The Cultural Center of the Philippines, Filipinas Opera Society Foundation Inc. and Ayala Malls Cinemas once again bring New York’s The Met Opera series to Greenbelt 3 Cinemas from December 2016 to May 2017.
The prestigious New York’s Met Opera series, now on its third year, will be presented in high-definition format (HD) at Greenbelt 3, featuring six stunning productions that will start on Dec. 6 with “Il Barbiere di Siviglia.”
Bringing world-class productions has always been at the heart of Ayala Malls Cinemas. Movie patrons seeking classical forms of art will be treated to a series of engaging stage plays as if they are really at The Met.
The special screenings continue on Jan. 10 with “Cavalleria Rusticana/Pagliacci,” followed by “Così Fan Tutte” on Feb. 14; “Madama Butterfly” on March 14; “Turandot” on April 4; and “Tristan and Isolde” on May 9.
“Madama Butterfly” is the featured presentation during the opening night of Met Opera last Nov. 8 at Greenbelt 3 cinemas.
Through digital technology, the operas will be presented as they were recorded during their live performances at The Met—complete with performers scenes, interviews with the performers and production crew.
Ayala Malls Cinemas brings to the local scene productions composed by legendary artists Giacomo Puccini, Gioachino Rossini, Pietro Mascagni, Ruggero Leoncavallo, Richard Wagner and Wolgang Amadeus Mozart.
Sparkling with wit and energy, “Il Barbiere di Siviglia” (The Barber of Seville) is about a resourceful barber and man-about-town. Count Almaviva arrives in Seville to search for the mysterious woman he met in Madrid. When he learns that she is Rosina, due to be married to her tyrannical guardian Bartolo, he enlists the help of the cunning barber Figaro to win her hand.
Almaviva and Rosina fall in love, and Rosina turns her mind to duping Bartolo. The combined conniving of all three is too much for Bartolo, who has to admit defeat when he discovers Almaviva and Rosina have married right under his nose.
“Cavalleria Rusticana” and “Pagliacci” are two complementary works that tell dark tales of passionate love that turns into violent jealousy.
“Così Fan Tutte” is a romantic comedy about two men testing their fiancées’ faithfulness on the prodding of a cynical old man named Don Alfonso. The men, Ferrando and Guglielmo, pretend to go to war, leaving Fiordiligi and Dorabella, while Don Alfonso continues his scheme of luring the sisters to fall for other men.
“Madama Butterfly” is a beautiful atmospheric production about doomed love. Soprano Kristine Opolais brings all her passionate commitment to her role of Cio-Cio-San, the teenage geisha who gives up everything for Lt. Pinkerton.
In “Turandot,” Nina Stemme takes on the title role of the proud princess of ancient China, whose riddles doom every suitor who seeks her hand, Marco Berti is Calàf, the brave prince who sings “Nessun Dorma” and wins her love. Anita Hartig and Leah Crocetto share the role of Liù, the faithful slave girl. Franco Zeffirelli’s golden production is conducted by Paolo Carignani.
The final presentation of Ayala Malls Cinemas’ Met Opera series is “Tristan and Isolde,” an audacious new production by Mariusz Trelinski (the director responsible for the 2014-15 season’s double bill of “Iolanta” and “Bluebeard’s Castle”). —CONTRIBUTED
Visit www.sureseats.com. Tickets for the Met Opera series will be sold at P450.
Ayala Malls Cinemas further invites patrons and cineastes to subscribe to all six shows for P2,400.
