puccini's "La Rondine" at the Metropolitan Opera. Katie, hired as Ms. Georghiu's understudy for the production, had previously debuted at Covent Garden and Paris Opera in the same role. A former member of the Royal Opera's young artists program, she has also sung Pamina in Die Zauberflöte, Mimi in La Bohéme, Marguerite in Faust, and Antonia in Les Contes d'Hoffmann. In June 2007, she sang the role of Marguerite as part of the Met in the Parks concert series. She recently made her Houston Grand Opera debut as Helena in Britten's Midsummer Night's Dream.