More major theaters streaming classic plays for free

Along with the Bolshoi Theatre (Russia), the Paris Opera (France) and many famous theaters in the world such as the Berlin Philharmonic (Germany), the Metropolitan Opera (New York, USA) also allow audiences to watch free performances online when forced to close during the lockdown. In total, by May 3, 2020, the Paris Opera will stream 8 operas and ballets online so that classical music lovers can watch them at home during the quarantine period due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The works featured here are all part of the Paris Opera's "golden collection", with excellent musicians and top-notch actors. The most refined versions ever recorded, now available for livestream, include many classics, from Don Giovanni to Swan Lake and The Tales of Hoffmann. To watch these works, viewers just need to go to the official website of theParis Opera House. This program also has no "geo-restrictions", meaning that netizens can access it from anywhere and thus can choose a viewing time that suits them.

The specific program is as follows:

After the TheaterMetropolitan Opera New YorkAt the forefront of streaming classical works, most other major theaters such asBerlin State OperaandRoyal Opera House and National Theater (London)have all responded to this initiative, uploading selected programs online in alternating order to avoid overlapping or duplication of content. According to director Peter Gelb of the Munich Opera (Bayerische Staatsoper), major theaters all want to send words of comfort to music lovers in particular and encourage the public in general during this extremely difficult time. Capital TheaterVienna State Operaalso followed with a special program devoted to Wagner's epic drama.

Similarly, the concert library ofBergen Philharmonic Orchestra,Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center,Melbourne Symphony Orchestra,Royal Stockholm Philharmonic OrchestraandDetroit Symphony Orchestrais also open to the audience free of charge. At the same time, the Philharmonie de Paris has expanded the application "Philharmonie Live" give away all performances for free and invite the public to visit the Music Museum online. The most generous is probably the Symphony Hall.Berlin Philharmonic, the world's leading classical music organization, has given everyone who wants to listen to classical music one month free access to their entire massive library of great concerts from 1966 to the present.

Thanks to these initiatives, music lovers can still sit at home and enjoy Beethoven's 5th and 7th symphonies on the 250th anniversary of his birth on the Mezzo TV channel. Most of the famous artists keep in touch with their fans and meet them every evening on their personal Twitter, Facebook, YouTube accounts and give them short performances with excerpts from famous works.

For his part, as part of the "Music Comes to You" program (even if you don't have the chance to listen to it), violinist Renaud Capuçon uploaded videos of himself playing a Dvorak melody live using the NomadPlay app, which allows a soloist to perform alongside an orchestra. As one of the leading artists participating in the Sofa Festival, which raises funds for public hospitals, Renaud Capuçon also used the occasion to call on the audience to express solidarity with French health workers on the front lines of the pandemic.

According to conductor François Xavier Roth, who conducts the Versailles Symphony Orchestra, musicians often do not have a stable income, most of them work independently or have short-term contracts, and now with the pandemic, their career future is even more uncertain. However, they still maintain an optimistic spirit, calling on the community to join hands to fight the pandemic, reminding the public to protect themselves and others by staying at home and enjoying art. Some artists happily expressed that they hope that live-streaming art performances will help to erase the social distance between audiences, bringing works that are considered "academic" to a wider audience.

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