In light of COVID-19 and the multitude of cancelled performance dates, opera companies and orchestras throughout the world are opening up their online archives for people to enjoy for free.
And outside the realms of classical music, prominent singer-songwriters are also broadcasting performances from their homes. So as we all start to miss our concert halls and theatres, we wanted to share some of this fantastic content with you…
For your viewing and listening pleasure:
- The Bavarian State Opera is offering a Monday Concerts series, made up of lieder, solo instrumentalists, chamber music and dance performances.
- Singer-songwriter Benjamin Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie is performing a series titled Live From Home, broadcast over YouTube.
- The Berlin Philharmonic is offering access to over 600 orchestral concerts in the Digital Concert Hall, including 15 concerts with the new chief conductor Kirill Petrenko.
- The Budapest Festival Orchestra is performing nightly Quarantine Soirées, streamed live from the BFO Rehearsal Hall.
- The Detroit Symphony Orchestra is offering access to a wide selection of past performances through DSO Replay, easily browsed by composer, genre and concert season.
- The Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra is offering access to GSOplay, with performances, behind-the-scenes documentaries and interviews with artists.
- The Metropolitan Opera is offering access to a full opera from its Live in HD archives each evening.
- The Paris Opera is offering access to its most popular ballets and operas.
- Singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright is performing music daily from his Los Angeles home in a series titled Musical Everydays, broadcast over Instagram.
- The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra has made accessible its final performance from their BeethovenFest.
- The Vienna State Opera is offering full access to its archives of opera and ballet, alongside broadcasting previous opera and ballet performances daily.
- Wigmore Hall is offering access to its video library, with performances, masterclasses and interviews with artists.
And as always, the RNCM YouTube channel offers a great selection of student performances.
Happy streaming!
