Dear Opera Friends,
The Met has been streaming one opera per day from both HD series and earlier archives. These are available by simply opening their web site and clicking on 'watch now'. Their unique initiative to engage performers and audience again began on April 25 with over 40 of their top artists performing from home. It was a great success but only available on-line for 24 hours.
Most moving perhaps is 'Va pensiero' from Nabucco with chorus and orchestra members somehow coordinated digitally, conducted from Canada by Yannick Nézet-Séguin. Clever audio mixing, clever camera work and magnificent choral opera at its best. Your favourite singers and very likely some of your favourite solos in a 4 hour spectacular. A couple of duets, too.
We now learn that singing is a potent transmitter of Covid virus and it is depressing to think that normality in the entertainment world may not return until a vaccine is found.
Best wishes from Andrew Byrne in Sydney, NSW where we are very fortunate to be almost Covid-free (only one community case in past 2 weeks).
https://www.metopera.org/
https://andrewsopera.blogspot.com/
4 weeks ago
