Mozart’s ‘Magic’ comes to Vegas cinema

By Kristen Peterson (contact)

Saturday, Dec. 30, 2006 | 7:03 a.m.

If you want to feel the power of the Metropolitan Opera, head over to the Village Square cinema this morning for a high-def presentation of Mozart's "The Magic Flute."

It's not quite the same as having box seats. In fact, it's nothing like having box seats, but this is serious opera and it should have us bellowing with fists in the air, "Why not Las Vegas? We too are a city."

But as you'll see during the 100-minute performance (in English) today, opera costs money. A lot of money. Our fists of outrage would need to turn into fists full of cash. Patronage is the foundation of any art institution, and the Met, founded in 1883, has a lineage of deep pockets.

So for the time being, sit back and be riveted by Mozart's two-act Masonic opera.

Peter Gelb, who took over as the Met's general manager in August, isn't fooling around. The Emmy Award-winning Gelb served as executive producer of the Met's television series, "The Metropolitan Opera Presents" and produced 25 shows.

Showing in movie theaters across the country is part of Gelb's mission to keep opera "current and vibrant." It follows a live broadcast of Puccini's "Madama Butterfly" in Times Square on opening night. Ten cameras were used to film the performance of "The Magic Flute." Stay in your seats during intermission for interviews with stars and backstage changing of the acts.

The Met's theater broadcast schedule includes "I Puritani" on Jan. 6; "The First Emperor," Jan. 13; "Eugene Onegin," Feb. 24; "The Barber of Seville," March 24; and "Il Trittico," April 28.

Details: "The Magic Flute," 10:30 a.m. today, Regal Village Square Stadium, 9400 W. Sahara Ave., $18, $15 for children, www.metoperafamily.org. The Regal Colonnade 14, 8880 S. Eastern Ave., plans to screen later broadcasts.

Conductor search in Henderson

The Henderson Symphony Orchestra is searching for a new musical director and has narrowed its list to five candidates.

The orchestra was left without a conductor after Peter Aaronson left unexpectedly and moved to the East Coast because of an illness in his family.

Each candidate will audition with the orchestra prior to the Feb. 11 concert. The new conductor will direct that concert. Assistant conductors led the holiday concerts.

The orchestra is smaller in scale and finances than the Las Vegas Philharmonic. Its 65 volunteer musicians perform at Valley View Recreation Center and at the Henderson Pavilion.

"Our big push is going to be a new venue because you know, we play in a gym," says Molly Murphy, symphony manager and principal oboist with the orchestra.

But the orchestra has grown over the past five years, she says. "Peter Aaronson has taken us to a whole new level of performance."

More info: www.hsorch.org (although it has yet to be updated and still shows Aaronson as the musical director)