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Opera for the Everyman
The Metropolitan Opera's hi-def experiment pays off
Opera, as a concept, is like a pair of long, white gloves with pearl buttons: You don't just slap those babies on to eat popcorn.
Or do you?
Last year, New York's famed Metropolitan Opera came up with a plan to simulcast live performances of its 2006 season in movie theaters across the country. Patrons purchased tickets online in advance and then trekked to the theater the night of the actual opera performance to view a high definition presentation of the event.
So successful was the marriage of hometown theaters and highbrow entertainment, that the 2007-2008 season of The Metropolitan Opera: Live in High Definition series has tripled its number of presenting venues. The new season, which starts December 15 with Romeo et Juliette (Gounod's interpretation of the Bard's classic), will appear in more than 600 venues around the world and, according to Sign On San Diego, expects to attract as many as 1 million patrons for the run of its eight productions (which include Puccini's La Boheme and Verdi's Macbeth) in '07-'08.
Tickets to the theater simulcasts are $22 for adults, $20 for seniors, and $15 for children. A list of participating venues can be found at Fathom Events.
In addition to movie theaters, the Met has found its way on to pay-per-view television this season. Inking an agreement with iN DEMAND Networks, the Metropolitan Opera will make all eight productions available to the cable company's subscribers 30 days after the theatrical presentations.
Or do you?
Last year, New York's famed Metropolitan Opera came up with a plan to simulcast live performances of its 2006 season in movie theaters across the country. Patrons purchased tickets online in advance and then trekked to the theater the night of the actual opera performance to view a high definition presentation of the event.
So successful was the marriage of hometown theaters and highbrow entertainment, that the 2007-2008 season of The Metropolitan Opera: Live in High Definition series has tripled its number of presenting venues. The new season, which starts December 15 with Romeo et Juliette (Gounod's interpretation of the Bard's classic), will appear in more than 600 venues around the world and, according to Sign On San Diego, expects to attract as many as 1 million patrons for the run of its eight productions (which include Puccini's La Boheme and Verdi's Macbeth) in '07-'08.
Tickets to the theater simulcasts are $22 for adults, $20 for seniors, and $15 for children. A list of participating venues can be found at Fathom Events.
In addition to movie theaters, the Met has found its way on to pay-per-view television this season. Inking an agreement with iN DEMAND Networks, the Metropolitan Opera will make all eight productions available to the cable company's subscribers 30 days after the theatrical presentations.
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