# Live from the MET (2013-2014)



## Celloman (Sep 30, 2006)

Hey, y'all!

Since we've been discussing the _Eugene Onegin_ production, I thought we might devote a thread to the _Live from the Met_ series for 2013-2014. Which _Live from the Met_ operas are you planning to see? If you've already seen one, tell us about it! Did it meet with your expectations? Are there any operas you would like the _MET_ to bring to the big screen?

Toi, toi, toi!


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Oh yes. I'd like them to ditch the re-runs of Tosca and Cenerentola and show their productions of Die Frau ohne Schatten and Midsummer Night's Dream instead. C'mon Met, Britten's 100th this year, Strauss's 150th next year if you needed an excuse.

That said I'm definitely going to see Eugene Onegin, The Nose, Prince Igor, Werther, Rusalka and Falstaff. I'll decide about the others closer to the time, although I know I won't bother with Tosca, and La Boheme is unlikely.


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## Aramis (Mar 1, 2009)

Of remaining forthcoming broadcasts, the one I'm waiting for is Rusalka. In Onegin interview Beczała claimed he's happy to finally sing in traditional production of this opera without regie excesses. I feel the same way from auditor's perspective. This opera isn't among my favorities but well staged and sung, it may be highly enjoyable. I'm wondering about how Fleming does these days though, didn't hear anything really recent from her.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Aramis said:


> Of remaining forthcoming broadcasts, the one I'm waiting for is Rusalka. In Onegin interview Beczała claimed he's happy to finally sing in traditional production of this opera without regie excesses. I feel the same way from auditor's perspective. This opera isn't among my favorities but well staged and sung, it may be highly enjoyable. I'm wondering about how Fleming does these days though, didn't hear anything really recent from her.


Yes, I'm really looking forward to a fairy-tale Rusalka too.


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## RobertKC (Dec 9, 2013)

*Met "Live in HD" broadcast of La Boheme. Maybe I'm an old grump …*



Celloman said:


> Which _Live from the Met_ operas are you planning to see? If you've already seen one, tell us about it! Did it meet with your expectations?


Yesterday I experienced my first "Live in HD" Met broadcast in a movie theater: _La Boheme_. Following are my opinions, FWIW.

Overall I'd grade the experience as a "D" - i.e., poor quality. I left after the 3rd Act. (And I love _La Boheme_.) My dissatisfaction is based on:

1.	The sound was too loud for my tastes, and in my opinion the audio quality wasn't very good. In comparison, when watching/listening to a high quality Blu-ray opera recording in my home I experience far better quality audio. At home I often experience a "magical moment" when listening to opera via one of my hi-fi systems, where I "get lost in the music". This never happened in the movie theater. Instead I often found myself with my fingers covering my ears.

2.	The video quality was underwhelming. Yes, the movie screen was big. However, the "black level" was very poor - everything looked hazy. Overall the video quality looked comparable to a 1990s DVD, vs. state-of-the-art Blu-ray when viewed on my plasma HDTV.

3.	Then, there's the audience in the movie theater. I changed seats between Acts because someone in the row behind me was laughing out loud every minute or so during the first 2 Acts. Additionally, people were making noise opening plastic food wrappers. Not my idea of how to enjoy opera.

4.	Finally, for me the smell of the popcorn/"butter" was unpleasant and overpowering. There was no escaping the smell - it permeated the theater, lobby, and hallways. This alone was enough to ruin the day for me.

At the risk of sounding like an old grump - never again will I attend a Met "Live in HD" broadcast in a movie theater. I'd much prefer to watch a high quality Blu-ray recording in my home - or better yet a "live, in person" performance in an opera house. (In the past year I've seen live performances of _La Boheme _twice, and enjoyed both.)

I know … "Other than that, how did you like the play, Mr. Lincoln?" …

Perhaps in other movie theaters in other cities the Met broadcasts are a wonderful experience. What have TC'ers experienced?

Sorry for venting - but I had a rotten experience yesterday.


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## Bellinilover (Jul 24, 2013)

Even though I saw it in 2009, I am going to the CENERENTOLA showing in May, just because CENERENTOLA is my favorite opera _and_ I'm thinking it might be my last chance to see my favorite buffo, Alessandro Corbelli, on the big screen. I went to EUGENE ONEGIN in October and enjoyed it, though on the whole not as much as the 2007 production with Hvorostovsky and Fleming.


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

I saw la Boheme and did find it a very enjoyable experience. Of course it is one remove as it is it in a movie theatre and not actually in the Opera house. Nothing actually beats being there.
I also had to change seats. A couple of ladies in front of me went and got a couple of bags of popcorn during the interval we stay then devoured it through the last act. In my opinion eating popcorn during an opera should be a capital offence! So I moved.
Apart from someone (an older man) rustling a bag during the love duet the audience was pretty well-behaved. No real problems.
The sound of the broadcast was a bit loud but not unbearable.
I'll certainly be planning to attend more next broadcasts, especially the Cosi later this month.
I also greatly enjoyed the broadcast of Falstaff from the Met.


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

RobertKC said:


> Yesterday I experienced my first "Live in HD" Met broadcast in a movie theater: _La Boheme_. Following are my opinions, FWIW.
> 
> Overall I'd grade the experience as a "D" - i.e., poor quality. I left after the 3rd Act. (And I love _La Boheme_.) My dissatisfaction is based on:
> 
> ...


Where I live it's exactly the same experience, mostly underwhelming.


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## Revenant (Aug 27, 2013)

DavidA said:


> I saw la Boheme and did find it a very enjoyable experience. Of course it is one remove as it is it in a movie theatre and not actually in the Opera house. Nothing actually beats being there.
> I also had to change seats. A couple of ladies in front of me went and got a couple of bags of popcorn during the interval we stay then devoured it through the last act. In my opinion eating popcorn during an opera should be a capital offence! So I moved.
> Apart from someone (an older man) rustling a bag during the love duet the audience was pretty well-behaved. No real problems.
> The sound of the broadcast was a bit loud but not unbearable.
> ...


An old man. Rustling a bag. Why that's just... sad.


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## Dongiovanni (Jul 30, 2012)

Saw Onegin some time ago. The audience was pretty ok, which I had expected to be much worse. Picture and sound quality was ok, but there were many hickups. Worse, there were no subtitles. This all at 35 euro, which I think is too much. Curious to know what others paid.


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## deggial (Jan 20, 2013)

RobertKC said:


> 1.	Instead I often found myself with my fingers covering my ears.
> 
> 2.	The video quality was underwhelming. Yes, the movie screen was big. However, the "black level" was very poor - everything looked hazy. Overall the video quality looked comparable to a 1990s DVD, vs. state-of-the-art Blu-ray when viewed on my plasma HDTV.
> 
> 4.	Finally, for me the smell of the popcorn/"butter" was unpleasant and overpowering. There was no escaping the smell - it permeated the theater, lobby, and hallways. This alone was enough to ruin the day for me.


loud, poor quality video and smelly premises = terrible experience, I feel for you.


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

Dongiovanni said:


> Saw Onegin some time ago. The audience was pretty ok, which I had expected to be much worse. Picture and sound quality was ok, but there were many hickups. Worse, there were no subtitles. This all at 35 euro, which I think is too much. Curious to know what others paid.


At our theatre it was £15


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

One drawback to the Bpheme was the routine conducting. Where do these guys come from?


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## Dongiovanni (Jul 30, 2012)

DavidA said:


> At our theatre it was £15


That's a big difference. Mind you, there were free snacks durig the breaks.


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

Dongiovanni said:


> That's a big difference. Mind you, there were free snacks durig the breaks.


I brought my own!


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## perempe (Feb 27, 2014)

Dongiovanni said:


> Saw Onegin some time ago. The audience was pretty ok, which I had expected to be much worse. Picture and sound quality was ok, but there were many hickups. Worse, there were no subtitles. This all at 35 euro, which I think is too much. Curious to know what others paid.


here it's 12 euro (but we still have HUF instead of Euro).


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