PITTSBURGH -- The North Hills School District is now participating in the Metropolitan Opera’s HD Live in Schools program.
The program, offered to just 53 school districts nationwide, allows students to attend live HD satellite-feed broadcasts of Met Opera performances with no admission charge. The cost is just $3 for bus transportation to and from the Cinemark North movie theaters in McCandless Crossing.
Opera performances are scheduled through March 2020 with the first showing, Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, this Saturday, Nov. 9.
The program is administered by North Hills’ GATE Department and students interested in attending should see their building’s GATE teacher for tickets.
All showings are Saturday matinees as follows:
- November 9: Puccini’s Madama Butterfly (Grades 5-12)
- November 23: Phillip Glass’ Akhnaten (Grades 6-12)
- December 7: Mozart’s The Magic Flute (Grades 2-8)
- February 1: Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess (Grades 6-12)
- February 29: Handel’s Agrippina (Grades 7-12)
- March 14: Wagner’s The Flying Dutchman (Grades 5-12)
Students who attend should meet in the Middle School LGI Room at 11:30 a.m. for a pre-opera event. Saturday’s event will feature Bunraku-style puppets.
Students should arrange to be picked up from the LGI Room following the show. Pick up times will vary and be announced prior to each event.
In addition to the showings, the Metropolitan Opera also provides educational resources to enhance students’ understanding and appreciation of the operas such as comic book synopses, core content lessons and Google Hangouts with cast and crew of the Met Opera.
In addition, all of the HD operas have subtitles.
Questions or comments about the Metropolitan Opera’s HD Live in Schools program should be directed to Martin Richter at West View or John Thomas at Highcliff.