Celebrities, Public Take In First Met Performance
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The Metropolitan Opera opened its 125th season Monday night. NY1's Stephanie Simon filed the following report on how the celebration was so big that it spilled out of Lincoln Center.A symphony of celebrities paraded down the red carpet for opening night of the Metropolitan Opera's 125th season. Many see a renaissance in opera.
"To have someone as beautiful and with a magnificent voice as Renee Flemming, it makes it very special," said television personality Barbara Walters.
"It's the pinnacle," said musician James Taylor. "It's delightful and it's just the epitome of a New York night out on the town."
"Renee Flemming does it and all of her colleagues and what they do is play the great, great, great roles, which what we actors play as well, but we don't sing them," said actor Faye Dunaway.
Dame Helen Mirren forgot to arrange transportation.
"My husband and didn't get a car. We didn't think of it," she said. "We usually take the subway and we thought, no we'll get a cab. So we're standing out on the street in the East Village dressed like this."
"Well, it's so glamorous tonight," said TV personality Martha Stewart. "I had no idea it would be this glamorous. I'm in line with Helen Mirren, for goodness sake!"
But of course the high notes of the evening happened inside. Opera star Renee Flemming performed selections from three classic works.
The Metropolitan Opera has been giving itself a makeover the last few years, reaching out to a wider audience. And for opening night, it projected the performance at Times Square and at Fordham University, so people could watch for free.
"I think it's absolutely fantastic," said one viewer. "For so many years, the opera has been contained and it was only open to those who had money or access."
"I think it's amazing," said another. "It is such a nice evening and it's so great to enjoy opera outside."
"I just think it's great that you have a lot of young people coming and just open to the public," said a third.
The performance was also simulcast in hundreds of movie theaters across the country.
The hope is that some of the people who see it on screen will want to come back and experience it in person.