Met to Beam Operas to Movie Theaters, Internet, Satellite Radio

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on September 8, 2006 - 2:08pm.

New York - New York's Metropolitan Opera this week announced plans to broadcast live performances to movie theaters and stream them over the Internet and satellite radio services. Six Met performances from the upcoming season will be beamed live in high-definition audio and video to movie theaters in the U.S. (National CineMedia), Canada (Cineplex Entertainment) and Europe (Odeon/UCI). They include productions of "The Magic Flute," "I Puritani," "The First Emperor," "Eugene Onegin," "The Barber of Seville" and "Il Trittico." In addition to the live broadcasts, more than 1,500 historic radio broadcasts from the past 75 years will also be offered online through RealNetworks' Rhapsody digital music service. The organization did not name a satellite radio partner, but said it also plans to expand distribution into digital downloading, video-on-demand, instant CDs and ringtones. The Met said the distribution deals were made possible through agreements between the opera and its unions that eschew substantial upfront payments in favor of a revenue-sharing model with more inclusive distribution rights, bypassing traditional channels such as record labels.
http://www.metoperafamily.org/operanews/news/pressrelease.aspx?id=1258
http://tinyurl.com/r4b4d (Reuters)
http://www.rhapsody.com

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LIVE BROADCASTS OF MET OPERAS

Submitted by Norman (not verified) on December 2, 2006 - 6:01pm.

I don't know how many years ago I wrote to Rudolph Bing with the same suggestion of broadcasting live performance. I still have Bing's answer to me. It was related to costs and to union problems. It will create a massive new audiece for opera. Cogratulations. I can't wait for December 30th. Do you know which theater or theaters will show "The Magic Flute"?