Live from the Met cancellation

[Guest]

Is anyone else angry about the effective cancellation of the Live from the Met on Saturday? I contacted the BBC twice and was told that I was mistaken about it being cancelled. Yet apart form the odd Monday repeat, the BBC seem to have abandoned this long established season of performances. I find this very depressing. The Met showcases the best singing (far superior to ROH) and puts together an enjoyable format including things like the opera quiz. Why on earth should this be replaced by a very average live performance of a BBC orchestra every Saturday?

[Flosshilde]

I don't know about 'the best singing' - I've heard some distinctly dodgy performances from the Met; I think that one of their problems is that they stick to a number of 'old favourites' (performers, not works) who are rather past their best (or the singers are giving sub-standard performances because it's a matinee). As for what's broadcast instead, this saturday we have Die Frau ohne Schatten in a performance from Covent Garden that's been praised, & in March we've had the San Francisco SO, a Handel opera from ENO, & a broadcast from the Met. So your comment about "a very average live performance of a BBC orchestra every Saturday" hardly stands up to scrutiny.

[aeolium]

Is anyone else angry about the effective cancellation of the Live from the Met on Saturday? I contacted the BBC twice and was told that I was mistaken about it being cancelled. Yet apart form the odd Monday repeat, the BBC seem to have abandoned this long established season of performances. I find this very depressing. The Met showcases the best singing (far superior to ROH) and puts together an enjoyable format including things like the opera quiz. Why on earth should this be replaced by a very average live performance of a BBC orchestra every Saturday?

As you can see from the Opera on 3 Spring schedule, there are quite a number of broadcasts from the Met and most of them are on Saturdays:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006tnpy

Personally, I like having broadcasts from a variety of opera companies, not just one and I think the schedule has been improved in this respect. I also don't mind broadcasts on a Monday though I can see that this may be a problem for people coming back from work, especially if it's a longish opera which has to start early.

[Flosshilde]

I like having broadcasts from a variety of opera companies, not just one I think the schedule has been improved in this respect.

Because of the Met dominance I thinlk we missed some excellent performances from our own opera companies; now it's a bit more relaxed it would be good to have broadcasts from other European companies too.

[kuligin]

As you can see from the Opera on 3 Spring schedule, there are quite a number of broadcasts from the Met and most of them are on Saturdays:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006tnpy

Personally, I like having broadcasts from a variety of opera companies, not just one and I think the schedule has been improved in this respect. I also don't mind broadcasts on a Monday though I can see that this may be a problem for people coming back from work, especially if it's a longish opera which has to start early.

I agree generally the Met do the same repertoire over and over, ideally the BBC should broadcast all new productions from Covent Garden and ENO and most from ON, SNO and WNO (Is Boulevard Solitude going to be broadcast) and interesting productions from the great houses of the world including the Met, I for one would prefer Munich to New York any day

I would prefer a consistant time too at the week end

[Nick Armstrong]

Is anyone else angry about the effective cancellation of the Live from the Met on Saturday? I contacted the BBC twice and was told that I was mistaken about it being cancelled. Yet apart form the odd Monday repeat, the BBC seem to have abandoned this long established season of performances. I find this very depressing. The Met showcases the best singing (far superior to ROH) and puts together an enjoyable format including things like the opera quiz. Why on earth should this be replaced by a very average live performance of a BBC orchestra every Saturday?

Welcome Levine1! However I must confess that my feelings on the subject are almost diametrically opposite to yours...

[aeolium]

I agree generally the Met do the same repertoire over and over, ideally the BBC should broadcast all new productions from Covent Garden and ENO and most from ON, SNO and WNO (Is Boulevard Solitude going to be broadcast) and interesting productions from the great houses of the world including the Met, I for one would prefer Munich to New York any day

Yes, we rarely (if ever) get broadcasts from Frankfurt, Munich, Berlin, Stuttgart (not to mention Zurich, Paris). I don't know how the costs would stack up against the current Met contract but I certainly agree about having more broadcasts from our own companies. I hope the WNO Moses und Aron will be broadcast this summer.

Another point is that most of the Met season operas are also these days being broadcast live to cinema so there is another opportunity to hear, and watch, them.

[Flosshilde]

The Met broadcasts are available here through the European Broadcasting Union - I wonder if the EBU has deals with other opera houses?

A quick check via Google & I see that last night we could have had a live broadcast of Wozzeck from the Vienna State Opera (http://www3.ebu.ch/sites/ebu/content...adcasters.html), and other goodies from the VSO (& the Met) http://www3.ebu.ch/cms/sites/ebu/con...t-britten.html .

[Old Grumpy]

Is anyone else angry about the effective cancellation of the Live from the Met on Saturday?

No, I'm delighted. At least we might get to listen to JRR and JLU at the scheduled time!

[DracoM]

Minnesota Public Radio in USA seem to suggest they stream live Met operas from time to time.

[Beef Oven!]

Is anyone else angry about the effective cancellation of the Live from the Met on Saturday? I contacted the BBC twice and was told that I was mistaken about it being cancelled. Yet apart form the odd Monday repeat, the BBC seem to have abandoned this long established season of performances. I find this very depressing. The Met showcases the best singing (far superior to ROH) and puts together an enjoyable format including things like the opera quiz. Why on earth should this be replaced by a very average live performance of a BBC orchestra every Saturday?

I used to really look forward to those broadcasts, and enjoyed them too!

[Frances_iom]

I found the Met broadcasts to be often 2nd rate (the announcers were a total turnoff on this side of the pond) - it's about time we actually heard more from European as well as our own execellent houses than continue to buy into a stale and generally unimaginative Met production - this is one of the few things that RW did right IMO.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Whilst I'm glad that BeefO voiced support of the OT, I have to add my own agreement with the majority opinion voiced so far. Frances_iom's "stale and generally unimaginative" sums up my own feelings exactly.

[Beef Oven!]

Whilst I'm glad that BeefO voiced support of the OT, I have to add my own agreement with the majority opinion voiced so far. Frances_iom's "stale and generally unimaginative" sums up my own feelings exactly.

You've missed the point, mate!

Check my play-lists and concert-goings - Saturday afternoons with some stale and unimaginative, hits the spot!

Are you telling me that a good old dollop of rice pudding doesn't work!!?

[Richard Tarleton]

Personally, I like having broadcasts from a variety of opera companies, not just one and I think the schedule has been improved in this respect.

And from me.

Welcome Levine1!

The big problems with Opera from the Met broadcasts for me (and the reasons why I've stopped listening) have always been the presenters and presenting style, the self-congratulatory interval stuff and the excessive and intrusive applause after every number which often seems to be regardless of the merit of what we've just heard.

But away from the broadcasts I'm a fan of the Met, and of Mr Levine , and the Met Meistersinger is one of my favourite DVDs.