Tucson’s favorite independent cinema house is moving in a slightly different direction next week, when The Loft Cinema hosts “”The Met at The Loft,”” a presentation of the Metropolitan Opera’s new adaptation of Mozart’s “”The Magic Flute.””
The event is part of a global effort by the Metropolitan Opera to bring larger audiences into the opera house by screening plays in movie theaters in what they’re calling “”Metropolitan Opera: Live in HD.””
“”We’re trying to broaden the audience of The Loft with this,”” said Jeff Yanc, program director at The Loft. “”We’ve already sold about half of the seats. A lot of presale tickets are going to people who don’t normally go to The Loft.””
“”The audience seems to be skewing a lot older than our normal events,”” Yanc said.
The opera will be showcased digitally instead of on standard film, due to The Loft’s deal with a digital film distribution company Emerging Pictures.
“”When we heard they were going to do this, it was why we got involved with the company”” Yanc said. “”They had been planning this for about a year. They gave us a server, and we download the movies from them.
Although this is the first full-fledged opera shown at the art house, The Loft has already experienced successful screening operatic features in the past.
“”We did a few shows based on operas that received good crowds, like (Jean Cocteau’s) ‘Beauty and the Beast,’ and (Akira Kurosawa’s) ‘Throne of Blood,’ a retelling of Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth.'””
The play screening at The Loft was recorded from a Dec. 30 performance. Directed by Julie Taymor, who also directed “”The Lion King”” on Broadway, “”The Magic Flute”” is a tale about a priest who kidnaps a princess to release her from the influence of her mother, the queen of the night. The queen, in turn, sends a brave prince to rescue her daughter.
The event will be held Jan. 15, with tickets for the general public selling for $18 and tickets for Tucson Film Society members, students and seniors for $15. Guests should arrive at 6 p.m. for hors d’oeuvres as well as a wine tasting featuring a new wine from famed director Francis Ford Coppola called “”Director’s Cut.””
“”We came up with the wine-tasting and the food on our own,”” Yanc said. “”We wanted to give people a little something more for their money. Since the Metropolitan Opera set the price at $18, all the cities are charging the same price, so we don’t really have a say in that.””
There are a total of six operas that are up for distribution like this, and depending on how well this event goes over, The Loft may sign on to do more, Yanc said.
“”Judging by the presale figures, we’re seriously considering getting the others as well.””
