Opera at the movies
by Wah Keung Chan
“It’s magic to be able to have people share the joys of opera without the expense of traveling,” said opera aficionado Noël Spinelli following the presentation of the Metropolitan Opera’s production of Tan Dun’s The First Emperor at the local Cineplex.
Since December 30, 2006, Cineplex has given four live high-definition “Met Opera at the Movies” presentations on Saturday afternoons (Mozart’s The Magic Flute on Dec. 30, Donizetti’s I Puritani on Jan. 6, The First Emperor on Jan. 13 and Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin) to legions of opera lovers. Promoted by news reports and largely by word-of-mouth, the presentations have been an unqualified success. In the US, the showings have attracted 61,000 people in the first three showings, with the number of theatres increasing from 59 to 111, while in Canada, 12 of 28 locations sold out at the first showing, with 6 more theatres being added, including those in Laval and Ste-Foy. The high demand caused a repeat showing of The Magic Flute on Jan. 20th at 18 Canadian theatres.
While the idea of showing opera direct on outdoor screens as an outreach tool has been tried recently by both the Montreal Opera (Aïda) and the Canadian Opera Company (New opera house Inaugural Gala), the idea of selling tickets at movie theatres is the brain child of Peter Gelb, the Met’s new General Manager, and was facilitated by their Marketing Director Julie Borchard-Young. Theatre pay-per-views are not new in popular entertainment, as wrestling, hockey and boxing have long known. “It’s a completely different experience than going to the opera,” said mathematician Jean Portugais and violinist Olga Razenhoffer in describing the close camera angles and the backstage features. The $20 ticket offers an experience with large screen and sound that cannot compare to watching a DVD on home theatre. “It doesn’t replace live performance,” said Spinelli, who also is on the board of the Montreal Opera and not worry that these broadcasts will hurt local opera companies. Indeed, Spinelli is planning a trip to New York for the Met, which bodes well for the company, whose attendance has lagged since 9/11.
Two more live HD broadcasts of the Met at the Opera are scheduled: The Barber of Seville (March 24) and Il Trittico (April 28). Will the popularity of these HD broadcasts spread? Opera companies worldwide are probably looking on with keen interest.
Encore screenings of The First Emperor and Eugene Onegin are also scheduled for March 10 and April 7 respectively. Tip: The best seats are in the top third of the theatre. Go early as there is no assigned seating. Judging from the turnout, opera lovers show up early.
www.cineplex.com
Wah Keung Chan is founding editor of La Scena Musicale. Visit www.scena.org to subscribe.
