Movie Star Collectibles

Opera With Popcorn

A major cultural war is raging as I write these words, a war over the future of one of the great art forms. That art form is opera, which the advertising-industrial complex seems to have adjudged unworthy of survival.

It is classist, they assert. It attracts fat singers, too—although for the life of me I don’t see why a fat opera singer is any more unattractive than a fat middle schooler, of whom we see droves every day. And the kids can’t even sing.

Fortunately, the opera companies and their supporters (including me) have decided not to go gentle into the bad night marketing experts have foreseen for this wonderful part of our cultural heritage. Led by the famed Metropolitan Opera and the distinguished San Francisco Opera, they have taken the war to selected cineplexes, both in America and abroad. Their secret weapon: HDTV productions of great operas, shown on the screen in your favorite movie complex.

I do not, by the way, exaggerate in calling this a “secret” weapon. At least in the Lehigh Valley, very little seems to be made of these presentations, either by the theaters that are carrying them or by arts journalists you would expect to take notice. There was at least one ad somewhere—I learned of it only by hearsay—and an announcement on a conscientious public radio station. Maybe there was notice on other public radio and television outlets; but where I live I can only receive one station.

A friend and I managed to learn that the San Francisco Opera HDTV series would be shown at the Carmike Cineplex, on Catasauqua Road. I hate to mention them by name, since they seem to have neglected their duty to advertise these offerings. On the other hand, at least they’ve been carrying them.

Having ascertained that the great French opera “Samson and Dalila” was about to be featured at Carmike, my friend and I decided to go and experience HDTV opera firsthand. And we did.

How was it different from going to the opera house in New York or Philadelphia?

In many ways, some good, some bad, some indifferent. It was, to begin with, a WHOLE lot cheaper than buying a ticket to the Met and rambling on down to New York City. Score one for the good side.

Then too, here you are allowed to buy popcorn and a drink, if you like, and munch and sip your way through the entire performance. We did not do that, but I found it a nice, egalitarian option. Call this another good thing. It’s not available at the Met.

On the negative side, we arrived early and were treated for a while to an outpouring of Led Zeppelin. That, actually, was the type of thing I had been hoping to get away from. When I complained about it afterward, an employee replied that they had had to do that to make up for the loss involved running the opera series. But in fact if the series were being promoted many more people would have come than the handful who showed up, and they could have run it at a profit.

As to the opera itself, we had never before seen it in this way. And there were, of course, some adjustments to be made. The lead singers, Olga Borodina and Clifton Forbis, are on the large side; so it was at first disconcerting to see them two or three times Life Size. And we can also bear witness to the fact that opera singers sweat, something I don’t suppose we had thought about before.

But the drama caught us up. By the time Samson brought down the Philistine temple at the end of Act III, we almost jumped back to avoid the falling column drums and bricks. It was, all in all, an amazing experience.

My advice? Force Carmike to run the rest of the series at a profit. Call them up to see what other operas are available. Pick one, pack up your friends, and show up for one.

Let’s win this culture war.

About the Author

JOAN CAMPION is a historian and memoirist whose works include “In The Lion’s Mouth: Gisi Fleischmann and the Jewish Fight for Survival.” Most recently she has published “Jerusalem Journal: Adventures In A Desert Landscape.” She is fond of cats and of all kinds of music, especially opera. More information can be found at http://authortree.com/joancampion

The Fifth Element Music Video (1997) (RyoDrake Productions)

Charlie Chan at the Opera, Swedish Movie Poster, 1936 $34.99 Charlie Chan at the Opera, Swedish Movie Poster, 1936 – Giclee Print

A Night At The Opera, Spanish Movie Poster, 1935 $19.99 A Night At The Opera, Spanish Movie Poster, 1935 – Premium Poster

Opera Singer and Actress Anna Moffo in the Italian Movie A Story of Love. $79.99 Opera Singer and Actress Anna Moffo in the Italian Movie “A Story of Love.” – Premium Photographic Print

Opera Singer and Actress Anna Moffo Filming the Italian Movie A Story of Love. $79.99 Opera Singer and Actress Anna Moffo Filming the Italian Movie “A Story of Love.” – Premium Photographic Print

The Phantom of the Opera – Movie Selections $19.99 “By Andrew Lloyd Webber. For voice, piano and guitar (chords only). Piano/Vocal/Guitar Songbook. Movies. Difficulty: medium. Songbook. Vocal melody, piano accompaniment, lyrics, chord names, introductory text, color photos and black & white photos. 80 pages. Published by Hal Leonard”

Opera Singer and Actress Anna Moffo Wantonly in Scene from the Italian Movie A Story of Love. $79.99 Opera Singer and Actress Anna Moffo Wantonly in Scene from the Italian Movie “A Story of Love.” – Premium Photographic Print

Opera Singer and Actress Anna Moffo in Scene From the Italian Movie A Story of Love. $79.99 Opera Singer and Actress Anna Moffo in Scene From the Italian Movie “A Story of Love.” – Premium Photographic Print

Opera Singer and Actress Anna Moffo in a Scene From the Italian Movie A Story of Love. $79.99 Opera Singer and Actress Anna Moffo in a Scene From the Italian Movie “A Story of Love.” – Premium Photographic Print

Opera Singer and Actress Anna Moffo Discreetly in a Scene From the Italian Movie A Story of Love. $79.99 Opera Singer and Actress Anna Moffo Discreetly in a Scene From the Italian Movie “A Story of Love.” – Premium Photographic Print

Opera Singer and Actress Anna Moffo with Gianni Macchia in Scene From Movie A Story of Love $79.99 Opera Singer and Actress Anna Moffo with Gianni Macchia in Scene From Movie “A Story of Love” – Premium Photographic Print

In The Opera $59.99 Mary Cassatt In The Opera – Wall Decal

Opera $7.99 Andrea Laliberte Opera – Art Print

The Opera $59.99 Clarence F. Underwood The Opera – Wall Decal

Hotel Migny Opera Montmartre $321.15 Hotel Migny Opera Montmartre is a family friendly hotel located in Paris’s Opera Grands Magasins neighborhood, close to Moulin Rouge, Galeries Lafayette, and Theatre Mogador. Additional points of interest include Folies Bergeres and Sacre Coeur Basilica. Hotel Features. This 3 star property has a business center and offers a meeting/conference room. Complimentary wireless Internet access is available in public areas. This Paris property has 15 square meters of event space. For a surcharge, shuttle services include a roundtrip airport shuttle (available on request), an area shuttle, and a theme park shuttle. A bar/lounge is open for drinks. The hotel serves buffet breakfasts each morning (surcharges apply). Room service is available during limited hours. Additional property amenities include a library, a concierge desk, and multilingual staff. Guestrooms. 50 air conditioned guestrooms at Hotel Migny Opera Montmartre feature safes and complimentary newspapers. All accommodations have balconies. Bathrooms feature complimentary toiletries and hair dryers. Wireless Internet access is complimentary. In addition to desks, guestrooms offer phones with voice mail. 82 cm LCD televisions have free movie channels. Guests may request irons/ironing boards, extra towels/bedding, and wake up calls. Housekeeping is available daily. Notifications and Fees:A resort fee is included in the total price displayed No onsite parking is available. The following fees and deposits are charged by the property at time of service, check in, or check out. Airport shuttle fee: EUR 20 per person (one way)Buffet breakfast fee: EUR 9 per person (approximate amount) The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change. Notifications and Fees:A resort fee is included in the total price displayed No onsite parking is available. The following fees and deposits are charged by the property at time of service, check in, or check out. Airport shuttle fee: EUR 20 per person (one way)Buffet breakfast fee: EUR 9 per person (approximate amount) The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.

Hotel Plaza Opera $121.07 Hotel Plaza Opera > PMO > Via Gallo Nicolo’ 2 > Palermo > > 90139>Location. This business friendly property is located in Palermo, close to Teatro Politeama, Teatro Massimo, Palermo, and Museo Archeologico Regionale. Also nearby are Martorana and San Cataldo. Features. Hotel Plaza Opera has a bar/lounge. A buffet breakfast is complimentary to guests. Room service is available during limited hours. Business amenities include wireless Internet access, meeting rooms for small groups, and business services. Event facilities include conference rooms. This 4.0 star property provides an airport shuttle (surcharge). This is a smoke free property (fines may apply for violations). Guestrooms. Amenities featured in guestrooms include minibars. In addition, amenities available on request include extra towels/bedding and wake up calls. Guestrooms have LCD televisions with premium TV channels and free movie channels. Business friendly amenities include wireless Internet access (surcharge), desks, and direct dial phones. Bathrooms feature bathroom phones, designer toiletries, and bidets. Guestroom services include a turndown service and housekeeping. All guestrooms at Hotel Plaza Opera are non smoking. Notifications:Additional fees and deposits may be charged by the property at time of service, check in, or check out. >The preferred airport for Hotel Plaza Opera is Palermo (PMO Punta Raisi) 22.9 km / 14.3 mi. Distances are calculated in a straight line from the property’s location to the point of interest or airport and may not reflect actual travel distance. Distances are displayed to the nearest 0. 1 mile and kilometre.

ASTOTEL ACADIA OPERA $240.93 BOUTIQUE HOTEL YEAR BUILT 1870 YEAR REMODELED 2010 ADDITIONAL PROPERTY DESCRIPTION THE ASTOTEL HOTEL ACADIA OPERA IS LOCATED IN THE HEART OF PARIS/ JUST A FEW MINUTES FROM THE OPERA GARNIER AND THE STORES PRINTEMPS AND GALERIES LAFAYETTE . THE 36 ROOMS ARE AIR CONDITIONNED AND EQUIPPED WITH A FREE WLAN CONNECTION/ A SAFE/ SATELLITE TV/ ROOM SERVICE ETC. THIS IS THE PERFECT PLACE TO STAY FOR A LEISURE OR A BUSINESS TRAVEL. A QUIET AND INTIMATE BOUTIQUE HOTEL LOCATED IN THE CENTER OF PARIS/ NEAR THE STORES DEPARTMENT AND THE GRANIER OPERA. THIS HOTEL IS IDEAL FOR LEISURE AND BUSINESS TRAVELERS. STANDARD COLORFUL AND WELL EQUIPPED ROOM WITH A FREEWIFI ACCES/ AIR CONDITIONNING/ ROOM SERVICE ETC. SUPERIOR LARGE/ COLORFUL AND WELL EQUIPPED ROOM WITH A FREEWIFI ACCES/ AIR CONDITIONING/ ROOM SERVICE ETC. /ADDITIONNAL BEDDING AVAILABLE ON REQUEST EXTRA CHARGEDAND SUBJECTED TO AVAILABILITY EXCEPT FOR CRIBS WHICH AREFREE/ ON REQUEST. AIR CONDITIONED GUEST ROOMS TOTALROOMS AND SUITES INTERNET ACCESS PENS ALL NEWS CHANNEL BATHTUB ONLY CNN AVAILABLE FEATHERBED INTERNATIONAL CHANNELS LAMP LIGHTED MAKEUP MIRRORLIST OF MOVIE CHANNELS AVAILABLE PAY PER VIEW MOVIES ONTV SINGLE BED SOUNDPROOFED ROOM VIDEO ON DEMANDA1D MAX OCCUPANCY 2 MAX NBR OF ROLLAWAYS 0 ROOM DESCRIPTION SUPERIOR ROOM WITH 1 DOUBLE BED FREE WIFI ACCESS/ AIR CONDITIONING/ SAFE. NON SMOKING ROOM ON REQUEST. ROOM AMENITIES 220 AC / AIR CONDITIONING / BATHROOM AMENITIES / CABLE/SATELLITE TV / COLOR TV / DESK / DIRECT DIAL TELEPHONE / ELECTRICAL OUTLET AT DESK / FREE NEWSPAPER / HAIRDRYER / IN ROOM MOVIES / IRON/IRONING BOARD / NO SMOKING ROOM / PRIVATE BATH OR SHOWER / RADIO / REMOTE CONTROL TV / ROLLAWAY BEDS/COTS / SAFE / SELF CONTROLLED HEATING/COOLING / SHOWER / SMOKE DETECTOR / TELEPHONE / WORK DESK W/ LAMP CHARGEABLE AMENITIES HIGH SPEED INTERNET ACCESS HIGH SPEED WIRELESS INTERNET APPLIANCE OR PC WIRELESS DATAPORT MISCELLANEOUS CLOSETSA2T MAX OCCUPANCY 2 MAX NBR OF ROLLAWAYS 0 ROOM DESCRIPTION SUPERIOR ROOM WITH 2 SINGLE BED FREE WIFI ACCESS/ AIR CONDITIONING/ SAFE. NON SMOKING ROOM ON REQUEST. ROOM AMENITIES 220 AC / AIR CONDITIONING / BATHROOM AMENITIES / CABLE/SATELLITE TV / COLOR TV / DESK / DIRECT DIAL TELEPHONE / ELECTRICAL OUTLET AT DESK / FREE NEWSPAPER / HAIRDRYER / IN ROOM MOVIES / IRON/IRONING BOARD / NO SMOKING ROOM / PRIVATE BATH OR SHOWER / RADIO / REMOTE CONTROL TV / ROLLAWAY BEDS/COTS / SAFE / SE

Ryad Mogador Opera $96.89 Ryad Mogador Opera is located in Marrakech’s Hivernage neighborhood, close to Theatre Royal, Palais des Congres, and Djemaa el Fna. Nearby points of interest also include Menara Gardens and Koutoubia Minaret. Hotel Features. In addition to 2 restaurants, Ryad Mogador Opera offers a coffee shop/caf? and a grocery. Room service is available. Recreational amenities include an outdoor pool, an indoor pool, a health club, a sauna, and a steam room. The property’s full service health spa has body treatments, massage/treatment rooms, facials, and beauty services. Complimentary wireless Internet access is available in public areas. Guest parking is complimentary. Additional property amenities include a concierge desk and laundry facilities. Guestrooms. 111 air conditioned guestrooms at Ryad Mogador Opera feature minibars and safes. Balconies offer city or pool views. Bathrooms feature bathtubs or showers with deep soaking bathtubs. They also offer bidets, complimentary toiletries, and hair dryers. Wireless Internet access is complimentary. Televisions have satellite channels and free movie channels. A turndown service is available nightly, housekeeping is offered daily, and guests may request wake up calls. Notifications and Fees:Some properties have extra fees for amenities or services that may apply even if you do not use them. Government fees or taxes also may be charged to you when you check in or check out. This property told us they will charge you for the following: A tax is imposed by the city: EUR 1.5 per person, per night We have included all charges provided to us by the property. However, charges can vary, for example, based on length of stay or the room you book.Additional fees and deposits may be charged by the property at time of service, check in, or check out. Notifications and Fees:Some properties have extra fees for amenities or services that may apply even if you do not use them. Government fees or taxes also may be charged to you when you check in or check out. This property told us they will charge you for the following: A tax is imposed by the city: EUR 1.5 per person, per night We have included all charges provided to us by the property. However, charges can vary, for example, based on length of stay or the room you book.Additional fees and deposits may be charged by the property at time of service, check in, or check out.

ASTOTEL CAUMARTIN OPERA $267.11 Boutique Year Built 1870 Year Remodeled 2008 Additional Property Description The ASTOTEL Hotel Caumartin Opera is located in the heart of Paris/ just a few minutes from the Opera Garnier and the stores Printemps and galeries Lafayette . The 40 rooms are air conditionned and equipped with a free WLAN connection/ a safe/ satellite TV/ room service etc. This is the perfect place to stay for a leisure or a business travel. A quiet and intimate boutique hotel located in the center of Paris/ near the stores department and the granier Opera. This hotel is ideal for leisure and business travellers. An additional government tax of 2pct is payable directly to the hotel on room rates of 200 Euros or more per night. AIR CONDITIONED GUEST ROOMS TOTAL ROOMS AND SUITESINTERNET ACCESS PENS ALL NEWS CHANNEL BATHTUB ONLY CNN AVAILABLE DUVET FEATHER BEDINTERNATIONAL CHANNELS LAMP LIGHTED MAKEUP MIRROR LISTOF MOVIE CHANNELS AVAILABLE PAY PER VIEW MOVIES ON TVSINGLE BED SOUNDPROOFED ROOM VIDEO ON DEMAND AWAY FROMTHE ELEVATOR GROUND FLOOR HIGH FLOORA1D MAX OCCUPANCY 2 MAX NBR OF ROLLAWAYS 0 ROOM DESCRIPTION SUPERIOR ROOM WITH 1 DOUBLE BED. FREE WIFI ACCESS/ AIR CONDITIONING/ SAFE. NON SMOKING ROOM ON REQUEST. ROOM AMENITIES 220 AC / AIR CONDITIONING / BATHROOM AMENITIES / CABLE/SATELLITE TV / COLOR TV / DESK / DIRECT DIAL TELEPHONE / ELECTRICAL OUTLET AT DESK / FREE NEWSPAPER / HAIRDRYER / IN ROOM MOVIES / IRON/IRONING BOARD / NO SMOKING ROOM / PRIVATE BATH OR SHOWER / RADIO / REMOTE CONTROL TV / ROLLAWAY BEDS/COTS / SELF CONTROLLED HEATING/COOLING / SHOWER / SMOKE DETECTOR / TELEPHONE / WORK DESK W/ LAMP CHARGEABLE AMENITIES HIGH SPEED INTERNET ACCESS HIGH SPEED WIRELESS INTERNET APPLIANCE OR PC WIRELESS DATAPORT MISCELLANEOUS CLOSETSA2T MAX OCCUPANCY 2 MAX NBR OF ROLLAWAYS 0 ROOM DESCRIPTION SUPERIOR ROOM WITH 2 SINGLE BEDS. FREE WIFI ACCESS/ AIR CONDITIONING/ SAFE. NON SMOKING ROOM ON REQUEST. ROOM AMENITIES 220 AC / AIR CONDITIONING / BATHROOM AMENITIES / CABLE/SATELLITE TV / COLOR TV / DESK / DIRECT DIAL TELEPHONE / ELECTRICAL OUTLET AT DESK / FREE NEWSPAPER / HAIRDRYER / IN ROOM MOVIES / IRON/IRONING BOARD / NO SMOKING ROOM / PRIVATE BATH OR SHOWER / RADIO / REMOTE CONTROL TV / ROLLAWAY BEDS/COTS / SELF CONTROLLED HEATING/COOLING / SHOWER / SMOKE DETECTOR / TELEPHONE / WORK DESK W/ LAMP CHARGEABLE AMENITIES HIGH SPEED INTERNET ACCESS HIGH SPEED WIRELESS INTERNET APPLIANCE OR PC WIRELESS DATAPORT MISCELLANEOUS CLOSETSC1D MAX OCCUPANCY 2 MAX NBR OF ROLLAWAYS 0 ROOM DESCRIPTI

Universal Monsters Select Phantom of the Opera Action Figure $19.99 True to the 1925 film: The Universal Monsters Select Phantom of the Opera Action Figure! Phantom action figure comes with an organ accessory. Add a piece of Universal movie magic to your action figure collection with the Phantom of the Opera! Culled from one of the oldest Universal Monsters films, Lon Chaney creeps right into the Universal Monsters Select line of stellar action figure sets inspired by classic Hollywood movies with the Universal Monsters Select Phantom of the Opera Action Figure! From the 1925 version of Phantom of the Opera, the Phantom comes with his organ accessory, which is exclusive to this version. Standing 7-inches tall, this action figure is a piece of movie history that you can put on your shelf! Keeping the detail-driven in mind, those behind the Universal Monsters Select line even have the Phantom arriving at your door in oversized collector packaging. So, if you plan on keeping him in the box, you’ve got another awesome addition to your collection. With a sculpt by Jean St. Jean, you can’t go wrong with the Universal Monsters Select Phantom of the Opera Action Figure!

Movie $9.99 Paul Raynal Movie – Art Print

Opera Rødvinsglas $229 Opera Rødvinsglas

Opera Bourgogneglas $249 Opera Bourgogneglas

Opera Hvidvinsglas $229 Opera Hvidvinsglas

Opera Champagneglas $229 Opera Champagneglas

Opera Verre $19 Opera Verre

Opera Rödvinglas $319 Opera Rödvinglas

Opera Sherryglas $279 Opera Sherryglas

Opera Cognacglas $279 Opera Cognacglas

Opera Glass $27 Opera Glass

Opera Vitvinglas $319 Opera Vitvinglas

Opera Glas $179 Opera Glas

Opera snapsglas $229 Opera snapsglas

Opera Snapseglas $169 Opera Snapseglas

Opera Rotweinglas $34 Opera Rotweinglas

Opera Schnapsglas $25 Opera Schnapsglas

Opera Champagnerglas $34 Opera Champagnerglas

Romantic Opera $10 Romantic Opera

Opera House $10 Opera House

Opera-CellPhone $10 Opera-CellPhone

Chapters Of Opera $2.39 Chapters Of Opera

The Phantom Of The Opera $2.39 The Phantom Of The Opera

Bantam Of The Opera $9.39 Bantam Of The Opera

Phantom of the Opera Universal Monsters Bobble Head $18.99 Piano prodigy gone mad! Haunting bobble head inspired by The Phantom of the Opera. Precisely detailed wobbler nods eerily at your touch. Spook your friends! When childhood piano prodigies go mad and get scary looking, you end up with haunting bobble heads like this. Now the Phantom can move from the opera house into your house and collection! The precisely detailed resin wobbler stands approximately 6-inches tall and nods eerily at your slightest touch. Give this classic movie character the chance to hang around your home or office and spook your friends!

Hampton Inn Newberry Opera House $119 Hampton Inn Newberry Opera House is located in the midtown area of Newberry. Hotel Features. Recreational amenities include an outdoor pool and a fitness facility. This hotel has a business center and offers business services. Complimentary wireless and wired high speed Internet access is available in public areas. The hotel serves a complimentary hot and cold buffet breakfast each morning in the breakfast area. Guest parking is complimentary. Additional property amenities include express check out. Guestrooms. 73 guestrooms at Hampton Inn Newberry Opera House feature coffee/tea makers and blackout drapes/curtains. Refrigerators and microwaves are offered. Wired high speed and wireless Internet access is complimentary. Guestrooms offer multi line phones with voice mail, as well as free local calls (restrictions may apply). 32 inch flat panel televisions have cable channels and free movie channels. Rooms also include hair dryers and irons/ironing boards. Housekeeping is offered daily and guests may request wake up calls.

Opera By Day $24.99 Opera By Day – Photographic Print

School Opera $24.99 School Opera – Photographic Print

The Phantom of the Opera $19.99 The Phantom of the Opera – Poster

Sapho opera $64.99 Sapho opera – Giclee Print

Opera Drefses $9.99 Opera Drefses – Art Print

A Night At The Opera $19.99 A Night At The Opera – Poster

Opera Hat $17.99 Opera Hat – Wall Decal

Not Alot on at the Opera $39.99 Not Alot on at the Opera – Giclee Print

The Beggar’s Opera $39.99 The Beggar’s Opera – Giclee Print

A Night at the Opera $29.99 A Night at the Opera – Framed Art Print

Movie – Superman $49.99 Movie – Superman

Womens Movie $17.97 Womens Movie

On Opera $54.73 This book is in Used condition

Phantoms Of The Opera $10 Phantoms Of The Opera – El Prez feat. J7