Musement shares ten theaters where you can stream live performances to enjoy in your living room.
Whether you’re a music lover or a culture vulture looking to satisfy your urge for opera, ballet or concerts, theaters around the world are continuing to entertain patrons during the quarantine.
To help you find your way around, we’ve put together a list of ten opera, concert, and theatre venues that offer free streaming performances you can enjoy when in lockdown.
1. Opéra National de Paris, Paris
You’re in good company with the Paris’s Opéra National, of which the Opera Garnier is part, which is sharing a vast array of content you can stream on its website, from Swan Lake to the Barber of Seville to the entire Tchaikovsky Symphonies.
2. La Monnaie De Munt, Brussels
Through April 19, the Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie in Brussels is streaming a Virtual Season, providing free access to seven operas. On the roster: Pascal Dusapin’s Macbeth Underworld La Gioconda directed by Olivier Py and Mark Grey’s futuristic adaptation of Frankenstein.
3. Vienna State Opera, Vienna
Needless to say, the Wiener Staatsoper in Vienna is one of Europe’s most prestigious opera houses. Since 15 March, its streaming platform has featured its entire archive, so you can immerse yourself in the magic of the Vienna State Opera from the comfort of your own home.
4. PBS, United States
While not exactly a theater, the Public Broadcasting Service is known for its Live from Lincoln Center and Great Performances series, the latter showcasing entertainment from around the world. PBS will be streaming a generous selection of both shows on its website until May 27.
5. Teatro Massimo, Palermo
The Grand Teatro Victor-Emmanuel in Palermo, better known as Teatro Massimo, is the largest lyric theatre in Italy and the third-largest in Europe. Every season it hosts an enriching line-up of ballets, concerts, and operas, all of which feed the video library found on the theater’s official website.
6. The Metropolitan Opera, New York
On Monday, March 16, the New York Met launched the Nightly Met Opera Streams, a project that provides free streaming and high-definition viewing of some of the best performances from the past fourteen years. A different performance is streamed daily, available for twenty-three hours via the Met Opera on Demand streaming service.
7. Berliner Philharmoniker, Berlin
Berlin‘s Philharmonic Orchestra has a virtual platform at its disposal all year round. The Digital Concert Hall is packed with hundreds of high-quality multimedia content: concerts, films, interviews, documentaries—music lovers won’t be able to do without it. Though it usually requires a paid subscription, it’s currently free and requires just a simple online registration.
8. Joe’s Pub, New York
The legendary venue in downtown New York City is streaming selections from the cabaret performance archives vias the Joe’s Pub Live! YouTube Page. Each Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 8:00 p.m. through (at least) April 12, let the likes of some of the most engaging artists entertain you.
9. Broadway, New York
We know that Broadway isn’t exactly a single theater, but it’s included because there’s nothing quite like a Broadway show. During the lockdown, let Broadway come to you. Since 2015, there is a streaming service called BroadwayHD, created to make high-quality theatre accessible to everyone, all over the world. Usually requiring a paid subscription, the platform, which contains more than 300 high definition shows, is currently offered free of charge.
10. Royal Opera House, London
Although it closed its doors on March 17, London‘s Royal Opera House decided to catch up by offering a free 30-day trial on Marquee TV, the international performing arts streaming service. Sing up for a seven-day trial to enjoy a wide range of their recent opera and ballet productions, with new titles being added all the time.