Opera is typically seen as a form of entertainment to be enjoyed by a select few, rather than something that everyone can share. Most people find that the chances to see an opera performance are limited by many things, not least the fact that most of us don’t happen to have an opera house on our doorstep. However, with the growth of event cinema screenings and one off big screen shows, these days the opera is more accessible than ever in more ways than one.
In recent years the Royal Opera House has been bringing opera to the masses with live relays of their performances on big screens in cinemas and in public spaces around the country. It’s been a brilliant initiative for bringing opera to the people rather than the people having to travel to central London to see it. Live relays from the Royal Opera House and the live event cinema boom in general are also noticeably handy for less able viewers as they reduce travel and increase accessibility. Of these projects, all of which are a way of democratising opera, the hugely popular BP Big Screens may well be the finest because not only are they more convenient, they’re also totally free. After their success last year, the big screens are coming back in 2014, starting tomorrow!
These screens are a fun and accessible way to enjoy the evening sun and watch the performances with an enthusiastic and engaged audience. The big screens are a real event and as the live screens phenomenon has become more common, the BP Big Screens have become really popular with the final screening of 2013 attracting over 27,000 people of all ages and packing Trafalgar Square to capacity.
Better yet, this year, the Royal Opera House is also going to be streaming the first BP Big Screen live online and completely free to the world. It’s a marvellous way of bringing the opera directly into your home and making it brilliantly accessible for everybody! The live stream is going to be of La traviata and takes place tomorrow (20th of May) at 7pm and will be available to watch at www.roh.org.uk/bpbigscreens
As well as La traviata, the Royal Opera House are screening two more of the greatest operas completely free on big screens, although not online, with La bohème on 15 July and Rigoletto on 17 September. Both of those performances will begin at 7.30pm with pre-performance screening from 7pm. That’s thirty minutes of exclusive backstage films, competitions and live interaction, these screenings bring the best performances live to the UK absolutely free!
We’ve talked quite a bit in the past about how fond we are of theatre and opera companies staging these live screenings as they really do make it easier and allow more people a chance to engage with culture, which can only be a good thing. The BP Big Screens are going to be up in several UK cities and of course the online stream is a nice touch too. To find your nearest big screen, head to the Royal Opera House website or click here.