Light House Cinema continues its popular Met Live in HD season this April with Le Comte Ory, Capriccio and Il Trovatore bringing the spectacle and grandeur of New York’s Metropolitan Opera House direct to Wolverhampton.
The Met Live in HD season, which began at Light House last October, features world class opera beamed live via satellite onto the digital screen at Light House Cinema. Le Comte Ory will be screened on Sat 9 Apr, 6pm, Capriccio on Sat 23 Apr, 6pm, and Il Trovatore on Sat 30 April, 6pm.
Rossini’s vocally dazzling comedy Le Comte Ory stars bel canto sensation Juan Diego Flórez in the title role of this Met premiere production. He vies with mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato, in the trouser role of Isolier, for the love of the lonely Countess Adèle, sung by soprano Diana Damrau. Bartlett Sher, director of the Met’s hit productions of The Barber of Seville and The Tales of Hoffmann, describes the world of the opera as, “a place where love is dangerous. People get hurt. That can be very funny and very painful. Rossini captures both with the most beautiful love music ever written.”
Renée Fleming dazzled audiences in Capriccio, when she sang the final scene of Strauss’s wise and worldly meditation on art and life. Now she performs the entire work, in which the composer explores the essence of opera itself. Joseph Kaiser and Sarah Connolly also star, and Andrew Davis conducts.
Il Trovatore is David McVicar’s stirring production of Verdi’s intense drama premiered in the 2008-09 season.
James Levine leads this revival, starring four extraordinary singers – Sondra Radvanovsky, Dolora Zajick, Marcelo Álvarez, and Dmitri Hvorostovsky – in what is considered the composer’s most melodically rich score.
The Chief Executive Frank Challenger said, “We have had great feedback from audiences about the season with one visitor saying, ‘I enjoyed the performance. I think it works very well; you really feel like you are there and have the best seats’. Local opera, theatre and music lovers can join the Saturday audiences at The Met until May 2011 for a fraction of the price of your usual opera ticket”.
The Met season will be enjoyed by millions of people around the world, transmitted to 1,500 cinemas globally in more than 40 countries.
Le Comte Ory will be screened at Light House on Sat 9 Apr at 6pm; Capriccio will be screened on Sat 23 Apr, 6pm, and Il Trovatore on Sat 30 Apr, 6pm. There will also be an encore screening of Capriccio on Wed 27 Apr, 2pm.
Tickets cost £18 adult / £12.50 under 15s and can be booked through Light House Box Office on 01902 716055 or online at www.light-house.co.uk
