Thursday, January 21, 2010

Highbrow popcorn

For the 4th season running the MET in NY shows why it's one of the best in the world by broadcasting select productions in movie theatres across the globe! Yes, you can see a real live opera, in HD, at the cinema.

Leaving the flashy AMC concessions stand to join the opera audience in the theatre feels kind of funny. It may be a movie theatre but the people that go to the MET in HD are the true opera- goers with all the manners and slightly type-A niceness of the fine arts crowd.
At the same time, everyone is social and touched by the spirit of common interest, audience members visit about who met who after the 1962 performance of this or that. The whole production has something of an exclusive feel. During intermission, artists from the opera are interviewed and it's exciting to be at a performance of 'Carmen' that is sold out both at the MET itself and several movie theaters.

The great thing here is that great opera is more accesible. So check it out. You'll probably become a huge fan and put the performance dates in your calendar, eagerly anticipate each one and get overly excited the day of. And before each show you'll go out for brunch. And get mimosas during the intermissions.

Just in case you were wondering:
3-27 Hamlet -Thomas
5-1 Armida -Rossini