The third season of free live HD streams from Munich's Bavarian State Opera opened with a bang this month, featuring Brenda Rae and Franz Hawlata in Richard Strauss’ Die schweigsame Frau (The Silent Woman) in Barrie Kosky’s production, Pedro Halffter conducting.
Up next, something not to be missed, Leoš Janácek's The Makropulos Affair, which had such a great production here in 2010, led by Jirí Bélohlávek. It's on Nov. 1, at 6 p.m. Central European Time, 9 a.m. on the West Coast.
Tomáš Hanus conducts, stage direction is by Árpád Schilling. The cast includes San Francisco favorite Nadja Michael, Pavel Cernoch, Tara Erraught, and John Lundgren.
For series information and to see the HD streams, go to the Munich website. STAATSOPER.TV is an alternate address.
Highlights of the opera/ballet telecasts: Alexei Ratmansky's Paquita on Jan. 11; Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor (with Damrau) on Feb. 1; Donizetti's Elixir of Love on April 12; Berg's Lulu, conducted by Kirill Petrenko on June 6; and Debussy's Pelléas et Mélisande on July 4.
All streams (choice of without subtitles, German or English subtitles) are offered in three different transmission qualities (Low, High, HD).