For those of you who are opera fans you undoubtedly know about the amazing opportunity the

Lake Placid Center for the Arts has provided us with. A few years ago the LPCA became one of the theaters able to present the Metropolitan Opera performances live in HD in its theater.  To accomplish this they were required to install the HD projection equipment and the satellite linkage to receive the broadcast signals live from the MET.  It is no small undertaking for a rural arts center.

Last winter I had the pleasure of experiencing a Met Live in HD performance. My mother has always been a fan of opera, more specifically the Wagner operas.  When Wagner’s Gotterdammerung showed up on the schedule I decided it was high  time I attend an opera. I’ve never attended a live Metropolitan Opera performance, so this was the next best thing.  Gotterdammerung was the last of four operas in The Ring series (guess I thought I’d work backwards). It’s also the longest, at 6+ hours. Yup, I picked the longest. I figured I’d leave when (not if) it got too long.  As it turned out I stayed for the entire performance! The Wagner Ring scenery was an amazing thing to watch - all 90,000 pounds of it. I was enthralled with the live performance of the music I learned to love as a child through my mother.  The opera is subtitled so you know what the actors are saying, which is just another added bonus of the Live in HD broadcast because you don't get that in a seat at The Met.   I’m very glad I made the effort to attend, and stuck it out for the entiere performance. 

Puccini's Tosca Live in HD
Puccini's Tosca Live in HD Encore - LPCA Saturday, November 16

The beauty of the Live in HD broadcasts is the additional content you’ll experience whichyou would not if you were in the actual audience at The MET.  There are backstage interviews prior to and during the broadcast. The camera angles and up close shots of the performers are an amazing added bonus. 

I honestly surprised myself by sitting through the entire six  hours of opera that day. I highly recommend the experience.  I actually decided I’d rather see performances this way than live. Oh, and tickets are way less for a great seat at LPCA than at The MET! 

This coming Saturday, November 16th, the LPCA will present Puccini’s Tosca. Puccini’s timeless verismo score is well served by an exceptional cast, led by Patricia Racette in the title role of the jealous diva, opposite Roberto Alagna as her lover, Cavaradossi. George Gagnidze is the villainous Scarpia. The performance runs 3 hours and 35 mites and begins at 1 pm. LPCA has a wonderful lunch program to go along with the opera - ticket holders can order lunch to be delivered during the intermission. To make things even easier, LPCA now has online ticket purchasing for all of their events.

Metropolitan Opera House
Inside the Metropolitan Opera

Throughout the winter Met season, LPCA will present Live in HD performances.  Watch the attached video for a preview of the  2013-14 season

See you at The MET!