Competition for the MET?

The Metropolitan Opera began its simulcasts in movie theaters across America last year, and are doing it once again this year, to what they fell is great success. The following is from Playbill:

"The first transmission, on Saturday, December 15 — Gounod's Roméo et Juliette, starring Anna Netrebko and Roberto Alagna, conducted by Plácido Domingo — drew a worldwide audience of 97,000. 435 venues (477 screens) in the United States and Canada sold approximately 77,000 tickets; 100 international venues (100 screens) sold an additional 20,000 tickets. 'The success of Saturday's HD transmission is an indication that the public's interest in these global events is building,' said Met General Manager Peter Gelb."

And of course, when others see success, they'll imitate it. This from the New York Times:

"The San Francisco Opera on Tuesday announced its own plan to transmit operas to movie theaters using a system it says is superior to that of the Metropolitan Opera, which pioneered the practice in the United States last year.

"The San Francisco house said it would broadcast six operas a year, starting in March, and reach 200 screens, about the same number as the Met began with last season. The much larger and busier Met now appears on about 600 screens and transmits eight productions a year. "

While I'm sure the MET isn't thrilled about having competition in an arena they piloted, I suspect the end result will be good for opera. One of the problems with classical music generally today is access--fewer public radio stations air classical music, and fewer venues successfully program classical music concerts. Now if we could just figure out some equivalent system of bringing classical music to more people like that being utilized by the MET and the SF Opera, we'll be in business.