When the Metropolitan Opera first opened its doors on Oct. 22, 1883, an audience of 3,621 attended the opening night performance of Gounod’s Faust. This year, the company launched its 125th anniversary season with an Opening Night Gala that was witnessed by nearly 90,000 worldwide. Thanks to “The Met: Live in HD” more people than ever before are able to experience Met performances during this milestone season.
To meet increasing global demand, “The Met: Live in HD” will present 11 broadcasts to movie theaters around the world in 2008-09. The HD productions will be viewed in almost 800 venues. Several new countries in South America and Europe are joining the network this season.
The season debuted with the Opening Night Gala starring Renée Fleming on Sept. 22. For this one-night-only performance, Music Director James Levine and Marco Armiliato conducted fully staged performances of the second act of Verdi’s La Traviata, the third act of Massenet’s Manon, and the final scene from Richard Strauss’s Capriccio. Tenor Ramón Vargan and baritones Thomas Hampson and Dwayne Croft joined Fleming on stage.
In addition to the star-studded lineup, the performance showcased the work of three renowned fashion designers who created costumes specifically for Fleming. Christian Lacroix created two gowns for La Traviata, Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel made a costume for Manon, and for Capriccio, John Galliano dressed the diva.
Fleming is no stranger to the Opening Night at the Met. Over her memorable career with the company, Fleming has kicked off the season no less than four times. This special anniversary gala was created around the acclaimed soprano – the selections are from her favorite operas.
As an opening night veteran, Fleming delivered a stunning performance. In La Traviata, she played the distressed courtesan Violetta Valéry, who gave up her glamorous lifestyle for love, but is forced to break off the affair against her will. In Manon, Fleming portrayed Manon Lescaut in a humorous scene set during a festival near the River Seine. In the final scene from Capriccio, Fleming played the young, widowed countess Madeleine who is choosing between two lovers. Playing roles from three completely different operas in one night is a difficult task, but the diva transitioned between each character gracefully.
Watching the Opening Night Gala at AMC NorthPark in Dallas was an excellent alternative to seeing the performance firsthand in New York. While walking the red carpet and networking with some of New York’s most prominent socialites would be exceptional, the “Live in HD” broadcast gives the audience a behind the scenes look into the production of the event. Mezzo-soprano Susan Graham and other renowned opera divas interviewed cast members and famous attendees of the event, giving viewers across the world a perspective that attendees in New York didn’t get.
The broadcast also gave a glimpse into the physical production of the event. Just like Fleming’s transition between characters was a difficult task, transitioning between different sets was a tremendous feat. Between acts, the camera went behind the curtain to show the audience how the elaborate sets are torn down and set up, all in time for the next scene to begin.
If you are not going to be in New York for the 2008-2009 Metropolitan Opera season, make sure to catch one of the performances at your local movie theater. “The Live in HD” broadcast gives opera lovers an exclusive look into the cast and production of the show. For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit metoperafamily.org/metopera.
