I would like to begin with an apology, because the opera on which this review is based was fabulous but, unfortunately, if you haven’t seen it already then you have probably missed it. Keep reading, though, because there is still the rest of the programme to enjoy.
Florencia en el Amazonas by Daniel Catan – taking its reference from the works of Gabriel Garci Marquez, is sung in Spanish, and is a treat for the eyes as well as the ears. The puzzle is, if this beguiling opera first appeared in 1996, how has it passed me by? The singing is sublime and successfully marries first class puppetry and ballet; comedy and pathos. The scenery and puppetry immediately transport one to a tropical rainforest complete with animals: a monkey, a shoal of piranha fish, a crocodile are just some of the characters we meet on this journey up the Amazon, which rather contrasts with the miserable weather conditions that greeted my arrival at the cinema.
Miserable conditions in New York? Nope, for rather than crossing the Atlantic, I enjoyed this at my local cinema but that is the whole purpose of live streamed performances, of which Live from the Met is one of the best.
I would not pretend that the cinema experience is the same as sitting in the Met (or the Royal Opera House or La Scala). However, for the price of a cinema ticket around £18.00, you can feel as though you are sitting in the orchestra stalls or even on the stage itself. As you take your seat the audience in New York are taking theirs, and when the lights dim, that same feeling of anticipation manifests itself on a cold rainy December evening in the UK.
I had been invited to review three operas, and whilst making my selection I discovered another advantage. Thanks to the low cost and the proximity of the cinema to home, one can afford to be a little adventurous. My first selection was first staged at the Metropolitan Opera House 10 years ago so, I thought, if this was going to be revisited it must have merit. My second choice, the aforementioned ‘Florencia en al Amazonas’ was an opera completely unknown to me, but I could afford to take a chance, which is a luxury I can’t permit myself when the tickets are around the £200 mark. If priced lower, I am invariably sat somewhere close to the roof. (Please note this is not a criticism of the cost of tickets for the opera. When you see what is involved it represents value for money but is not an amount that I am willing to risk on an unheard-of (to me) opera.)
So, if you get the opportunity to experience, ‘Florencia en al Amazonas’ snap it up. Believe me, you will not regret treating yourself to a ticket. If, however, you are kicking yourself for missing this gem, check out what operas are still to be beamed live into a cinema near you.
The next opportunity to enjoy a ‘Live from the Met’ performance is on January 6th and it is the classic Verdi’s ‘Nabucco‘, an opera I last saw in Verona, I know it is one I will hugely enjoy – just as well it’s not too long a wait.
Images courtesy of the Met
The 2024 performances are as follows:
Nabucco (6th January)
Carmen (27th January)
La Forza del Destino (9th March)
Roméo et Juliette (23rd March)
La Rondine (20th April)
Madama Butterfly (11th May)
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