Opera (kind of): Metropolitan Opera Broadcast: The Magic Flute
I’ve only watched one other opera in the past – Faust, and that was on the recommendation of a friend. I enjoyed it a great deal: there’s a kind of spectacle in Opera that’s unique to that artform: the costumes, the drama, and the music combine together in a particular way: even cinema dosen’t generally have the same atmosphere to it.
Through the kindness of a friend, Kel and I found ourselves at the Chauvel in Paddington watching a HD broadcast of a NY Metropolitan Opera’s performance of Mozart’s The Magic Flute. This was a preview to a season of such operas that will be screened in late December and January at the Chauvel, and in a few other places.
Though the sound isn’t exactly the same as being in an opera house, it’s still very good. Where the screen presentation really shines, though, is in pointing out the detail of the costumes, and being able to see the expressions on the faces of the performers.
If you’re a fan of opera, or have always wondered what it would be like to go and see one, this would be an excellent way to come to some understanding of the form, and much cheaper than going to a live production.