More live opera, ballet on the silver screen

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Mongezi Mtati

Nu Metro Cinemas announced earlier this week that it has partnered with DigiScreen, a digital network that distributes and presents alternative content through an exclusive collaboration it has with Opus Arte and the Royal Opera House of London.

The opera and ballet productions are captured live, in high definition (HD), from locations such as the Royal Opera House (Covent Garden, London), Palais Garnier (Paris), Teatro Real (Madrid), Gran Teatre del Liceu (Barcelona), War Memorial (San Francisco) and other great stages of the world.

"These presentations will start towards the end of September around the country at the following cinemas, Bedford Centre, Hyde Park, Menlyn Park, Pavilion, V&A Waterfront, Canal Walk and Montecasino,” stated Mark Harris, content and marketing head for Nu Metro Cinemas.

"The season kicks off with Renée Fleming in the opera La Traviata by Verdi, followed by The Barber of Seville (Rossini), Falstaff (Verdi) and then ballet, The Nutcracker in December 2009.”

DigiScreen and its partners present these HD productions exclusively to audiences in more than 300 cinemas across the US, Canada, UK, Europe, Australia and Japan.

Cinema Nouveau has been screening live opera performances since June 2008.

Go to www.numetro.co.za for the complete list of forthcoming shows.