Met opera live at arts center

FRYEBURG — The Leura Hill Eastman Performing Arts Center continues its Metropolitan Opera Live in HD 2012-13 Season with Verdi’s Otello on Saturday, October 27, from 1 to 4:30 p.m.

Tickets are $26 for adults, $23 for seniors (65+) and $18 for students and are available for purchase on-line at www.fryeburgacademy.org/pac or by calling the Box Office at 935-9232. The theater is located at 18 Bradley Street on the campus of Fryeburg Academy. Parking is free.

Plan to come early and have lunch in the Eastman Performing Art Center’s beautiful lobby. Beginning at 12 p.m., Lake Region Caterers will be offering a unique variety of fresh sandwiches and hearty soups as well as delicious desserts and other tasty snacks, both sweet and salty. Reservations are recommended, though not required. For reservations contact Lake Region Caterers directly at 787-3327 or lrcjv@fairpoint.net.

Also, the Fryeburg Academy Opera Lecture Series begins this season on Wednesday, October 24, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. to discuss Otello. This series, designed to help opera goers prepare for each of the Met Operas, is led by Fryeburg Academy’s own opera enthusiast Joe DeVito.

Join Joe as he summarizes the plot, introduces the music, shares some reviews and gives an interpretive view of the upcoming Met simulcast. All are welcome, no previous opera knowledge is needed, and admission is free, though donations are appreciated. For more information, call the box office at 935-9232.

Verdi’s Shakespearean masterpiece is back at the Met, starring a “chilling and touching” Johan Botha (Huffington Post) in the title role. Renee Fleming as Desdemona is “sublime” and “knows exactly how to spin the gentle lines of the ‘Willow Song’ and ‘Ave Maria’ so that they softly fill the hall” (New York Times).

Falk Struckmann is “excellent throughout as Iago… blessed with a luxuriant baritone that commands attention” (Huffington Post). Semyon Bychkov conducts.

Approximate run time is 181 minutes. For more information about the Met Live in HD visit http://www.metoperafamily.org.