It’s the countdown to Christmas but forget advent calendars, we’ve developed our own way to tick off the dark days of December.

You don’t need the pricey dress, the binoculars and the private box - Sky Arts 2 brings all the glamour and emotion of one of the world’s premier stages into your living room, with 25 stunning operas in December.

Enjoy both classic and innovative takes on some of the world’s most famous operas from the Metropolitan Opera Company, including Robert Lepage’s eerie La Damnation de Faust, Nicolas Joel’s light-hearted La Rondine and Anthony Minghella’s heart-wrenching Madama Butterfly, each featuring stars such as Renée Fleming, Danielle de Niese and Marcello Giordani. The season begins with The Audition, a suspenseful behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to be an opera star. Produced by award-winning documentary maker Susan Froemke, it follows three of 11 remaining contestants as they try to impress the judges, and get their big break, at the famous and gruelling Metropolitan auditions.

The Met Opera line-up on Sky Art 2 / HD this December:

01/12/2009 – 20.00 - The Audition

02/12/2009 – 20.00 - Opening Night Gala

03/12/2009 – 20.00 - Orfeo Ed Euridice

04/12/2009 – 20.00 - La Rondine

05/12/2009 – 20.00 - Manon Lescaut

06/12/2009 – 20.00 - The Barber Of Seville

07/12/2009 – 20.00 - I Puritani

08/12/2009 – 20.00 - La Fille Du Regiment

09/12/2009 – 20.00 - Il Trittico

10/12/2009 – 20.00 – Salome

11/12/2009 – 20.00 - Lucia Di Lammermoor

12/12/2009 – 20.00 - Eugene Onegin

13/12/2009 – 20.00 - La Sonnambula

14/12/2009 – 20.00 - Thais

15/12/2009 – 20.00 – Tristan And Isolde

16/12/2009 – 20.00 – Macbeth

17/12/2009 – 20.00 – Hansel And Gretel

18/12/2009 – 20.00 – Peter Grimes

19/12/2009 – 20.00 – Romeo Et Juliette

20/12/2009 – 20.00 – La Cenerentola

21/12/2009 – 20.00 – La Damnation De Faust

22/12/2009 – 20.00 – Madama Butterfly

23/12/2009 – 20.00 – The Magic Flute

24/12/2009 – 20.00 – The First Emperor

25/12/2009 – 20.00 - Doctor Atomic

26/12/2009 – 20.00 - La Boheme