Verdi’s Aida tells the story of Ancient Egyptian royalty, streamed live from the NY Metropolitan to Orcas Center on Sunday, December 23.
Sunday, December 23 at 1 p.m. at Orcas Center
Celebrate the holidays by experiencing the most popular and beloved opera of all time, Verdi’s Aida, streamed live from the Met in NYC to Orcas Center on Sunday, December 23 at 1 pm. Also enjoy homemade holiday treats from the Orcas Center Board served before the performance and at intermission!
The Metropolitan Opera presents a live performance of Aida, in a spectacular staging that captures the grandeur of Ancient Egypt. More than 200 artists fill the Met stage for this performance of Verdi’s tragedy, which sets a heartbreaking love triangle against the backdrop of an empire at war.
Ten to twelve high-definition cameras, including a robotic camera that tracks the action along the edge of the stage, are used to relay the live performances. Additional handheld cameras and a steadicam are backstage to provide a fishbowl view of the behind-the-scene action, from divas in their dressing rooms to stagehands maneuvering tons of scenery between acts.
Ukrainian soprano Liudmyla Monastyrska makes a spectacular Met debut as Aida, the enslaved Ethiopian princess, opposite two major Met stars: tenor Roberto Alagna as the war hero Radamès and Olga Borodina as the pharaoh’s daughter Amneris, Aida’s formidable rival. George Gagnidze sings Amonasro, Aida’s cunning father, and Štefan Kocán is the imposing Egyptian priest Ramfis. Met Principal Conductor Fabio Luisi conducts his first company performances of the opera and star soprano Renée Fleming hosts the transmission and conducts backstage interviews with the cast
“If you’ve ever wondered why they call it ‘grand’ opera, the magnificent Met Opera production of Verdi’s Aida…can show you what the fuss is all about.”— Huffington Post
“Ms. Monastyrska is gifted with a luscious round soprano that maintains its glow even in the softest notes. Her “O patria mia” was beautifully drawn and colored with darker inflections that added dramatic intensity and Fabio Luisi at the helm of a fired-up orchestra made for an electrically charged and energetic performance.”— The New York Times
Tickets for Aida from the Met: Live in HD are $18 for adults, $13 students, ($2 off for Orcas Center Members) and may be purchased at www.orcascenter.org or by calling 376-2281 ext. 1 or visiting the Orcas Center Box Office open Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from noon – 4 pm. For more information about Orcas Center 2012 season events, please visit www.orcascenter.org.
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