Grinnell College to stream Metropolitan Opera’s "Semiramide"

Mar 7, 2018

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Grinnell College will stream Gioachino Rossini’s Semiramide, considered a masterpiece of dazzling vocal fireworks, at noon on Saturday, March 10, as part of the Metropolitan Opera’s Live In HD Program. The streaming will take place in the Harris Center Cinema, 1114 10th Ave., Grinnell.

Alex McHattie, principal double bassist with the Champaign-Urbana Symphony Orchestra, will give the opera talk at 11:30 a.m. in the Harris Center Cinema. McHattie performs regularly with other regional music organizations, such as The Prairie Ensemble, BACH, and Heartland Festival Orchestra.

This is the Met’s first performance of Semiramide in nearly 25 years. Based on Voltaire’s tragedy Semiramis, the opera follows the actions of Semiramide, the murderous queen of Babylon. Maurizio Benini conducts. Angela Meade stars as Semiramide, and Elizabeth DeShong plays Arsace.

The New York Times called the opera “inspiring” and “a noble experiment” in performing shows the Met has previously ignored for not being renowned enough.

After Semiramide, three additional Met operas will be streamed in the Harris Center during the spring semester. Opera talks take place a half hour before each broadcast. The remaining operas are:

Mozart’s Cosi fan tutte on March 31, noon
Verdi's Luisa Miller on April 14, 11:30 a.m
Massenet's Cendrillon on April 28, noon

Refreshments will be available for sale in the lobby of the cinema before each opera and during intermission.

Tickets are available at the Pioneer Bookshop and at the door on the day of the show. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students, children and Met Opera members.

The Office of the President has generously funded tickets for Grinnell College faculty, staff and students, and tickets are available for free at all locations. Family members not employed by the college are required to purchase tickets.