La Cenerentola at the Cinema
Going to see opera in the afternoon is much like going to the pub at the same time of the day. You feel slightly out of synch and you end up sitting next to a lot of old people for hours on end.
Seeing an opera at the cinema is also a strange experience given that the person selling you the ticket for the performance of the opera is the same person informing you that you can go large on the nachos for an extra 40 pence. But as an initiative to broaden people’s access to the world of opera, it is a well-intentioned idea, even if the audience for this production is top-heavy with people you would expect to see in the stalls of the Royal Opera House.
The number of productions of operas shown in cinemas has been growing for some time. The Picturehouse Cinema chain has not only been showing operas but is due to show live feeds of classical music concerts. For cinemas it makes sense given that those who would come along to the cinema to take in a foreign film are probably also swayed by opera.
The production, which I saw at the Vue cinema in Islington, is Rossini’s version of Cinderella, the classic story, the plot of which needs no retelling. Performed at Glyndebourne in 2005 and directed by Peter Hall, the quality of the production is not in doubt. It is a tremendous production of one of Rossini’s lesser-known works. Special mention goes to Luciano di Pasquale who is magnificently buffoonish as the biblious Don Magnifico, the step-father who tyrannises Cinderella and gets through sampling thirty barrels of the Prince’s wine.
Watching an operatic production in a cinema is very enjoyable and is not as removed as you might think. The camera provides wide-angle shots to follow the action and also provides close-ups of the action, meaning that you don’t have to invest in a pair of binoculars to make out what is going on. The additional benefit of opera in the cinema is that the cost of the ticket means that you get a good seat rather than being sat so high up you’re in danger of developing altitude sickness.
La Cenerentola was showing at participating Vue cinemas in London
Vue Islington
36 Parkfield Street
Islington
N1 0PS
Tel: 08712 240 240
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This season of Met Operas concludes with La Sonnambula (21 March) and La Cenerentola (9 May) and we’re getting an unprecedented level of enquires for 2009/2010 season. Thank you for the mention on The London Word.
Alternative content in cinemas is really taking off with content from the Royal Opera House as well as the Met. You mention our first concert (Handel’s Messiah – from King’s College Cambridge 5 April), we’re extremely excited to be bringing the first live broadcast of theatre with NT Live and Helen Mirren’s Phèdre on 25 June. The theatrical run is selling incredibly well I’m told so hopefully we’ll get some good crowds trying live theatre in their local cinema.
Thanks,
Gabriel (Picturehouse Cinemas)
Having enjoyed cinema performances of both ballet and opera this season – La Traviata last night was great – I am trying to put together a schedule for next season. Met opera already has their performances posted but it is proving difficult to find other schedules. Last night at the cinema there was a thrilling series of “Trailers” which included La Scala, presented by Opus Art but nothing on their web site. does anyone have any bright ideas on where I can find this info?
Hi Mike. I’m glad you enjoyed the performance. Where did you see La Traviata as it might be worth contacting the cinema itself. We here at the London Word have had some contact with the Picturehouse Cinema chain and we’d be more than happy to enquire on your behalf.