The Metropolitan Opera and SIRIUS Satellite Radio recently announced a multi-year agreement to create Metropolitan Opera Radio. The channel will debut on SIRIUS this Monday, September 25, with a live broadcast of the Met's opening night gala performance of Puccini's Madama Butterfly, conducted by Music Director James Levine and directed by Anthony Minghella.
The exclusive new SIRIUS satellite radio music channel will broadcast live Metropolitan Opera performances each week throughout the Met's entire season, in addition to hundreds of archival performances from throughout the Met's 75-year history. Metropolitan Opera Radio will be heard on SIRIUS channel 85.
"This is a significant step in our plans to use digital technology to relay our extraordinary content," said Peter Gelb, the Met's new General Manager. "I look forward to working with SIRIUS to expand their listenership to include opera lovers throughout the US and Canada."
"With Metropolitan Opera Radio, we will bring opera lovers the best performances of our day and an unparalleled and definitive collection of historic broadcasts," said Scott Greenstein, SIRIUS President, Entertainment and Sports. "SIRIUS' broad reach and superb digital quality sound make us the perfect vehicle to help Peter Gelb and the Met fulfill their mission to both superserve existing opera lovers and create new opera fans nationwide."
The full-time channel will feature an average of four live broadcasts each week throughout the Met's 2006-07 performance season, with Saturday matinee performances enhanced with live interviews and intermission programs. The channel will also feature hundreds of re-mastered broadcasts culled from the Met's 75-year history. Additional vocal content will complement the Metropolitan Opera broadcasts.
For more information on this new channel, check out the SIRIUS press release.
