So you were thinking you'd like to see the New York Metropolitan Opera, but you can't afford the (plane) ticket? Fear not, opera fiends: you can get out your fake furs and paste diamonds and head off to the Cinema Nova in Carlton (or the local equivalents in Orange, Tamworth or Wagga Wagga), where they're doing the next best thing: the Met 2007/8 season is being presented in HD video concurrently with the NY season. You've missed the first few, but Peter Grimes is coming up on Saturday. For what it's worth, the London Observer's critic says, in critic language of course, that the HD experience is way cool.
Details of all participating Australian cinemas here. And thanks to George at Superfluities for the heads up.
People have missed more than the first, Ms. C: Roméo et Juliette kicked off the season in late December (the website only has upcoming screenings on it, not shows that have already been and gone).
ReplyDeleteThe noble Sarah Noble at Prima la musica, poi le parole has been attending them all and writing reviews.
Meanwhile, while I haven't attended any myself, I've heard bad things about the audiovisual quality of the Nova screenings...
First with the news, me... thanks for that Matt! Intriguing idea, no? I was wondering if it's a wonderful example of technological decentralisation or artistic colonisation...
ReplyDeletei saw 'macbeth' and 'manon lescaut' and the audiovisual quality of the Nova screenings was fine as far as i could see. it's a trip - the double weirdness of enormous opera and enormous screens. between the acts the cameras go backstage and you see the sets being changed, the stage manager calling cues, people going to their dressing rooms. it's as though the presence of the camera is automatically presumed to rip disbelief from its suspension. i highly recommend it. i'll be at grimes on sunday.
ReplyDeleteben.