Opera for the Masses?

Soundcheck | May 3, 2010

This season, the Metropolitan Opera is planning to broadcast operas to movie theaters, satellite radio, and even Times Square. Across the plaza, New York City Opera is dropping its ticket prices and presenting an "Opera for All" festival. Today, New York Times chief classical music critic Anthony Tommasini asks whether these and other gambits can attract new opera fans. Also: YouTube.com isn't only for posting quirky homemade videos. An astonishing amount of opera video lives on the site, making it an endless trove of historic material. James Jorden, editor of the opera blog Parterre Box, explains this trend. Finally, Joe Purdy, a folky singer-songwriter whose music is on ABC's hit series "Lost" and "Grey's Anatomy," performs live in the studio.

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