The Met On Screen

Several Metropolitan Opera productions are going to be broadcast over the next few months to movie theaters around the country. In the Bay Area, that means the Regal Hacienda Crossing in Dublin: this is about a 25 minute drive for me and is very close to where I used to work. From San Francisco, alas, I assume it is a much longer drive. On the other hand, admission is $18, and unless you're traveling to NYC, well....let's just say, I'm springing for a few of the telecasts. They are:

• The Magic Flute, a short version of Julie Taymoor's production, on December 30


• I Puritani, January 6


• The First Emperor, Tan Dun's new opera, starring Placido Domingo, on January 13


• Eugene Onegin, February 24


• The Barber of Seville, March 24


• Il Trittico, April 28

I'm sorry the series doesn't include Jenufa, with Karita, or Simon Boccanegra (still the great unknown Verdi opera), or that tasty-looking Don Carlo, but you can't have everything, and this is definitely a good start.