For the second season in a row, the Kinepolis Group has struck a collaborative agreement with the New York "Met" (Metropolitan Opera), one of the world's most prestigious opera houses. The opera season will once again be opened in October with live broadcasts in high, digital quality. Last season (December 2007 - April 2008), "Opera in the Cinema" charmed some 8500 Belgian and French Kinepolis visitors.
While the previous edition took place in just a selection of Kinepolis cinemas, this time all Belgian and French Kinepolis locations broadcast the entire Met season. The new live opera season at Kinepolis will last from October 2008 to May 2009.
The second edition of "Opera in the Cinema" promises to be yet another highlight for opera lovers. Those less familiar with opera will also have the opportunity to discover the genre via Kinepolis. The digital quality audio and video transmission to the cinemas and the low price compared with theatre tickets mean opera is now accessible to everyone. The opera atmosphere and service will also be brought to the cinema thanks to a unique decor and reception.
Performances in New York are traditionally held on Saturday afternoons. The time difference of 6 hours means that Kinepolis can open the opera theatres during the usual evening hours. The Flemish cinemas will provide opera subtitles in English, the cinemas in France and Wallonia in French. At Kinepolis Brussels, visitors have the choice between English or French translations.
New this season at Kinepolis is the launch of a subscription formula.
The season will be inaugurated on 11 October with "Salome" by Richard Strauss with Karita Mattila in the leading role. "Salome" will be directed by Jürgen Flimm and conducted by Mikko Franck.
Programme Met season 2008/2009
Presentation trailer
Salome (Richard Strauss): Saturday 11 October 2008 at 7pm (duration: 1h 37min)
Doctor Atomic (Adam)*: Saturday 8 November 2008 at 7pm (duration incl. 1 intermission: 3h 21min)
La Damnation de Faust (Berlioz) *: Saturday 22 November 2008 at 7pm (duration incl. 1 intermission: 2h 45min)
Thaïs (Massenet)*: Saturday 20 December 2008 at 6pm (duration incl. 2 intermissions: 3h 21min)
La Rondine (Puccini)*: Saturday 10 January 2009 at 7pm (duration incl. 1 intermission: 2h 15min)
Orfeo ed Euridice (Gluck): Saturday 24 January 2009 at 7pm (duration: 1h 31min)
Lucia di Lammermoor (Donizetti): Saturday 7 February 2009 at 7pm (duration incl. 2 intermissions: 3h 20min)
Madama Butterfly (Puccini): Saturday 7 March 2009 at 7pm (duration incl. 2 intermissions: 3h 21min)
La Sonnambula (Bellini): Saturday 21 March 2009 at 6pm (duration incl. 1 intermission: 2h 40min)
La Cenerentola (Rossini): Saturday 9 May 2009 at 6.30pm (duration incl. 1 intermission: 3h 0min)
* new production
* new production
More information
http://www.kinepolis.com/ http://www.metoperafamily.org/hdlive