Met Opera - for the Poughkeepsie Journal

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The Metropolitan Opera House is known for its stunning renditions of the most famous operas ever composed. On Saturday, Oct. 10, The Bardavon Opera House on Market St. will be the second best seat in the house for The Met’s performance of Tosca by Giacomo Puccini.

Thanks to high definition video and satellite technology, The Bardavon and Upac will receive transmissions of select Met opera performances on their respective video screens every Saturday from Oct. 10 to May 1.

Chris Silva, Executive Director at The Bardavon describes the first installment of The Met: Live in HD as “powerful and relentless” and one of the grandest operas of all time – chock full of some of “the greatest music ever written.” He believes that the elephants, horses, and the huge number cast will help Tosca translate well to the big screen.

“I think one of the reason’s The Met us starting with [Tosca] is because it’s a real audience favorite,” said Silva.

Since the premier in 2006, The Met: Live in HD has won an Emmy Award, a Peabody Award and the IBC International Honour for Excellence for its “contribution to the creative, commercial or technical advance of the electronic media industry, on a global scale.”

According to Silva, the technology used for the transmissions creates stellar sound and picture. Dolby 5.1 surround sound is coupled with an 800-lumen projector to create a clear and concise broadcast. Ten cameras are also employed at The Met to capture different angles and give remote audience members a more unique experience.

“The HD image on the big screen is so incredibly clear,” said Silva. “… The whole movement of everything is just gorgeous.”

LaGrange resident and life-long opera fan Frank Doherty has yet to see a “Live in HD” transmission, but has seen performances at both The Met and the Bardavon and is excited about the new technology.

“I have an HD television but it’s not quite the same I guess,” said Doherty. “… I think this may be the future of the way people see opera.”

Doherty, who helped save The Bardavon from a wrecking ball over 30 years ago, believes that the Live in HD series can have beneficial impacts for The Bardavon, The Met, and the local opera community as a whole.

“This is a way to see the very best opera not live and on stage but as close as you can get,” he said. “I’m sure that the Met is making some money off of it and I’m sure they need the money too – I think it’s a great opportunity all around.”

General Manager of The Met, Peter Gelb endorses Doherty’s opinion in a recently written statement.

“Beyond [Live in HD’s] artistic value, it’s also become a valuable marketing tool, reinforcing the Met’s relationship with its global audience and helping to raise the profile of opera,” said Gelb

The Bardavon and Upac are now two of 900+ theaters in 42 countries to receive live feeds from The Met. The first performance, Tusca on Oct. 10, is one of nine operas being fed to theaters around the world.

Although this is the first year that The Bardavon and Upac are part of The Met: Live in HD, Silva is confident about the attendance and offers local opera fans a bit of advice.

“Tickets are available and people should buy soon,” he said. “I think we’re going to pack the house… I really do.”