The Met's HD Live

Started by Solitary Wanderer, August 03, 2008, 06:35:12 PM

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Solitary Wanderer

August 03, 2008, 06:35:12 PM
I've just had a wonderful experience seeing Gounod's Romeo & Juliet Live from the Met via their HD link to 400 cinema's around the world. It was on at the Bridgeway which is my fave cinema just 2 mins drive down the road from my home.

To see the opera on a big screen with the various camera angles was a real treat. In addition you were taken backstage between Acts to see the stage and singers getting ready. At intermission there was a short feature on how the Met is trying to 'bring Opera to the people' including a performance of Lucia... being shown live on a giant screen in Times Square. There was also a short interview with the conductor Placido Domingo as he made his way to the pit.

The casting was also superb with young and good looking singers instead of the old ones playing young people that you get on the Met DVD's. Roberto Alagna as Romeo was great [hes obviously still getting work after his 'walk out' a couple of years ago] and Anna Netrebko as Juliet was perfect; she also quite beautiful.

I most definately will be attending more of these.

'I lingered round them, under that benign sky: watched the moths fluttering among the heath and harebells, listened to the soft wind breathing through the grass, and wondered how any one could ever imagine unquiet slumbers for the sleepers in that quiet earth.' ~ Emily Bronte

M forever

#1
August 03, 2008, 06:49:25 PM
Quote from: Solitary Wanderer on August 03, 2008, 06:35:12 PM
Anna Netrebko as Juliet was perfect; she also quite beautiful.

And dangerous:



PerfectWagnerite

#2
August 04, 2008, 05:50:14 AM
Quote from: Solitary Wanderer on August 03, 2008, 06:35:12 PM
Anna Netrebko as Juliet was perfect; she also quite beautiful.

I most definately will be attending more of these.


Yes she is. Seems to be other than Wagner and Strauss she has sung every other role out there already. She certainly has a good musical memory.

Solitary Wanderer

#3
August 24, 2008, 06:00:27 PM Last Edit: August 24, 2008, 06:03:36 PM by Solitary Wanderer
Just got back from the Mets Live HD performance of Hansel & Gretel which was excellent, although not quite as magical as Romeo & Juliet.

Also I'm not sure how 'live' these performances actually are, because at the beginning the host enthused about '..what better way to see in the new year than with a new production of...' so I haven't heard anyone calling August the New Year? It would make sense to stage this during the Xmas break due to its appeal to children - there were lots of families in the audience and you could hear some of the kids squawking during the performance  ;)

Takes a bit of the 'live thrill' away but still a fantastic experience and I'm already looking forward to the next one being Macbeth.

:)
'I lingered round them, under that benign sky: watched the moths fluttering among the heath and harebells, listened to the soft wind breathing through the grass, and wondered how any one could ever imagine unquiet slumbers for the sleepers in that quiet earth.' ~ Emily Bronte

Wanderer

#4
August 24, 2008, 10:41:56 PM Last Edit: August 24, 2008, 10:43:41 PM by Wanderer
Quote from: Solitary Wanderer on August 03, 2008, 06:35:12 PM
... just 2 mins drive down the road from my home.

Surely you could've walked there?  :P

Keep them coming, those reports!  8)

Solitary Wanderer

#5
September 07, 2008, 07:05:25 PM
Just got back from Verdi's MacBeth conducted by James Levine.

This was an 'updated' version, set in the 20th century, and worked very well. No love triangle, just a study of a psychological power struggle.

Wonderful stuff  :)
'I lingered round them, under that benign sky: watched the moths fluttering among the heath and harebells, listened to the soft wind breathing through the grass, and wondered how any one could ever imagine unquiet slumbers for the sleepers in that quiet earth.' ~ Emily Bronte

bhodges

#6
September 10, 2008, 12:10:27 PM Last Edit: September 10, 2008, 12:16:56 PM by bhodges
Quote from: Solitary Wanderer on August 24, 2008, 06:00:27 PM
Just got back from the Mets Live HD performance of Hansel & Gretel which was excellent, although not quite as magical as Romeo & Juliet.

Also I'm not sure how 'live' these performances actually are, because at the beginning the host enthused about '..what better way to see in the new year than with a new production of...' so I haven't heard anyone calling August the New Year? It would make sense to stage this during the Xmas break due to its appeal to children - there were lots of families in the audience and you could hear some of the kids squawking during the performance  ;)

Takes a bit of the 'live thrill' away but still a fantastic experience and I'm already looking forward to the next one being Macbeth.

:)

Your hunch is correct: you are seeing the rebroadcasts of live performances.  (E.g., Hansel & Gretel appeared last December.)  But still, great experiences.  I've seen some of the (now taped) live performances and they hold up really well on video.  Plus, EMI is releasing some of them on DVD, such as the already released Eugene Onegin with Renée Fleming, and IIRC last spring's new production of Peter Grimes with Anthony Dean Griffey.

PS, that Macbeth is really something, too, eh!  Some great uses of technology in the stagecraft.

Edit: Just found out that Hansel & Gretel, Peter Grimes and Macbeth will be released in the U.S. on September 16.  Here is the info on Grimes on Amazon.

--Bruce

Wendell_E

#7
September 10, 2008, 12:50:54 PM Last Edit: September 11, 2008, 02:49:18 AM by Wendell_E
Quote from: bhodges on September 10, 2008, 12:10:27 PM
Edit: Just found out that Hansel & Gretel, Peter Grimes and Macbeth will be released in the U.S. on September 16. 

The First Emperor, La Bohème, and Manon Lescaut are also being released on that date.
"Never argue with an idiot. They will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience." ― Mark Twain

Solitary Wanderer

#8
November 09, 2008, 05:38:26 PM
Ok, just got back from Peter Grimes which was quite wonderful. Anthony Dean Griffey was Grimes. Good to see Teddy Tahu Rhodes singing well and receiving a great response at the curtain calls. Wonderful staging with the huge oppressive wall and the apertures for the tormentors to appear from. Brittens music was great too; very evocative of the sea and nature. Wonderful to see a 20th century opera which explores psychological and political themes.

Next up: Tristan and Isolde!

Just loving these Met HD Live 'movies'  :)
'I lingered round them, under that benign sky: watched the moths fluttering among the heath and harebells, listened to the soft wind breathing through the grass, and wondered how any one could ever imagine unquiet slumbers for the sleepers in that quiet earth.' ~ Emily Bronte

bhodges

#9
November 10, 2008, 12:14:10 PM
Quote from: Solitary Wanderer on November 09, 2008, 05:38:26 PM
Ok, just got back from Peter Grimes which was quite wonderful. Anthony Dean Griffey was Grimes. Good to see Teddy Tahu Rhodes singing well and receiving a great response at the curtain calls. Wonderful staging with the huge oppressive wall and the apertures for the tormentors to appear from. Brittens music was great too; very evocative of the sea and nature. Wonderful to see a 20th century opera which explores psychological and political themes.

Next up: Tristan and Isolde!

Just loving these Met HD Live 'movies'  :)

Great, wasn't it!  (Although I wish the cameras had captured more "long shots" of the set.)  Between Griffey, Rhodes and Patricia Racette--not to mention the fabulous chorus--I thought musically it was about as good as it gets.

--Bruce

Solitary Wanderer

#10
November 25, 2008, 10:23:02 AM
Went to Tristan und Isolde on Monday. It was quite stunning.

There were Wagnerian delays to start with 'technical problems' causing a one hour delay before the 'film' started. So it was a long day with me getting to the theatre at 9.45am and walking out, blinking, into the afternoon sunlight at 4.15pm!

Absolutely amazing though - I hope to go again tomorrow  :)
'I lingered round them, under that benign sky: watched the moths fluttering among the heath and harebells, listened to the soft wind breathing through the grass, and wondered how any one could ever imagine unquiet slumbers for the sleepers in that quiet earth.' ~ Emily Bronte

Solitary Wanderer

#11
November 26, 2008, 06:09:40 PM
Yep, I went a second time and it was even better! There is so much to take in that a second viewing revealed many more layers. I even enjoyed the split screens this time. I feel a bit exhausted though  ;)

I'm not sure how this pairing rates overall, but I thought they were both very good especially Deborah Voigt.

'I lingered round them, under that benign sky: watched the moths fluttering among the heath and harebells, listened to the soft wind breathing through the grass, and wondered how any one could ever imagine unquiet slumbers for the sleepers in that quiet earth.' ~ Emily Bronte

Lethevich

#12
November 29, 2008, 03:05:52 AM
Quote from: Solitary Wanderer on November 25, 2008, 10:23:02 AM
Went to Tristan und Isolde on Monday. It was quite stunning.

There were Wagnerian delays to start with 'technical problems' causing a one hour delay before the 'film' started. So it was a long day with me getting to the theatre at 9.45am and walking out, blinking, into the afternoon sunlight at 4.15pm!

Absolutely amazing though - I hope to go again tomorrow  :)

Sounds like a great experience, thanks for sharing :)
Peanut butter, flour and sugar do not make cookies. They make FIRE.
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