Met Radio Broadcasts Archived on BBC Radio 3

Opera on 3

I was reminded the other day that BBC Radio 3 transmits the Met Saturday broadcasts. Not only that, they archive each one for about 30 days. This means if you had other things you had to do yesterday and couldn’t set aside six hours to listen to the fabulous performance of Parsifal, that you still have time to do so.

As of this writing, they also have archived recordings of Tosca, Il Trovatore, and L'elisir d'amore. Of course, they also broadcast other opera performances from the UK and Europe. I still find the website a bit difficult to navigate; but perseverance pays off. You can always explore while you’re listening to the archives.

Opera Fugit (Especially on YewToob)

The fleetingness of opera online is well known—especially on that one video upload website that you and I watch on the tube. However, these selections seem likely to stay around, since they're published by the EuroArts Channel. (They also have a lot of non-opera concert performances as well.) 

Highlights include:

• Alcina from Vienna with Anja Harteros and Vesselina Kassarova
• Carmen directed by Martin Kusej
• Philip Glass' The Perfect American
• Peter Konwitchky's spare Traviata
• The "wild west" L'Elisir with Rolando Villazon and Miah Persson.

Most do not have subtitles, but hey, we're opera fans, we can figure that part out.

So many operas…so little time.

Gratuitous Friday – More Miah (and Rolando) in L'Elisir

I have a lot to say about this production, but I will save a more lengthy discussion for another day. 

As a director, Rolando is a very good tenor, and of course Miah Persson is a game leading lady (and probably a better director). 

Rolando's s concept is cute; but he either needs to go further with the silent movie camp, or really reel it in (no pun intended). For my money, I'd like to see less mugging and more character. Meanwhile, Adina seems to be a good fit for Ms. Persson. So for now, let's just enjoy Miah and Rolando doing some lovely vocalizing. 

And with this clip, Miah Persson week comes to a close...or does it?

Curtain Calls and Scene Changes

For some reason, when watching an opera video, I really dislike seeing the curtain calls between scenes and after each act. But I don't mind at all seeing behind-the-scenes stuff.  In the Met HD Elisir, I liked seeing the (excruciatingly long) set change between scenes in Act 1. In the Neuenfels' Lohengrin you can see the chorus getting ready for the final scene, and during the prelude to Act 3, there is a specially produced video of backstage stuff. But those are video-only bits. The audience in the opera house doesn't see that. It's part of the video production. 

This video continues past the Act 3 Prelude. 

The mice/rats singing of the Bridal Procession 

is pretty cool (and yes, a little weird.)

I guess that maybe why it doesn't bother me. Scene changes don't take me out of the drama, because changing the scenery is part of the production. I enjoy the mechanics of theater. Sometimes you even get to see the scenery changes right on stage (e.g., the wonderful Minghella Butterfly) and those changes really are part of the show.  Somehow that artificiality is not distracting to me. 

Expecting L'Elisir d'Bore – Got L'Elisir d’Like: Met in HD

Maybe it’s because I read all the lukewarm reviews of opening night and was prepared for the worst; maybe it’s because I was excited by finally getting to see my first Met in HD broadcast; or maybe it’s because it just wasn't all that bad.