The Met: Live in HD began in 2003, as a means to reach new audiences around the world who would have otherwise not had the opportunity to see an opera, let alone an opera produced by the world famous Metropolitan Opera. Given that the Met has been broadcasting live performances over the radio for the past 80 years, it was only logical to broadcast visually as well as aurally.
Where can I see The Met: Live in HD?
These high-definition broadcasts can be seen in movie theaters around the world. To find out if there is a participating theater near you, visit one of the following links: United States, Canada, or international locations.
What can I expect to see?
I've attended many performances at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City as well as a few Live in HD performances with friends and family in the Midwest. Apart from the music, it's really like comparing apples to oranges; they are two very different experiences. Unlike sitting in the actual opera house where you get to hear the performance within the houses own acoustics and focus your attention on the entire stage and/or parts of it, a live in HD broadcast essentially chooses these aspects for you. You'll see what the director wants you to see. The sound will be "repackaged" so that certain voices are made more prominent than others and the balance between the orchestra and performers are tweaked. More often than not, I do find myself wanting to see the entire stage or watch how the other characters react to the singer. However, I do appreciate seeing closeups of the singers - a far better position than front row seats. It's like being on the stage with them.
What I like most about The Met: Live in HD performances are the special behind-the-scenes presentations you would otherwise not get to see if you were sitting in the actual Metropolitan Opera house. Live in HD audiences are presented with live interviews with the performers, producers, and technicians prior to the start of the show, during the intermission, and post performance. These special presentations and interviews are often hosted by opera stars like Renee Fleming, Natalie Dessay, Placido Domingo, and Susan Graham.
For more information, visit the Met's Live in HD online resources.
The Met: Live in HD 2012-2013 Performance Schedule
- Donizetti's L'Elisir d'Amore (New Production)
October 13, 2012
Starring: Anna Netrebko and Matthew Polenzani - Verdi's Otello
October 27, 2012
Starring: Johan Botha and Renee Fleming - Adès's The Tempest (Met Premiere)
November 10, 2012
Starring: Simon Keenlyside - Mozart's La Clemenza di Tito
December 1, 2012
Starring: Elīna Garanča, Giuseppe Filianoti, and Barbara Frittoli - Verdi's Un Ballo in Maschera (New Production)
December 8, 2012
Starring: Marcelo Álvarez, Karita Mattila, Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Kathleen Kim, and Stephanie Blythe - Verdi's Aida
December 15, 2012
Starring:i Ludmyla Monastyrska, Roberto Alagna, and Olga Borodina - Berlioz's Les Troyens
January 5, 2013
Starring: Deborah Voigt, Susan Graham, Marcello Giordani, and Dwayne Croft - Donizetti's Maria Stuarda (Met Premiere)
January 19, 2013
Starring: Joyce DiDonato and Elza van den Heever - Verdi's Rigoletto (New Production)
February 16, 2013
Starring: Piotr Beczala, Željko Lucic, and Diana Damrau - Wagner's Parsifal (New Production)
March 2, 2013
Starring: Jonas Kaufmann, Katarina Dalayman, Peter Mattei, Evgeny Nikitin, and René Pape - Zandonai's Francesca da Rimini
March 16, 2013
Starring: Eva-Maria Westbroek and Marcello Giordani - Handel's Giulio Cesare (New Production)
April 27, 2013
Starring: David Daniels and Natalie Dessay
