ennierda: (Default)
ennierda ([personal profile] ennierda) wrote2009-09-02 10:08 am
Entry tags:

Macbeth as Opera: kinda neat

So the Metropolitan Opera House put a giant screen on the outside of the building and then invited the general public to come sit and watch a telecast of Macbeth by Verdi. My friend and I were probably the youngest people in the crowd, which filled every damn seat (with walkers.)

Except for my fears that Lady Macbeth was going to fall out of her top, it was pretty damn enjoyable. In order to squeeze in all that singing, anything that wasn't absolutely vital to the plot got squeezed out (including the "unsex me" speech, which I disapproved of.) They updated the costumes to some sort of a WWI motif, and made the witches look like crazy cat ladies. I kept wondering if I could get high school kids to sit through a three-hour opera version of Macbeth when I teach it someday.

Answer - probably not, but I'm not sure that the Met sells video recordings of their productions anyway. They do special HD Live broadcasts for schools, tho. I approve of that - now that they don't make Animaniacs anymore, who will make parody versions of classical music, thus sneakily giving kids a classical musical education?

The Met does live telecasts throughout the season to movie theaters around the country. Sadly, the website is extremely unhelpful in determining WHERE these movie theaters are. It is also very unhelpful in providing a schedule for the educational broadcasts.

If I didn't have to do yearbook, I'd really like to start some sort of a cultural society at my school. I've got access to discount tickets to all sorts of things that I hardly ever use, not to mention how many free cultural programs there are in the city in warm weather. During cold weather the club could watch classic movies in an empty classroom. That's my idea of a great club - very little work, and I learn something, too!

[identity profile] wafflebunny.livejournal.com 2009-09-02 03:08 pm (UTC)(link)
http://www.ncm.com/FathomContent/PDF/MET09-10_Theatres_LIVE.pdf
http://www.ncm.com/FathomContent/PDF/MET0910_Theatres_ENC.pdf

Is a list of movie theatres that will broadcast the performances live, and then as an encore showing.

[identity profile] ennierda.livejournal.com 2009-09-02 03:13 pm (UTC)(link)
Well, shit. I was hoping the theater up the street from the school would show it, but it doesn't appear to be showing in Brooklyn at all. Field trip to Union Square, maybe?

[identity profile] wafflebunny.livejournal.com 2009-09-02 03:20 pm (UTC)(link)
Looks like. There's a link on the Met Opera website that includes ways for theatres to sign up to host them, maybe you could talk to the one down the street, and see if they'd be interested.

[identity profile] ennierda.livejournal.com 2009-09-02 03:22 pm (UTC)(link)
It's possible. My school is a shit hole, but it's located in a very upscale neighborhood. A little poster advertisement in the local coffee houses and supermarkets may well fill the house.