Introducing Mozart's Cinematic Idomeneo to New Audiences
In my fifth year of collaboration with Fathom Events, I couldn't be happier to be pushing a revival of Jean-Pierre Ponnelle's production of Mozart's Idomeneo, his first operatic masterpiece! To learn more about my work to develop audiences for Mozart via The Met: Live in HD, read my article, Popcorn and Powdered Wigs. To learn more about the opera, visit the Met's Idomeneo page which has a synopsis, information about the cast and production team, PDF of the program and photos and videos.
The above photo is of Anton Raaff, the German tenor who performed the title role in the 1781 premiere of Mozart's Idomeneo. Learn more from my Facebook post!
Breaking with my usual trivia format, I decided to host a drawing with entrants being required to give their second ticket to a guest who was new to opera. I also asked them to provide a few sentences about why they chose their unacquainted guests. I did this not only to ensure new faces in the audience, but to emphasize human interest. There's a special story behind every ticket. As I mentioned in a recent article:
"As a Music Heritage Preservationist, one of my primary goals is to leverage the passion of music fans to fuel preservation activities. As musicians, consumers, patrons and volunteers, we play a vital role in sustaining the life of music from the past. And we're far more than the bottom lines and social media analytics that attempt to quantify us. We're storytellers who give the music context, socio-cultural perspective and human interest. We're also agents of the living and ever-evolving music history of which we are a part. Our collective voice is one of great power and beauty."
So, without further ado, the names of three lucky Mozartians were drawn from my plumed hat (a slight exaggeration!) this evening, and the winners are...
Lorraine Joachim (Illinois)
I would like to take my new husband, Mark. He has never been to an opera. All he knows of it is of my DVDs, CDs, MP3 music and an occasional radio broadcast of my beloved Mozart favorites, one being, Idomeneo. I truly believe that if he could see one in person, he would appreciate opera's great beauty, along with Mozart's great genius. Thank you, Sherry, for offering such an outstanding opportunity for such a fine opera!!!
Sandy Alzubi (New Jersey)
First I would like to say thank you for the wonderful opportunity to enter. For this contest I would like to invite my older child, Rami, to come with me and attend the wonderful showing of Idomeneo by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Rami is a special needs child, diagnosed with autism when he was 2 years old. Presently he’s 13 years old. I think the exposure to classical music, and seeing an operatic work will increase his connection to self and others, and as a result have a much greater appreciation for this type of genre. A Stanford study showed that: "Music engages areas of the brain which are involved with paying attention, making predictions and updating events in our memory." Rami will enjoy Idomeneo’s storyline and wonderful classical music. I firmly believe that this type of exposure will result in having a positive socio-emotional impact on my child. Thank you so much for the opportunity to enter. Sincerely, Sandy Alzubi
Jacqueline "Jackie" Pecker (New York)
It'd be such a great experience for my mom and I to go see Idomeneo! I love listening to and watching Mozart's operas, and it'd be so much fun to go see one with my mom. We've both never seen one before, so this would be a great introduction!
I approached Fathom Events in 2012 with my ideas and enthusiasm for The Met: Live in HD and have been volunteering my time ever since. I do gratis work for initiatives that I truly believe in, and this is one of them. Those who work in music for the right reasons are never driven by money. I do it because I genuinely care about the music and I care about you. I look forward to celebrating my 100th ticket and reaching even more states in the near future as I continue my work on behalf of Mozart through the generosity of my Fathom friends!
Sherry
I had a wonderful time at Cinemark watching Idomeneo today! Maestro Mozart stole all of my popcorn as usual and seemed pleased as punch with the performance. The opera premiered successfully in Munich on January 29, 1781 and is still turning heads. What a joy and privilege it was to take a short drive to my local cinema and watch a world-class performance of the Maestro's first dramatic masterpiece. It's this kind of accessibility that will sustain the art form! -Sherry
Hi, Sherry! My mom and I had an amazing time watching Idomeneo today. I really want to thank you for this incredible opportunity. This was my first opera, and it was truly a great experience. Thank you so much! Here are some pictures of my mom and I at the event! We also took a picture with the host! -Jackie
Loved, loved, loved it!!! Thank you for the opportunity and the tickets!!! -Lorraine
Love triumphs! We had a great time. Rami felt it was long, but liked it a lot nevertheless. I was not totally familiar with the opera, having just watched a few clips on YouTube. Loved the wonderful music and Maestro Levine. Bravo, bravo! Until next time! -Sandy
2 comments:
Thank you so much for this amazing opportunity to see Mozart's "Idomeneo"! I'm so glad that I was able to participate in this contest. As a viola player for 6 years and counting, this is going to be an incredible experience that only will further my love of music and Mozart. I hope to continue following your work and sharing my love of Mozart with you. Thank you for including my artwork in your article! It always such a pleasure to participate in your events! Thank you, thank you! - Jackie ♥
You're welcome, Jackie! It's my pleasure! Receiving this kind of response from you is exactly why I do what I do. It's so rewarding for me to be a part of your journey! :)
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