Saturday May 5, 2012 marked the biggest-ever opera audience in Seattle history. While audiences enjoyed opening night of
Madama Butterfly over at McCaw Hall, an additional 5,126 people attending a live HD screening of the performance just steps away at KeyArena—for free! This was an amazing opportunity to bring one of the world’s most beloved operas to thousands more people than could ever fit into McCaw Hall on one evening.
Simulcast of Madama Butterfly, 2012 © Bill Mohn
The doors to our KeyArena Simulcast opened at 6 pm and the crowd started pouring in. © Alan Alabastro
Pre-show and intermission activities in the lobbies included a station where you could try on costumes from Seattle Opera's costume shop. © Alan Alabastro
Pre-show and intermission activities in the lobbies included an interactive Origami demonstration. © Alan Alabastro
Pre-show and intermission features included a Green Tea demonstration, complete with samples. © Alan Alabastro
Like movies and sports, opera is better with munchies! Simulcast attendees grabbed their snacks and settled in for some pre-show entertainment. © Alan Alabastro
Tamiko Terada, Seattle Opera's Annual Fund Associate, was one of many to enjoy a screening of Looney Tunes' "What's Opera", Doc before the show. © Alan Alabastro
Meg Coyle, Weekend Anchor for KING 5 News and host of the simulcast, gave her introduction. © Alan Alabastro
Seattle Opera General Director Speight Jenkins greeted the audience at both McCaw Hall and KeyArena before the simulcast performance of Madama Butterfly began. © Alan Alabastro
