See “Madama Butterfly” for Free, Live on the Big Screen

By Seattle Mag April 2, 2012

butterflysimulcast

Thanks to an award from the Wallace Foundation, Seattle Opera is producing its first ever simulcast.

What that means: While typical opera goers are filing into McCaw Hall for the opening night performance of Seattle Opera’s Madama Butterfly, thousands more Seattleites will take over Key Arena to witness the exact same performance via live HD video broadcast—for free!

It’s an exciting opportunity to make locally produced opera accessible to a broader audience. Not only is the price right, but video will be filmed with more than one camera, so audiences will likely see the action and beautiful costumes even closer than if you paid for a cheap seat in the theater. Also, Seattle Opera is producing mini-documentary style videos to play before the performance, so you can get introduced to all the action behind the scenes of the production. Better yet, just like a Storm game, you can enjoy beer, wine and other refreshments from Key Arena concessions.

Trust me, all operas sound better when you have beer and popcorn in hand.

In case you didn’t know, Giacomo Puccini’s Madama Butterfly is, according to Seattle Opera general director Speight Jenkins, one of the most popular and most frequently produced operas in America. The story follows a young Japanese woman who falls in love with a Naval officer whom she is led to believe will be her happily ever after, but the story takes a dark turn. Think Memoirs of a Geisha meets Romeo & Juliet – except, take away the lovers’ mutual affection and add hair-raising beautiful music.

This production stars soprano Patricia Racette as leading lady Cio-Cio-San and tenor Stefano Secco as the officer Pinkerton (both performers are making Seattle Opera debuts).

Up to 8,000 free tickets are being made available to the public for the simulcast at Key Arena.

Beginning April 9, you can reserve priority seating via this online form. On May 5, priority seating at Key Arena will begin at 6pm. At 6:30 p.m., doors open to everyone with or without a ticket. The opera begins at 7:30 p.m.

Visit seattleopera.org/keysimulcast for more info.

 

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