Curtain Coming Down on First HD Transmission!
Posted by Matt Dobkin on 12/15/2007Today was the first of the Met’s 8 high-definition transmissions this season, and the excitement in the opera house was palpable. TV trucks were parked behind the house on Amsterdam Avenue, and camera crews raced around the house capturing behind-the-scenes action for the international audience.
During the scene changes of the first half of Roméo et Juliette, cameras caught baritone Nathan Gunn joking with a stage manager as the set was put into place. The opera’s Juliette, superstar Anna Netrebko, could be seen getting helped into her gauzy robe with the help of a dresser, before ascending the stairs to Juliette’s balcony.
During intermission, another star soprano – Renée Fleming – took on the role of special interview, chatting with Netrebko and her co-star Roberto Alagna in a backstage dressing room about the challenges of playing the famous teenage lovebirds. A chatty Alagna elicited laughs from the divas when he claimed to be “very shy”. As Fleming introduced a video clip, Netrebko hammed it up for the camera, doing a dance behind her soprano colleague.
Later in the intermission, Fleming escorted Plácido Domingo, who was conducting the show, to the orchestra pit for the third act, chatting with the legendary tenor for the live movie-theater audience about his 40-year Met career.
At this writing, the performance has just ended and the audience is still applauding. Check back for updates and photos!
December 15th, 2007 at 2:54 pm
How wonderful it was to attend the opera today here in Savannah, GA. We missed the first five or ten minutes due to strangeness of technology, I guess, but once things got going properly frustrations disappeared and it was obvious everyone was enthralled. There was practically no publicity,which had angered me. However, there was a good turnout and I think the audience will grow. Sincere thanks to the powers that be for bringing Metropolitan Opera to us.
December 15th, 2007 at 3:26 pm
It was FANTASTIC!! I loved it - next best thing to sitting at the Met, with the added advantages of the close-ups on stage, the conductor, the camera angles, the interviews and behind the scenes. We, the audience, all clapped our hearts out at the end, even though no one at the Met could hear us. Thank you, Thank you!
December 15th, 2007 at 3:27 pm
Wow! I saw the HD Live performance of Romeo & Juliette today at the local movie theatre here in Edmonton AB Canada and was blown away — it was superb! I arrived at the theatre about forty minutes before showtime and there were tons of people already in their seats — way more people attended compared to last year’s HD Live performance transmissions. I loved the way that the performers sang their hearts out and how Placido Domingo conducted with such confidence and passion. Way to go, Met Opera! Can’t wait for New Year’s Day and Hansel and Gretel.
December 15th, 2007 at 4:21 pm
I watched the performance of Romeo et Juliette at the movie theater in Boca Raton, Florida. I am an opera lover and every time I’m in NY I attend a performance at the Met. I wasn’t sure if I’d like to watch it in the movie theater. It was excellent and very enjoyable. The singing was great, Netrebko and Alagna were very convincing young lovers. I also enjoyed the scenes from behind the stage.
Maestro Domingo was superb.
Thank you Metropolitan Opera for bringing this and the future performances to thousands of people across the world.
December 15th, 2007 at 4:23 pm
Great performance and glad that HD Broadcasts are back. Even better camera shots than last season. Mr Gelb when will we be able able to watch HD broadcasts streamed live to our PC’s. I’m sure a pay for view subscription (similar to Sirius radio) would be viable and would reach even more people.
Paul Dalton
North Yorkshire
United Kingdon
December 15th, 2007 at 6:34 pm
This was my first experience with the HD simulcast. The theatre in Branford CT sold out four screening rooms. and people clapped after each aria (no “Bravos” though). It seemed that the microphone used by Roberto Alagna wasn’t working properly in the first act - his voice seemed flat and didn’t carry well. But it was noticebly improved in the magnificent second act. The final scene was intense. The experience lacks some of th e”frisson” of being there in person at the Met, but the camera views were outstanding. (right down to the pimples and immunization marks on the gorgeous soprano with the majectic voice.
Peter
December 15th, 2007 at 10:50 pm
Stunningly beautiful performance. The sound quality was impaired at the beginning of the first act, however, but improved as the performance progressed. I loved watching the performers on stage readying for the curtain to go up. It is always a shock to see the casual, everyday demeanor of the gods and goddesses of the Met back stage, but then how quickly they can shift from everyday Joe and Jane to full character and voice as the curtain rises.
December 16th, 2007 at 3:20 am
Bravo. This was best opera performance I have ever seen. Thought that the intensity of the lighting needed to be increased throughout (to better show off the beauty and glamour of the whole production.)
December 16th, 2007 at 7:09 am
The viewing in Savannah, GA was a huge success, after fixing a few early snafus–like no sound during the overture and first chorus. Those poor souls, who thought they were going to see the movie, The Legacy, (which was posted on the door of the multi-plex theatre) fled when they realized their mistake.
When the sound was turned on, and the errant viewers were gone, the magic began and never stopped. As we exited, EVERYONE talked about the wonderful event and only lamented the total lack of laocal publicity for the showing. Word of mouth must keep it going.
December 16th, 2007 at 7:16 am
I have been watching the opera in a big theather in Amsterdam in the Netherlands. I was struck by the quality of sound and picture. Especialy the beautifull close up’s were great. And the sensual playing of Alagna and Netrebko was fantastic and very natural…real lovers !! a nice Romeo and Juliette couple. The HD quality was great, what will bring this technology the coming times?…I loved it every minute.
December 16th, 2007 at 7:36 am
What a wonderful experience eating popcorn while enjoying this fantastic performance.
Thank you.
December 16th, 2007 at 8:36 am
The performance was one of the most sensual and ardently sung I have heard.Domingo was superb in his conducting of the Met Orchestra catching all the nuance of this refined and elegant score.Netrebko in all her beauty is an operatic treasure with her disciplined dark hued voice and “Ava Gardner” looks.Alagna may have lost some of his youthful sheen but he still sang well and definitely has the French style,missing in so many other tenors. The camera angles were superb.If this performance would ever be issued as a DVD,it would be a must have.
December 16th, 2007 at 8:51 am
This was my first experience with the Met theatre telecasts.
The performance and production were superb.
But I was disappointed in some of the technicalities.
The sound was not as full as I had expected and at times bordered on distortion. And I didn’t feel the HD television was any better than other big screen theatre presentations I had seen years ago, certainly not as good as a first run movie or HD Television at home.
I’m wondering whether it’s like that everywhere or if perhaps the theatre where I saw it (Cineplex in Barrie Ontario)
was not fully equipped or its staff not expert in the technology.
From a production standpoint, as good as the many closeups were, I would have liked to have seen some long shots of the complete stage.
It was good. The price is a bargain. I certainly will return for Manon Lescault and La Boheme and maybe a couple of others.
Now, wouldn’t it be wonderful if, emboldened by the success of these Met broadcasts, other major opera houses started doing the same thing.
D.Smyth
December 16th, 2007 at 8:59 am
Absolutely spectacular. Eager to see other HD productions. Larry
December 16th, 2007 at 9:43 am
We saw this in Richmond VA yesterday. We loved the music and the musicians. The sound cut out a few times - don’t know if it was from New York or a local problem. The camera direction was really intrusive - too much cutting, too many fancy angles. With such glorious talent, why try so hard? The close-ups of people in motion were particularly unfortunate.
We look forward to Jan 1.
December 16th, 2007 at 11:22 am
Greetings from Jacksonville, Florida. I am still on Cloud 9 from yesterday’s performance of Romeo and Juliette. I didn’t know what to expect, but nevertheless, it was beyond all expectations. We moved from New York and miss our occasional jaunts into the city to Avery Fisher Hall and the Met. No more will we miss the Metropolitan Opera.
Even though we were watching a screen, we felt very much a part of the action and even had a little more than the live audience, by going backstage during the set changes. What a thrill too, to listen to the great Renee Fleming interview the lead singers and the maestro.
I couldn’t stop talking about it at our Cathedral Church this morning and some opera lovers have said we need to get up a group to go and add our “encore, encore” to those of the live audience.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for bringing this presentation to fans everywhere. I cannot believe my good luck in finding out about this series.
December 16th, 2007 at 11:54 am
this was a great experience. We had season tickets that we shared with friends for the met operas in new york at Lincoln center. We now live in La Quinta, California and I read with envy the season line up. This is truly being there. The sound was wonderful, sets, camera work etc and to see the conductor up close with his musicians was a real treat. The production and the singing was outstanding, for me it looked like a near perfect performance. bravo to all that made this possible This will bring grand singing and and theatre to all. This is a real gift to the world I so look forward to Macbeth.
with gratitude, Maureen Bergan White
December 16th, 2007 at 12:40 pm
A wonderful opportunity to enjoy a great performance. So sorry to say that the presentation received so little advertisement and I just know that attendance would have been much greater if people would have been more aware of it.
I hope to see as many as possible and will pass the word along. Also, I hope to invite others to go with me tp future performances.
JUST WONDERFUL!!!!
December 16th, 2007 at 1:36 pm
post script
The behind the scenes shots were terrific and fun. folks in th eParterre and front orchestra seats don’t get those views. And to view the orchestra from the stage perspective was a nice change of view. The intensity and genuineness of interaction between Anna and Roberto was something I’ve never experienced in the concert hall. [Hey, wasn’t she caressing his buttocks in the wedding bed scene?! Mon dieu!!] They were enthralling, and the HD simulcast was a real treat.
Peter (encore)
December 16th, 2007 at 1:49 pm
Watched Anna Netrebko(G R E A T !!!)and Alagna (SIMILAR!!!) on screen at Tuschinsky Theater Amsterdam which was completely SOLD OUT!! Audience witnessed great show–JOOSTEN, their voices were excellent but their play was unusually good for opera-buffs!!!!!
This new medium, watching a live performance taking place halfway around the world,will never replace expensive trips to Scala (Milan) Bastille (Paris) ROH (London) Tapac (Tel Aviv)but it will give large audiences a chance to enjoy L I V E their favourite singers / actors/plays from their favourite streetcornertheatre!!
December 16th, 2007 at 2:06 pm
Delighted to have been able to experience ROMEO ET JULIETTE at our local theatre in West Springfield, MASS. We had seen it in September in NYC and wanted to relive the magic, esp. that suspended bedroom scene!
HD viewing is a fabulous concept which will change the face of opera. However………the volume in the theatre was loud to the point of painful.
Are there guidelines/standards for each theatre to follow? I have read similar comments from viewers in Canada. Anyone else have this problem?
Bravo Peter Gelb for truly revolutionizing the art form.
Bravi Anna Netrebko & Roberto Alagna for a wonderful and very moving performance.
We look forward to more HD operas.
Irene & Tom Burkhard
Becket, MASS
December 16th, 2007 at 4:49 pm
Romeo et Juliet was wonderful. This was a great experience- camera work, direction, costumes, acting and singing were all fantastic.
I saw this production in Ogden, UT. The sound did leave us briefly three or four times with a rat-a-tat-tat sound preceding its return, but that was a small price to pay for such an opportunity.
December 16th, 2007 at 5:22 pm
I watched the performance in a theater in Denver, Colorado on Sunday. It was truly wonderful, in a very personal way. The last two acts stirred up memories of my 40 year marriage to Char who passed away this September. Good grief was my applause, with tears and sobs.
December 16th, 2007 at 6:47 pm
My wife and two other opera lovers saw “Romeo et Juliette” in Knoxville,Tn, along with a full house. People clapped along with the Met audience. It was an exhilarating performance by all singers, especially the leads. “As good or better than being there” was frequently heard. Renee Fleming was charming, reminescent of Beverly Sills. You have created a delightful monster- give us more! Charles Kirby, Waynesville, NC 12/16/07
December 17th, 2007 at 3:37 am
At the “encore” performance we attended on Sunday at the Cinemark 18 in Tarentum PA, the theater was unable to show the first 25 minutes of the opera and then the picture/sound failed for a few seconds four times later during the performance. I don’t know who was responsible for these problems, but it certainly disrupted what was a splendid performance in virtually every detail. Despite these problems, I’m so grateful for this opportuity. For an opera lover like myself, this kind of outreach means I’ll be able to experience great performances on a regular basis. THANK YOU to the Met for making this possible for thousands of us outside the NYC metropolitan area!
December 17th, 2007 at 1:02 pm
I saw Romeo et Juliette on the 15th and am still blown away. What a fabulous use of technology. My question to The Met is this: If I rent a theatre for a private party, can I arrange with you to broadcast a pre-recorded performance? This would be a fantastic party.