Launched in 1931, the Metropolitan Opera’s Saturday matinee broadcasts are the longest-running continuous classical program in radio history. The 81st season kicks off on December 3, 2011, with Handel’s  Rodelinda, starring Renée Fleming, Stephanie Blythe, and Andreas Scholl. Twenty-three broadcasts will be presented on the Toll Brothers–Metropolitan Opera International Radio Network through May 5, 2012. Margaret Juntwait returns as the series’s host for her eighth season, joined by commentator Ira Siff.