The Met is coming to Tinseltown on Saturday

The Metropolitan Opera will beam its live, abridged production of "The Magic Flute" into theaters around the world on Saturday.

Shreveporters can get a taste of director Julie Taymor's earnest, futuristic vision of a very silly farce. I saw it two years ago at the New York opera house, and it's completely nuts.

WHAT: A live HD broadcast of Julie Taymor's production of Mozart's "The Magic Flute."
WHEN: 12:30 p.m. Dec. 30.
WHERE: Tinseltown movie theater, Shreveport.

What's the big deal? There are two, actually.

Firstly, this experiment is part of a larger trend. Movie theater chains are beginning to flesh out the relatively new market of live HD broadcasts with some intriguing offerings. When the "Blues Brothers" commemorative edition DVD was released last year, they broadcast the film in theaters nationally and beamed in interviews with some of the movie's makers. It was a good idea, even if nobody went. Rock concerts are beginning to get the same treatment.

Now, The Met is getting into the game with live opera broadcasts. For movie theater chains to be interested in attracting a niche arts audience -- or cultivating younger operagoers who don't own tuxes, evening gowns and private jets -- is big news.

Secondly, Taymor directed the gorgeous, bloody movie version of "Titus." A Shakespeare play hasn't been turned into a better movie since this 1999 sleeper.

Her take on "The Magic Flute" is infused with a sci-fi sensibility. She also has fun with Mozart’s devotion to Freemasonry. I'm guessing the camera's lens will bring her extravagant symbolism closer to the viewers' eyes.

In other words, go!

And don't worry about an exhausting running time. This "Flute" will be abridged and will last just 100 minutes. Only the good parts.

This is the first of six live broadcasts of six different shows on six different Saturdays. Click here for more info.