The Metropolitan Opera’s Saturday Matinee Radio Broadcasts Create Music Throughout the Pandemic
While the pandemic shut down arts programs and events worldwide, the Metropolitan Opera’s Saturday Matinee Radio Broadcasts have provided a weekly beacon of hope to homebound listeners longing for the magic live performances create.
Each season, the Met’s Saturday Matinee Radio Broadcasts present approximately 24 operas reaching millions of listeners in 35 countries, many of whom have never viewed a live opera.
While the Metropolitan Opera had to cancel its 2020-21 live performances, the 90th consecutive radio broadcast season continued, utilizing its historical archives. Nearly 600 network public radio stations throughout the U.S. aired the performances. Broadcasts were also available on radio stations in Canada, Europe, South and Central America, and the Asia Pacific region.
“Hundreds of radio stations broadcast to big cities and small towns, without the requirements of expensive technology and completely free to listeners, the Met’s radio programming has a truly remarkable reach,” said Kendall Hubert, director of leadership gifts and special campaigns. ‘The company remains dedicated to ensuring that the radio broadcasts remain free and accessible to audiences everywhere, so they can continue to bring light to millions even in the darkest of times.”
The Cornelia T. Bailey Foundation provided a $1 million grant to help support the weekend broadcasts. Like the Met, our mission is to ensure that communities and future generations have access to the arts without financial constraints.
The broadcasts so far have reached more than 7 million listeners per performance. They are a critical component of the Met’s public outreach and audience development efforts. By providing the performances at no cost to broadcast stations, the Met can provide people and families in the U.S. and around the globe access to renowned performers and performances.
Online educational features used during intermission and supplemental resources provide learning opportunities for newcomers and opera enthusiasts to improve their understanding of the genre.
To learn more about the Metropolitan Opera’s Saturday Matinee Radio broadcasts visit https://www.metopera.org/season/radio/saturday-matinee-broadcasts/