Opera goes to the movies-by Dwight Casimere
Most people would not have thought I was going to the
opera had they seen me sidling up to the concession stand at Cinemark at Seven Bridges movie theatre , 6500 Route 53 in Woodridge. I loaded up on the large popcorn with butter,
large ice cream cup and a box of Milk Duds and made my
way to theatre #6, which was already beginning to fill to
capacity nearly an hour before show time.
If you’ve ever been to the Civic Opera House in Chicago to see Lyric Opera, you’d know that, even though the theatre is a grand spectacle, the seats are anything but comfortable and the likelihood of the person’s head in front of you blocking your view is very distinct.
Not so here. Welcome of Metropolitan Opera Goes to the Movies; the live, HD broadcast of the Metropolitan Opera matinee performance at New York’s famed Lincoln Center broadcast to select movie theatres throughout the U.S. and Canada that are equipped with high-definition screens and surround sound. Cinemark @ Seven Bridges is the designated venue serving the Chicago area, including Joliet and Will County. It’s conveniently located on Route 53 at Seven Bridges Drive in Woodridge, just a short commute by car.
In addition to the high definition image and surround sound, stadium seating insures that every seat is a box seat.
The most recent performance was Rossini’s “The Barber of Seville, one of the opera worlds most beloved and recognizable operas. The familiar music has been featured in cartoons, commercials and television shows since the dawn of the medium. The familiar cry “Figaro, Figaro, Figaro! “ is the vocal shorthand for opera in many people’s minds. It was sung and performed brilliantly by the cast and production crew of the Metropolitan Opera under the skilled hand of director Bartlett Sher and his Tony Award-winning team. The exceptional work of the robotic camera team brought viewers closer to the action than you could ever imagine. I can honestly say that, having been to the Met for several live performances, this HD broadcast was not only the next best thing to being there, it was, in many ways, better than being there! The camera placed you directly on stage as if you were part of the cast. The barrier between audience and performer melted away. Every nuance, every gesture and humerous aside was brought front and center. Before I get too carried away with the technical superiority of the broadcast, let me reflect upon the performances of the principal characters. The sets, costumes and staging were superior in every way. The cast, led by outstanding Peruvian tenor Juan Diego Florez was among the best ever assembled on an opera stage. Florez’s stirring arias reminded me of performances of some of the great Met tenors of recent years, including Placido Domingo, Luciano Pavoratti and and Jose Careras (they at one time joined forces as the Three Tenors), who have each sung the role of his Count Almaviva at one time or another in their careers. Peter Mattei as the titled Figaro, the Barber of Seville, swept the audience of its feet from the very beginning. Love interest Rosina, sung by Joyce DiDonato, delivered some chilling moments as she created shimmering vocal pastel colors with her agile soprano voice. During the illuminating intermission-time interviews, she revealed that her entire family was watching the HD telecast back in her home in Kansas, proving that world-class talent can be found in the most unlikely places. John Del Carlo as the overbearing Dr. Bartolo rounded out this superb cast.
The Barber of Seville tells the story of the aforementioned Figaro, who is the town’s go-to guy. A sort of jack-of-all trades who plies his influence as a barber, hairdresser, tailor, sometime dentist and match-maker to work his way into influence among the rich and noble-classed. There isn’t anything he can’t fix or romance he can’t repair, for a price. Such it is that he comes upon the vain Count Almaviva who connives to win the heart of the lovely Rosina, who is virtually held captive by her guardian, the wealthy nobleman Dr. Bartolo. Almaviva, a wealthy nobleman himself, hires Figaro to use his influence with the good doctor to get him inside Dr. Bartolo’s house so he can woo Rosina. That sets the plot and the hilarity and swirling music in motion. The next Met Goes to the Movies HD performance is Saturday, April 28th, Puccini’s triple-bill of one act operas, “Il Tritico,” conducted by the Met’s celebrated music director, James Levine. For more information, visit www.metopera.org and to purchase tickets, visit www.cinemark.com. Tickets are only $18 for adults and $12 for children. You can’t see an opera for anything close to that in the city.