'Bel Canto' Opera: How To Watch Renee Fleming's Production On PBS Or Online [VIDEO]
Bel Canto the Opera comes to television Friday night on PBS, and here's how and when to watch it.
Opera fans who did not get the opportunity to see Bel Canto should watch tonight's Great Performances on PBS. The opera, starring soprano Danielle de Niese, will be broadcast starting at 9 p.m. ET/PT on the channel.
The opera is composed by Jimmy Lopez from the libretto of playwright Nilo Cruz, who adapted the novel of the same name. It was curated by opera superstar Renée Fleming
"One of the greatest joys of my role as creative consultant at Lyric has been to develop this new work for the operatic stage." Fleming says in a statement. "When the novel 'Bel Canto' came out, it was a runaway best-seller, and friends from everywhere called me and asked, 'Is this based on you?' A novel with a soprano at the center, singing my repertoire? Naturally, I had to read it. I immediately realized that Ann Patchett had created a classic portrait of an American singer, and told a story of power and relevance - perfect for opera."
She continued, "I presented Sir Andrew Davis and Anthony Freud with a huge list of composers. But I had been thinking, what if we ultimately focus on South America for a musical language that would geographically correspond to the piece? When we awarded the commission to the brilliant Jimmy López, I had no idea that he actually had lived through the crisis as a teenager in Lima. The piece also benefits immeasurably from the intensely musical language Pulitzer Prize-winner Nilo Cruz used in his libretto."
It remains to be seen if the Bel Canto opera will be available online after Friday night's showing, but keep checking this site in the days to come if you're not able to catch it live.
To live tweet and follow along with others watching the Bel Canto opera on PBS, use hashtag #GreatPerformancesPBS on Twitter.
