- Five operas from the stages of London, Madrid and the Netherlands
- Four ballets from The Royal Ballet and Paris Opéra Ballet
- Celebrating Handel: Plácido Domingo in Tamerlano, and Messiah from King’s College, Cambridge
Opening the second cinema series of works from some of Europe’s finest stages, two Handel masterpieces are presented in HD and superior Surround Sound in the 250th year following the legendary composer’s death.
In cinemas throughout Canada, matinee presentations of Handel’s great Baroque opera Tamerlano take place on Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 January. The 2008 award-winning co-production between Teatro Real Madrid and the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, stars Plácido Domingo, one of the world’s greatest tenors, in his memorable debut in an opera by Handel. The dramatic 15th-century tale of great love, pride and sorrow was hailed by The Sunday Times as a ‘stunning’ production with Domingo “Lear-like… a towering presence with bags of vocal charisma”.
The second of the Handel masterworks is screened on Saturday 11 April when the internationally acclaimed Choir of King’s College, Cambridge, gives a special Easter performance of Messiah at King’s College Chapel. The most popular of all oratorios is the centerpiece of Easter at King’s, a ten-day celebration in Cambridge, UK, headlined by this pre-eminent representative of the great British church music tradition. London’s The Times claims: “I would happily sit in King’s College Chapel listening to this choir sing for the rest of my days.”
On 14 and 15 February, audiences are treated to one of the most romantic of all operas, La bohème, from Teatro Real, Madrid. Giancarlo del Monaco’s lavish cinematic production of this masterpiece takes its place among the great Puccini interpretations of modern times. On 14 and 15 March, Verdi’s Un ballo in maschera is screened, starring Marcelo Álvarez, Carlos Álvarez and Violeta Urmana. Teatro Real’s Un ballo in maschera is a tinderbox of love, treachery and passion with a truly spectacular ending.
On 25 and 26 April, opera audiences enjoy the rare chance to see one of Rameau’s finest creations, Castor et Pollux, performed by Netherlands Opera is screened from Het Musiektheater, Amsterdam. Song, play, dance, spectacle and a dazzling libretto combine magically for a radiant music theatre experience. On 30 and 31 May, cinemas are lit up by The Royal Opera’s celebrated production of Donizetti’s La Fille du régiment from the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. The delightful story contains some of the most hilarious moments in all opera, performed by two international superstars of the operatic stage, glorious French soprano Natalie Dessay and Peruvian heart-throb tenor Juan Diego Flórez.
The 2009 series showcases three iconic works by The Royal Ballet, performed at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. On Saturday 31 January, watch Frederick Ashton’s blissfully bucolic ballet, La Fille mal gardée, starring virtuoso Principals Marianela Nuñez and Carlos Acosta.
Kenneth MacMillan’s Manon, one of the great showpieces for the Company for whom it was created, is screened on Saturday 28 February, starring Carlos Acosta and Montreal-born Spanish Principal Tamara Rojo.
In Natalia Makarova’s famous adaptation of La Bayadère, screened on Saturday 2 May, romantic India provides the setting for a tale of love, murder and vengeful judgment by the gods. A show of classical dancing at its best, it is an audience favourite.
John Neumeier’s La Dame aux camélias, performed by Paris Opéra Ballet at the Palais Garnier, is presented on 28 and 29 March. Based on the Alexandre Dumas fils novel that also inspired the stories of Verdi’s La traviata and the Hollywood film Moulin Rouge this riveting dance drama showcases the famous lady of lore and Chopin’s ravishing music. The Palais Garnier comes alive with love, passion, danger and terrific dancing from one of the best ballet companies in the world.
The new 2009 series of High Definition opera, ballet and oratorio will be shown throughout Canada. In the Toronto area, at the Empire Empress Walk 10 Cinemas in North York and the Empire Studio 10 at Square One in Mississauga. The productions will also be shown in Empire and independent theatres in Victoria, Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary and Winnipeg in Western Canada and in Ottawa, Kingston, Richmond Hill, Bolton, London, St. Catharine’s, Waterloo, Kitchener, Bracebridge and Montreal and Québec.
The ballets and the Easter special presentation will be screened at Empire Theatres in Halifax, Sydney, Fredericton, Moncton, St. John, Charlottetown and St. John’s in Eastern Canada.
Tickets will be available at $19.95 + tax per adult, $16.95 + tax per senior and $9.95 + tax per child. For cinema locations and to purchase advance tickets throughout Canada visit www.empiretheatres.com/opusarte. For independent theatres in Vancouver, Waterloo and Montreal please visit www.festivalcinemas.ca, www.princesscinemas.com and www.ex-centris.com. For more information about DigiScreen, please visit www.digiscreen.ca.
For images and follow up information, please contact:
Blair Haynes, Director of Canadian Network Tel: (416) 560-7644 bhaynes@digiscreen.ca
