Another Reason Opera Is Better Live...

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Another reason opera is better live than in the movies:

Those attending the Met HD Broadcast of Salome this weekend in the hopes of seeing Finnish soprano Karita Mattila nude in what she calls a "slutty, two-second scene" will be sorely disappointed.


During the Dance of the Seven Veils while audiences in the theatre will see the much talked about full-frontal nudity, those watching the movies will see the camera go elsewhere.


According to Peter Gelb, via Culture Monster, he "decided early on the Salome broadcast would not feature nudity."

Tease.

But never fear, we here at Aria Serious circumvented firewalls and risked downloading spyware while scouring the internet to find you a clip of a nekkid Karita Mattila.

OK, fine, we just Googled her via YouTube...

This is from a Paris Opera production in 2003. Those of you who are just here for cheap thrills can skip to the last 30 seconds but be warned -- you'll be missing out on one helluva performance. Enjoy!

- Edward

Comments

Anonymous said…
You know what I find most amusing about this is that one of the reasons Gelb does not want to show nudity in Salome is because the Met markets its HD broadcasts as family-friendly events. Uh, sorry, but what parent would consider Salome to be family-friendly in the first place? And don't you think the final scene is a lot more disturbing than two-seconds of nudity?
October 9, 2008 at 11:29 AM
Anonymous said…
Miss Z has a good point indeed. The thought of Salome doing that to John's severed head is a whole lot more disturbing than an unclad Matilla (if one can actually find that disturbing at all ;o)).

Though... it's one thing to go full monty on the large stage of the Met where much of the audience can barely see you, and rather quite another to have an HD camera trained on you just then and live broadcast what it captures for millions around the planet. I wonder if Matilla isn't breathing easier with Gelb's decision, really. :o)

Cheerio,
October 9, 2008 at 1:45 PM
Anonymous said…
According to the article, Mattila can be found in all (or none, rather) of her Salome glory in Volpe's book, "The Toughest Show on Earth". You know, I think I have that book...And there is that Paris production. But, in all seriousness, I'm really looking forward to this broadcast (though I'd much rather be there and not for the nudity, either). I've seen Mattila as Kat'a in SF and Jenufa in LA and she was fully clothed and incredible.
October 9, 2008 at 3:48 PM
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