Sunday encore for L’Amour de Loin

The Met: Live in HD's transmission of Kaija Saariaho's contemporary masterpiece L'Amour de loin (Love from Afar) last Saturday took in an estimated attendance of 47,193 persons in North America, earning a gross of US$1.026 million. It was seen live on more than 900 screens.

An estimated additional 48,000 persons saw it live on 800 screens in 37 countries in Europe, 11 countries in Latin America, Russia, Egypt, Israel, Jamaica, and Morocco.

Delayed showings throughout Asia, Australia, Madagascar, New Zealand and South Africa, plus encore performances in North America and Europe, are expected to boost worldwide attendance of L'Amour de loin to more than 120,000 persons.

The encore screening in Jamaica takes place this Sunday, December 18 at 11:30 a.m. at the Palace Cineplex, Sovereign Centre, Liguanea. The US encore is on Wednesday, December 21, and the encore screenings in Canada are on February 4, 6, and 8, 2017.

Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho's medieval romance was inspired by the story of the short life of the 12th Century troubadour, Jaufre Rudel, and his improbable love for a faraway woman across the sea. Staged by the Canadian director Robert Lepage, the Met's new production of L'Amour de Loin features glimmering ribbons of LED lights that extend over the length of the stage and orchestra pit. The illusory effect is a sphere extending to the horizon, where the sea sits serenely, or waves tower menacingly like a tsunami. The colour palette is a neon kaleidoscope where the plot of the opera unfolds.

The Met's all-American cast starred Eric Owens as the knight on a quest of love, Susanna Phillips as the woman who loves him from afar and Tamara Mumford as the pilgrim who carries the messages of love between them. The performance was conducted by Susanna Malkki.

The live transmission, hosted by Deborah Voigt, was directed for cinema by Gary Halvorson.

The Met: Live in HD, the Met's award-winning series of live transmissions to cinemas and performing arts centres around the world, has expanded its worldwide distribution to more than 2,000 cinemas in 70 countries this season and has sold more than 21 million tickets since its inception in 2006.

L'Amour de Loin was the third of 10 live transmissions to be shown this season. The next transmission will be Verdi's Nabucco, starring Placido Domingo in the title role, on Saturday, January 7, 2017. Met music director Emeritus James Levine conducts the performance.

Tickets are available at the box office or online at www.palaceamusement.com with a Palace Card or any major credit card.