# 2011 - 2012 Met Live in HD



## Couchie (Dec 9, 2010)

Which ones are you planning on going to and looking forward to the most?


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

My 16-year-old daughter wants to go to all of them so I guess that's what we'll do.

I'm looking forward to them all except possibly Ernani, which is such a half-witted story that usually I prefer just to listen without thinking too much about the plot

But I guess I'm most excited about Mariusz Kwiecien in Don Giovanni, Andreas Scholl in Rodelinda, and Jonas Kaufmann AND René Pape in Faust.


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## Couchie (Dec 9, 2010)

You have a 16 year old daughter who wants to go to Götterdämmerung?

You did something very, very right as a parent. :clap:


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

These are the ones I'll be attending:
Satyagraha
Siegfried
Manon
Götterdämmerung
The Enchanted Island
Anna Bolena, in person


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## rgz (Mar 6, 2010)

I'm going to try and attend them all (except Faust -- really really don't care for Poplavskaya), but ones I'll make a special effort to not miss:
Siegfried
The Enchanted Island
Gotterdammerung
Manon

I'm on the fence about La Traviata. As much as I adore la Dessay, her performance in the Aix-en-Provence production was not especially encouraging. Wrong role at the wrong time in her career 

I'm quite surprised that l'Elisir d'Amore, with perhaps the best cast of any production this season, isn't a Live in HD selection. Glad I'll be seeing it in person.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Couchie said:


> You have a 16 year old daughter who wants to go to Götterdämmerung?


Yes, she really enjoyed Rheingold and Walküre. Actually it's Siegfried I'm more concerned about, I find the first two acts of that one the least enticing of the cycle.


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## CountessAdele (Aug 25, 2011)

The Enchanted Island!  But I'm going to try to see all of them at my theater.


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## FragendeFrau (May 30, 2011)

I know it's crazy, given the amount of cash I've dropped on opera since the fateful day of May 14, but I haven't bought any tickets yet...they're so expensive! *wink*

Given my opera ignorance I'd like to see all of them! But Siegfried and Götterdämmerung definitely, not to mention Faust after seeing it live...and...and... It's so tough.

Right now I'm thinking I should see the other Faust from London but again--I need to study that one, so rather than pay $25 to see it live from London, I should see if that DVD/stream is available from our library. Just too much to think about now. I'd better get on the stick about the Ring cycle though in case they get sold out.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

FragendeFrau said:


> I know it's crazy, given the amount of cash I've dropped on opera since the fateful day of May 14, but I haven't bought any tickets yet...they're so expensive! *wink*


You probably know this already, but in case you don't: the Encore broadcasts on Wednesday evening are less expensive than the live ones on Saturday afternoon.


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## ooopera (Jul 27, 2011)

Siegfried, Gotterdammerung and Faust. But I'll try to see all of them. 

How much does it cost in USA? We can see single performance for 13 € and all together for 110 €. ... but I can see that in Germany tickets cost 27 €?!


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## rgz (Mar 6, 2010)

ooopera said:


> Siegfried, Gotterdammerung and Faust. But I'll try to see all of them.
> 
> How much does it cost in USA? We can see single performance for 13 € and all together for 110 €. ... but I can see that in Germany tickets cost 27 €?!


Prices for the Live in HD shows vary wildly by theater and city. I've found prices as low as $15 and as high as $25, that's in two midwest cities (Omaha and Denver). I'd expect prices to be higher in major cities like Chicago, LA, New York.


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## Couchie (Dec 9, 2010)

It's $24 at mine, but that's about what you'd pay to see some crappy 3D movie with popcorn and a drink. 

At Walkure they gave away free coffee and cookies at the front of the theatre, is that standard practice I can look forward to every time?


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## ooopera (Jul 27, 2011)

Couchie said:


> At Walkure they gave away free coffee and cookies at the front of the theatre, is that standard practice I can look forward to every time?


haha! Serious? Nothing like that here. But anyway you can't eat cookies during Walkure! Or? At least I can't. And besides, it's not noisy?

Edit: or is it in the intermissions?


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

Couchie said:


> It's $24 at mine, but that's about what you'd pay to see some crappy 3D movie with popcorn and a drink.
> 
> At Walkure they gave away free coffee and cookies at the front of the theatre, is that standard practice I can look forward to every time?


In certain places it is standard practice but have you seen the sign they have there over the coffee and cookies table? It reads "No green monsters / llama thingies"


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## MAuer (Feb 6, 2011)

Couchie said:


> Which ones are you planning on going to and looking forward to the most?


How sad to see Salvatore Licitra still listed among cast members . . .


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## jflatter (Mar 31, 2010)

Only Gotterdammerung as Siegfried is on Bonfire Night. I should warn people seeing Faust that when that production was on in London it got panned. I did see Rene Pape in the recent ROH effort and in my view he was even better than Terfel and the ENO effort obviously did not have Kaufmann. For those who like the ballet, beware it is cut unlike the saucy McVicar effort.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

HD broadcasts cost US$26/€19 here. It's going to be expensive as well because as my daughter is now 16 so pays adult prices.


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## Couchie (Dec 9, 2010)

Almaviva said:


> In certain places it is standard practice but have you seen the sign they have there over the coffee and cookies table? It reads "No green monsters / llama thingies"


I know, that's why I had to sneak up to the table halfway through Act II while everyone was distracted by Stephanie Blythe. I devoured them all. When the lights came on for the intermission pandemonium erupted in the theatre: "Where be the cookies?? A thief in the night hath come and taken the cookies!" they screamed hysterically, while a certain green monster llama thingy laughed with a burp in the backmost row.


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## Aksel (Dec 3, 2010)

I'm improperly exited for Rodelinda, and I hope I'll be able to watch it; same for the Enchanted Island. I just might get the time to catch Anna Bolena and Don Giovanni, and possibly Faust. Stupid school for getting in the way.

Oh, and tickets are about 24 $ in Oslo, at least.


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> My 16-year-old daughter wants to go to all of them so I guess that's what we'll do.
> 
> I'm looking forward to them all except possibly Ernani, which is such a half-witted story that usually I prefer just to listen without thinking too much about the plot
> 
> But I guess I'm most excited about Mariusz Kwiecien in Don Giovanni, Andreas Scholl in Rodelinda, and Jonas Kaufmann AND René Pape in Faust.


Did you see DG?


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## Festat (Oct 25, 2011)

Ugh, I missed Don Giovanni. Probably going to see Rondelina, Faust and Siegfried.


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## Aramis (Mar 1, 2009)

O MY, O MY, ROBERT PLANT IS SINGING SIEGFRIED! s


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

sospiro said:


> Did you see DG?


Haven't even see Anna Bolena yet. It's Dead in HD in NZ, about 6 weeks after the US broadcast.


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> Haven't even see Anna Bolena yet. It's Dead in HD in NZ, about 6 weeks after the US broadcast.


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## amfortas (Jun 15, 2011)

Aramis said:


> O MY, O MY, ROBERT PLANT IS SINGING SIEGFRIED! s


Let's hope he does better than David Crosby.


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## Aramis (Mar 1, 2009)

amfortas said:


> Let's hope he does better than David Crosby.


He surely will but I'm concerned if he will be able to give up on his usual "baby", "oooo!...o!" or "o, mama, mama!" moaning stuff that he always puts between "normal" lyrics or will it be like "Nothung! Nothung, o, mama, let me tell you, neidliches schwert, o, mamamamamama..."


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## amfortas (Jun 15, 2011)

Aramis said:


> He surely will but I'm concerned if he will be able to give up on his usual "baby", "oooo!...o!" or "o, mama, mama!" moaning stuff that he always puts between "normal" lyrics or will it be like "Nothung! Nothung, o, mama, let me tell you, neidliches schwert, o, mamamamamama..."


Had to get up very early this morning, and must be more tired than I thought, because . . . Robert Plant as Siegfried actually sounds like a really cool idea!


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## AmericanGesamtkunstwerk (May 9, 2011)

everyone be extra diligent about their Wagner this season. According to the fathomevents website, Siegfried and Gotterdammerung are getting* no encores. * no wednesdays, no 6 pm. If you miss it live, i'm sorry for you.


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## MAnna (Sep 19, 2011)

Saw Anna Bolena encore last nite. Theater was 85% full and mostly full of Slavic sexagenarians. Had to sit in 3rd row but that was OK considering the gratuitous close-ups of Anna!

Also was impressed by the mezzo Tamara Mumford as Smeaton. Does anyone know anything about her? I think she has all the goods to make a great Baroque singer from what I could hear and see last night. I already envision her as Penelope


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## macgeek2005 (Apr 1, 2006)

I'm super excited for Siegfried this saturday! The preview looks absolutely enchanting! I've heard the opera over fifteen times during the past few months. I'm going to be absolutely riveted for every single second! I can't wait!!!


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

MAnna said:


> Saw Anna Bolena encore last nite. Theater was 85% full and mostly full of Slavic sexagenarians. Had to sit in 3rd row but that was OK considering the gratuitous close-ups of Anna!
> 
> Also was impressed by the mezzo Tamara Mumford as Smeaton. Does anyone know anything about her? I think she has all the goods to make a great Baroque singer from what I could hear and see last night. I already envision her as Penelope


I saw this production live at the Met and was deeply impressed with Tamara Mumford, like I said in my review of it.

Yes, she is great, and quite attractive.

http://www.tamaramumford.com/#!b-i-o


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Just seen Anna Bolena finally. Wow, I loved it, fantastic music, and thought the cast was excellent both for singing and acting. 
Loved the Tudor costumes too - like a Holbein painting, and even included little details like Anne's long flowing sleeves that she used to wear to cover up her extra thumb.


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## Couchie (Dec 9, 2010)

Here's some interesting stats on the Met in HD audience:http://www.shugollresearch.com/news/documents/opera_report.pdf

Didn't realize I was in such an "elite" group of 22-24 year olds.


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## rgz (Mar 6, 2010)

That is a fascinating pdf. Page 18 is really interesting -- the highest percentage age bracket for people who attended a live opera outside local area in the last two years is my age bracket, the 35-44 year old group, and second highest is the youngest age bracket, 22-34. Would not have expected that. And also that they are the highest percentages for seeing local opera in the last two years. Curiously, they are also the most likely to have never attended any live opera or a prior Live in HD event.


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## amfortas (Jun 15, 2011)

I dunno'. The showing of _Siegfried_ I went to, I may have been the youngest person in the audience.

And believe me, that is *not* good!


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## ooopera (Jul 27, 2011)

amfortas said:


> I dunno'. The showing of _Siegfried_ I went to, I may have been the youngest person in the audience.
> 
> And believe me, that is *not* good!


I was definitely the youngest!


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## Grosse Fugue (Mar 3, 2010)

I'm not the youngest but close. Actually I think I've seen more younger people at live performances.


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## Couchie (Dec 9, 2010)

I was extremely awkwardly the youngest. The plan was to pass myself off as an elderly couple's grandson but the reserved seats next to me never showed up and I was sitting alone very awkwardly.


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## AmericanGesamtkunstwerk (May 9, 2011)

Me and my friend are under 20. we met this guy who was fifty but could've past for late 30's, and we were hanging out with him. There were 3 people under 65, or even 70.


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## FragendeFrau (May 30, 2011)

In my area, the older folks (and I say that as an older person myself--these are probably in their 80s!) are bused in from their expensive retirement complexes. Many of them have come here from New York or Chicago because it is (relatively) cheaper to retire and we have two renowned hospitals in the area. However, I did spot about 10 "kids" who did not have gray hair, some of whom looked to be in their 20s.

Oh, and two theaters were used at our complex; the one I was in (not huge) was probably 3/4 full, which is great compared to the sorry showing for the Royal Opera House cinema at a different theater that I attended this summer. That was on a weekday and the time difference meant that I had to take an afternoon off.


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## amfortas (Jun 15, 2011)

Couchie said:


> I was extremely awkwardly the youngest. The plan was to pass myself off as an elderly couple's grandson but the reserved seats next to me never showed up and I was sitting alone very awkwardly.


Did you get carded, Couchie? More importantly, did the people sitting behind you ask you to take off that damned helmet?


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## Chi_townPhilly (Apr 21, 2007)

amfortas said:


> I dunno'. The showing of _Siegfried_ I went to, I may have been the youngest person in the audience.
> 
> And believe me, that is *not* good!


At our showing of _Siegfried_, there were half-a-dozen people who appeared younger than us- probably the highest ratio yet for any of the theatre-casts I've seen to date. [There were only about 30 in the entire theatre.]

When we saw the live _Rosenkavalier_ in an upscale suburb of Philadelphia, it was a packed house- and the number of folks visibly younger than us could perhaps be counted on the fingers of one hand.


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