Orcas Center Launches Digital Expansion Campaign

Puccini's "Madama Butterfly" with the poignant aria "Un Bel Di" will be the first in a series of live screened operas to be shown at Orcas Center

From the Orcas Center

Live opera performances will be screened at Orcas Center

Sometimes dreams do come true. Orcas Center has been dreaming about providing live streaming and high quality screenings on the Center Stage for years, including Metropolitan Opera Live (Met Live) and The National Theatre Live, and now the dream has become a reality. Madama Butterfly, from The Metropolitan Opera’s Summer HD Encores, will be the maiden voyage of this series.

The Orcas Center has coined this adventure, The Digital Expansion Campaign (D.E.C.). The Center is most excited about creating new possibilities with this expansion. Orcas Center is opening the door to a new world of digital and streamed possibilities for the entire San Juan County, imagining all sorts of events happening: films, school education programs, lectures, conferences, and live streaming of opera, concerts, theater, dance, perhaps even the Oscars!

The customized equipment includes: a large motorized Projection Screen (24’ x 13’ rectangle), a Christie Digital Projector and lens, and two Satellite and electrics for live streaming.

Orcas Island Community Foundation paved the way for this campaign with the $4,200 award granted to Orcas Center on June 2. This was quickly leveraged to entice additional and substantial donors. Currently the DEC is only $2,000 shy of reaching its campaign goal of $36,000. There has been a tremendous out pouring of support and enthusiasm, further fueling Orcas Center’s belief that now is the time to bring this expansion to the community.

Orcas Center will keep ticket prices quite reasonable to start as well to build audiences ($15 adults, $11 students, $2 discount for Orcas Center members). In addition, Orcas Center renters will be able to rent the equipment for events on the Center Stage.

Six encore HD presentations of The Met: Live in HD kick off the digital expansion at Orcas Center. The Metropolitan Opera’s award-winning series of opera transmissions into theaters around the world is shown in 46 countries and more than 1500 theaters and now comes to you at Orcas Center.

The Met: Live in HD Summer Encores at Orcas Center

Madama Butterfly (Puccini) date TBA.

Don Pasquale (Donizetti) date TBA.

Simon Boccanegra (Verdi) Saturday, July 9, 7:30 p.m.

La Fille du Régiment (Donizetti) Friday, July 15, 7:30 p.m.

Tosca (Puccini) Friday, July 29, 7:30 p.m.

Don Carlo (Verdi) Friday, August 5, 7:30 p.m.

Tickets  are $15 (Adults) $11 (students) with a $2 discount for Orcas Center members) and  as of June 22n2, may be purchased on the website ( www.orcascenter.org) , by calling  376-2281 ext 1 or visiting the Orcas Center box office during box office hours which are Thursday, Friday and Saturday from noon- 4 pm. For more information about Orcas Center 2011 season events, please visit www.orcascenter.org.