Opera: “Madama Buttterfly” at Telluride’s Palm Theatre, March 13

09 Mar Opera: “Madama Buttterfly” at Telluride’s Palm Theatre, March 13

[click "Play" button to hear susan's conversation with Michael Ebert]

The fact that programming for Telluride's Palm Theatre now includes some of opera's greatest hits is music to the ears of Telluride fans.The new local series is part of larger series created in 2006 by New York's Metropolitan Opera  to expand the appeal and reach of opera around the world. The Met:Live in HD! offers an unprecedented opportunity for those in and around our community with champagne taste for music performance, but little access to or budget for the bubble.

Opera at the Palm opened triumphantly with a broadcast on February 21 of Donizetti's "Lucia Di Lammermoor." It continues this coming weekend, March 13, 7 p.m., with Puccini's "Madama Butterfly." The libretto tells the story of the tragic love affair between a Japanese beauty, Cio-Cio San (Madame Butterfly), and B.F.Pinkerton, a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy.

The Palm is the only theatre on the Western Slope to be part of The Met:Live in HD!, an Emmy award winning program of live, high definition performance transmissions.

Using robotic cameras and state-of-the-art technology, The Met:Live in HD! captures the onstage action from striking angles and heightens attention to the narrative elements.  Behind-the-scenes features, live interviews with cast and crew, insightful short documentaries, and bird's eye views of the productions offer an insider's look at what goes into the staging of an opera. HD screenings are heard in Dolby Digital 5.1 with surround sound.

According to the Palm's executive director Heather Rommel, the idea to stage The Met: Live in HD! in town surfaced during a brainstorming session with part-time locals/art patrons, Steven and Judy Gluckstern.

"The Glucksterns' idea," explained Heather, "was to ensure the theatre, which they named after former business partner and friend Michael Palm, remains a vibrant and contributing presence in Telluride's cultural economy. New and emerging technologies should help meet the goal. "

Currently over 850 theatres in approximately 30 countries around the world participate in The Met:Live in HD!

"The Palm is happy to be a part of this global success story," added Heather.

For further information about The Met: Live in HD! in Telluride and an insider's look at "Madame Butterfy," press the "play" button and listen to what loca/opera afficionado Michael Ebert has to say.