Met movie-theater simulcast of "Magic Flute"

[bart]

I just returned from the first live opera simulcast of the new Metropolitan Opera series -- Magic Flute. I viewed this in a largish suburban theater that was completely sold out. It was a powerful and quite moving experience to see the audience at the Met itself, and to know that many people around the country, Canada, the UK, and Japan were watching at the same time, not to mention all those who were listening on the radio.

Did anyone else attend? What did you think? (A tangential question: what do you think about ABT or NYCB -- the closest we have to a "national" ballet company -- doing something similar in the future?)

I haven't had time to arrange my complex thoughts and feelings, but I left the theater feeling very good about my fellow members of the audience who seemed to be enthralled and very pleased by what they saw.

Among the pluses:

-- the shared live-time experience itself:

-- the ensemble work of the performers, with some especially fine singing from Nathan Gunn (Papageno), Erika Miklosa (Queen of the Night), and --if you closed your eyes and didn't look at the costume and make-up-- Rene Pape as Sarastro.

-- the clever rhyming translation by J.D. McClatchy, clearly enunciated by almost everyone. (If you have to do it in English, it ought to be colloquial and easy to comprehend)

The negatives:

-- This is definitely "Julie Taymor's Magic Flute," (rather like "Fellini's Satyricon," for those who remember that) and I was oppressed by the endless inventiveness, non-stop bombardment of details and movement, and general impression of something taking place in an rather classy 1980s disco. Mozart came in second, though the Met orchestra was lovely.

-- I understand that much had to be cut for this "family friendly" version, but Pamina's role especially was eviscerated, and she is (for me) the musical, dramatic and spiritual heart of the opera. (Taymor apparently was actively involved in the editing decisions.)

[Helene]

They didn't cut "Ach, Ich full'es" did they? If they did, argh!!!!!

The Met wasn't able to get one of the Seattle area cinemas for this Magic Flute; the nearest theater was in Springfield, Oregon, over 250 miles away. But I'm hoping to see some of the other productions, which are playing closer to home, and I did get to hear about half of it on the radio.

I hope this was a success for the cinemas. I would love to see the Met's experiment create an audience for worldwide opera and ballet. And YES! to live broadcasts of the ballet, too.

[bart]

They didn't cut "Ach, Ich full'es" did they? If they did, argh!!!!!

Actually, they did.

I hope this was a success for the cinemas.

It certainly was a success in this particular theater. We all have to look for the press coverage tomorrow and over the next few days. The next test is in a week. The Met has to sell Puritani (full-length I imagine, and not exactly a household name), a much longer performance time, with several intermissions. "Family friendly" and "Julie Taymor" were the most prominent selling points for this one. "Anna Netrebko" fills that role in the promotion for Puritani.

I wonder whether they will televise the usual intermission features or possibly do interviews a la Life From Lincoln Center.

Incidentally, opera and popcorn go very well together.

[Helene]

What a shame. It's that aria that makes it worth it for me to sit through the Monastatos and moralizing scenes.

There's a cinema across the lake that shows Bollywood movies, which often have intermissions. Its solution? Sell samosas. Works like a charm.

[sandik]

Mmm, tasty.

Maybe they'd be willing to take on the Met broadcasts?

[Helene]

You'd think that since cinemas make beaucoup bucks selling junk food at a tremendous markup, they'd welcome opera intermissions. (And as a long-time Seattle Film Festival goer, I can attest that hungry moviegoers will eat anything.)

[nysusan]

I’m a newbie when it comes to Opera but since I live in NY and just discovered the Met’s new $15 seats I’ve gone several times already this season. While looking over their schedule I noticed “The Magic Flute” – abridged 100 minute family friendly version in English as well as Die Zauberflote – full length 3 hr and 10 minute version in German (I haven’t seen either one). So, while you may have been disappointed that they chose to simulcast the abridged version, at least they are presenting both in their repertory this season and make a clear distinction between them. There were lots of posters around town promoting the abridged Magic Flute as a new holiday family tradition in the weeks before Xmas, and Netrbko posters popped up a week or 2 before the Puritani run started.

As for simulcasts of ABT or NYCB – I don’t know. I don’t think ballet translates very well onscreen. I suppose a simulcast is better than nothing but I’d hate to have people with no familiarity with ballet judge a performance by what they see on a movie screen. The 3 dimensionality and quality of live movement make a huge difference in impact. One of my pet peeves is when people form opinions of dancers or ballets based strictly on having viewed videos or, worse yet, compare a live performance to a filmed one. It’s something we all do (myself included), but it’s such a false comparison.

[Hans]

One of my friends recommended that I not attend--he called it a children's version--and I did not have time anyway, but I am definitely attending I Puritani this Saturday.

[Drew]

I went to The Magic Flute--it was sold out and the audience included lots of (well-behaved) children including quite young ones. However, the website on which we bought the tickets did not make it remotely clear that this was an abridged version. My husband and I were a little disconcerted when we found out--enjoyed it nonetheless very much.

(By the by, I do think having a performance of an edited version that is child-friendly is a great idea--though one wouldn't want that to be the Met's regular practice--and I think it makes a heck of a lot more substantial introduction to opera than Nutcracker does to ballet.)

[carbro]

The Magic Flute is very child-friendly, even uncut.

When her younger child was roughly between her first and second birthdays, my sister had a Swedish au pair. The young woman, apparently lonely to hear her native tongue, often played the Bergman MF video. The result: a baby who sang Mozart before she could speak!

[dirac]

I went to The Magic Flute--it was sold out and the audience included lots of (well-behaved) children including quite young ones. However, the website on which we bought the tickets did not make it remotely clear that this was an abridged version. My husband and I were a little disconcerted when we found out--enjoyed it nonetheless very much.

(By the by, I do think having a performance of an edited version that is child-friendly is a great idea--though one wouldn't want that to be the Met's regular practice--and I think it makes a heck of a lot more substantial introduction to opera than Nutcracker does to ballet.)

Hello, Drew. Good to hear from you. I suspect that the ticket sellers aren't necessarily aware of the difference between cut and uncut when it comes to opera.

[Helene]

There will be an encore performance of The Magic Flute on Saturday, 23 January.

It is playing in downtown Seattle, at Pacific Place.

I'm going to see I Puritani this morning (10:30 am start on the West Coast) and will report back. It's in Auburn, but, happily, from the map, it looks close enough to do an IKEA and Great Mall of China run at the same time

[sandik]

There will be an encore performance of The Magic Flute on Saturday, 23 January.

It is playing in downtown Seattle, at Pacific Place.

I'm going to see I Puritani this morning (10:30 am start on the West Coast) and will report back. It's in Auburn, but, happily, from the map, it looks close enough to do an IKEA and Great Mall of China run at the same time

Am I experiencing a senior moment -- January 23 isn't a Saturday.

Please don't tell me it's the 13th -- I'm out of town...

[sandik]

There will be an encore performance of The Magic Flute on Saturday, 23 January.

It is playing in downtown Seattle, at Pacific Place.

I'm going to see I Puritani this morning (10:30 am start on the West Coast) and will report back. It's in Auburn, but, happily, from the map, it looks close enough to do an IKEA and Great Mall of China run at the same time

Am I experiencing a senior moment -- January 23 isn't a Saturday.

Please don't tell me it's the 13th -- I'm out of town...

I'm so excited I'm replying to myself.

It is (according to the website) on Tuesday, January 23, at 7:30 pm, and tickets go on sale January 9. And yes, in Seattle it is playing at a downtown theater. Which is fabulous, considering that the original broadcast wasn't playing anywhere in Washington state.

I'm very, very excited!

[SanderO]

We saw Zauberflote at the Met two weeks ago and it was incredible. Don't miss that one.

[bart]

Just returned from Puritani (and will start another thread on that one). People in the audience spoke of NY Times and other pieces which discussed a number of technical problems in some theaters for the Magic Flute. I'm delighted they are repeating it. Once they iron out the wrinkles, this should be an incredible franchise for the Met and boon for those who love to share a real-time (if not "live") opera expereince.