Opera Revolution

Last Saturday afternoon I witnessed an opera revolution. Actually I was late. The revolution began last season, when the Metropolitan Opera began sending out live HD transmissions of selected operas to movie theaters throughout the country.

Although I knew this was happening, I didn’t really take notice until La Boheme was broadcast April 5. I began receiving calls and emails from friends everywhere. They raved about the sumptuous Franco Zeffirelli production and the voice of soprano superstar Angela Gheoghiu.

Because of their excitement, I saw the April 26th transmission – Donizetti’s wonderfully entertaining La Fille du Regiment (The Daughter of the Regiment).

It was strange to go to a movie theater in the middle of a sunny Saturday afternoon and see live opera (tickets: $22). In California, the show starts at 10:30 AM. In a movie theater we are supposed to see movies that were filmed and edited months before. This was live, immediate, and transforming.

Opera diva Renee Fleming was the host and she was engaging and of course very knowledgeable. Backstage we watched the stage manager cue maestro Marco Armiliato to take his place in the pit, and cameras were down with the orchestra with perfectly timed close-ups of the musicians.

The picture is sharp and clear, and the surround sound is everything you’d expect. As the opera continued on, it became clear the grandness of opera had finally found its place – on the movie screen. Operas on TV, no matter how well done, never captured the full spectacle of this unique theater/music blend.

Technically, the entire presentation was dazzling. Close-ups, interesting angles, large stage shots, plus great footage of backstage people and interviews was all thrilling to watch.

But for this production, it would have all been for naught, had it not been for the stunning performances of Natalie Dessay and Juan Diego Florez and the creative a fast moving new production by director Laurent Pelley.

Dessay, a skinny bit of a thing, sang with beauty and superb technique. But, the surprising thing was that Ms. Dessay acts with all the spunk, energy and personality of a comic actress. We’re not used to seeing that in opera.

Whether Dessay was ironing, peeling potatoes, lying down on the stage, being held horizontally by her soldier “pappas”, she managed to sing flawlessly and shamelessly mug to the audience. This French superstar was delightful from beginning to end.

Despite her knock-out performance, many people thought she was outdone by her co-star, tenor Juan Diego Florez. This Peruvian with movie star good-looks sang the difficult tenor role like he was singing with his buddies at a party. In the aria that gave Pavarotti the “King of the High C’s” moniker, Florez came forth with such perfection on opening night, the Met audience demanded that he sing the aria “one mo’ time” - almost unprecedented on the Met stage. For the matinee that I saw, the applause was long and appreciative. Florez is indeed, the tenor we will hear about for decades to come.

To hear Florez and Dessay and the entire Met ensemble sing their beautiful music on a huge screen with surround sound was a special treat indeed. Special enough, that I wonder what this new technological wonder will do for regional opera companies around the world.

Seeing the world’s greatest opera stars in the most lavish productions up close and personal for a ticket of $22 (and free parking) may take the wind out of the sails of local companies. Actually, it can also make opera so accessible and so enjoyable, that live opera will become more popular.

We’ll have to wait a few years to see what happens, but make no mistake about it: This is new HD transmission direct from the Met stage is an Opera Revolution.

Instead of listing times and days of performances, check out www.metopera.com for more info.