There is something about the telling of a story that brings all cultures together, and doing this through song or dance can be a joy to behold. Controversial and adored at the same time, are opera and ballet even that accessible, though? Tickets can be an expensive gamble if you don’t know until you get there if you are enduring or enjoying 120 minutes of oratorios or pirouettes. Now, and in some cases for the very first time, you can see world class presentations, full-length and for free! So, if you’re an avid fan, or just want to check out the ballet and opera for yourself, this is the perfect time to do so.

Met Opera on Demand

From old-school legends to today’s great stars, you can experience more than 700  full-length Metropolitan Opera, New York performances with the Met Opera online streaming service. Hundreds of thousands of people across the globe every night now enjoy Met Opera’s Live in HD series, and each week there is a different theme to the presentations. Why not join them? Each presentation is at 7.30pm EDT, which is 2.30am Kuwait time, but you can watch up to 23 hours after the initial streaming start time. Due to high levels of demand you can sometimes find a queue on metopera.org or you can try the FREE apps available for Amazon Fire TV and Tablet, iPad, iPhone, Apple TV, Android, Roku, and Samsung Smart TV. 

Bolshoi Theatre

For nearly 250 years, since Catherine II the Great, Empress of Russia signed it into existence, the Bolshoi Theatre has been famed for its artists’ talent in opera and particularly the ballet. The sheer control that these slight but powerful ballerinas produce is breathtaking, and the male dancers gain such height and extension in their jumps it’s hard to appreciate this level of performance, you’re just astounded by how impressive it all is. For the very first time in its history the project “Bolshoi Online” is broadcasting full length performances of both the Ballet and Opera. Luckily, Russia has the same time as Kuwait so you can watch in the evening at 7pm, but you will have to be quick as there are only a few performances left. 

BFO Quarantine Soirées 

Hungary’s Budapest Festival Orchestra is considered to be in the world’s top ten of orchestras. Now confined to the rehearsal room, we can join them and watch from shorter chamber ensemble pieces to larger orchestral performances. Check the website regularly for updates and announcements.

The Paris Opera

During the confined quarantine period in France, the Paris Opera will be offering to the public its most beautiful ballets and operas to stream from its website for free. From ‘Don Giovanni’ to ‘Swan Lake’, and ‘The Tales of Hoffmann’, there are many great classics to see or rediscover from home. 

London Symphony Orchestra (LSO)

Each Sunday and Thursday the LSO stream a concert from their archive on the LSO YouTube channel. They provide digital programme notes in the hope that you will be able to sit down and watch at the same time as friends and family, wherever they are. 

Great British Home Chorus 

Okay, so you may not consider yourself a world class performer but being part of something big like this is! Famed Choirmaster Gareth Malone OBE is tackling isolation and loneliness caused by coronavirus with the launch of a virtual choir. Bringing together both amateur and professional performers around the country as we experience day-to-day ‘social distancing’, but he’s already joked that he’ll use auto-tune so don’t be shy about joining up. The Great British Home Chorus aims to give everyone the opportunity to contribute their voices and instruments to an ambitious digital music project, conceived in the light of many closures to communal rehearsal spaces nationwide. To get involved, just register and they will contact you by email with all the information you need. You don’t have to be in Britain to join as hundreds of thousands have already joined from all over the world so far, including from Kuwait! Follow the sessions, which include great warm up exercises too, on YouTube; just search for #greatbritishhomechorus from Decca Records. Register here.

Ahmadi Music Group (AMG)

While local choirs may not be rehearsing or performing, this local music group, which has been going in Kuwait for over 60  years is posting free performing arts presentations. Follow them on Instagram @ahmadimusicg and if you know of a play, musical, dance or any other performance, posting or streaming, get in touch via DM so that AMG can post it!

Feature image by Paolo Nicolello on Unsplash.