By Jacqueline Kimball
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE

With apologies to bowlgame aficionados, there are other ways to celebrate New Year’s Day.

A short drive to a local theater will transport opera buffs and classical music lovers to the splendor of the Metropolitan Opera and a live, special holiday presentation of Engelbert Humperdinck’s “Hansel and Gretel.” The fairy tale set to music and sung in English is one of eight productions Met Opera will show in select theaters as part of its “Live in HD (High-Definition) Series.”

Popular Program
When the series debuted last season with six productions, the Los Angeles Times hailed the experiment in high-definition programming as “a new art form.” Attendance grew with each presentation.

While the ambience may not match the grandeur of Lincoln Center, multiple cameras will provide views from every angle within the hall and will zoom in for breathtaking close-ups. Add the capability of the “big screen,” and the  performance will become a larger-than-life experience.

Don’t skip intermission
The drama will continue during intermission. Led by a celebrity guide— soprano Renée Fleming did the honors once last season— the audience will tag along backstage and into dressing rooms to learn behind-the-scenes information about the production.

Patrons can sprint for popcorn and a soda—yes, they can munch along to the music—but they’ll risk missing the action on-screen. The curtain will go up at 1 p.m. on New Year’s Day, with an encore performance on Sunday, January 6, at 3 p.m. The other seven live productions, all Saturday matinees, include Gounod’s “Roméo et Juliette” on December 15, with Plácido Domingo conducting and Russian soprano Anna Netrebko as Juliette.

The Columbus venues are Regal Georgesville Square Stadium 16 on the southwest side and Marcus Crosswoods UltraScreen Cinema 17 on the far north side. Marcus Crosswoods will host the encore showings. Tickets are $20. For the complete schedule, visit www.metoperafamily.org.