With most live productions canceled for more than a year due to the pandemic, many performing arts organizations reevaluated how to connect with their audiences in meaningful ways. Companies like The Dallas Opera realized this vast need and in response, began exploring options to provide content online.
“What we’ve learned over the course of the past year without live performances is that there is a thirst for quality online content, and we are so happy to lead the way in producing that for our eager fans around the world,” said David Lomelí, a tenor and artistic consultant for TDO, and a creative force behind the initiative. “Statistics show that viewers ages 18-34 and 34-45 are online for more than 10 hours each day, and our efforts to reach that demographic — through unique and creative offerings — have proven successful, growing in just over a year from 2,000 unique views in March 2020 to more than 180 million unique views today on our Facebook channel. Our hope is that this streaming model will reach even more.”
On April 26, TDO launched thedallasopera.TV, its brand-new streaming platform for a global audience. This project represents a new avenue of presentation and production beyond the physical space of its acclaimed opera house. Along with offering on-demand streams of staged productions filmed archivally, TDO’s service primarily showcases content filmed exclusively for a digital audience. These include performances, original programs and insider insights that are available for viewing at any date or time.
“To watch this project go from idea to reality in less than a year has been amazing to see, and we’re so proud of the content that we have ready to offer our global audience,” said Ian Derrer, TDO’s Kern Wildenthal general director and CEO. “This platform truly helps redefine our company as a leader in digital content, as well as on the Winspear opera house stage. We are breaking new ground in the field while continuing to preserve the great traditions of live opera.”
thedallasopera.TV is housed in four categories: Originals, Stages, tdo network and OperaKids. All content is available via an app for mobile devices (Android and iOS), on smart TV via Fire TV and Roku, and on the website for desktop users.
“We wanted to try something new and we wanted to be able to host it in a way that allows us to take the content that we already had and then allow different categories for future content programming as well,” Derrer said.
Originals
thedallasopera.TV’s launch offered two original programs: “That Which We Love,” a recital by acclaimed mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard, and “Vanished,” a three-part art film starring countertenor John Holiday and tenor Russell Thomas with music by Gluck, Monteverdi and Janáček assembled into a new narrative.
In “That Which We Love,” the celebrated mezzo-soprano offers an intimate recital with a collection of songs by Leonard Bernstein, Jerome Kern, Jacques Offenbach, Hector Berlioz and others that have special resonance to her as an artist, woman and mother.
“Vanished” is a moving story about longing, heartbreak and searching for love.
For a special month-long engagement that began May 25, thedallasopera.TV presented “The Heart of the Song” featuring tenors Javier Camarena, Rolando Villazón and David Lomelí. The three famous Mexican-born tenors and friends engage in serious conversation and casual, humor-laced repartee as they offer a celebration of much-loved Mexican and Latin American songs. Filmed in Dallas, Zürich and Paris, the show is produced by director Laura Prieto and producer Jeremy Tang. English subtitles are provided for the songs, which are all sung in Spanish.
All three Originals are still available to all audiences at special pay-per-view pricing; no subscription is required.
Stages
This catalogue of greatest hits from TDO includes full-length operas, concerts, recitals, and archival video streams and radio broadcasts. New content is added regularly.
OperaKids
These shows provide programming designed for children along with educational resources for parents and children, all developed by TDO’s education department.
tdo network
In March of 2020, the company launched tdo network, an ever-evolving collection of whimsical, topical and informative original content hosted by artists and social media influencers. The network has amassed more than 180 million unique views to date, from more than 50 countries worldwide.
With time, Lomelí said audiences can expect more unique, engaging content from TDO. “We want to address a lot of the backstage, a lot of the fandom experience. What we’re planning to do is a lot of Originals for the digital stage commissions, either miniseries or recitals or music-making sessions that were exclusively directed for the screen.”
Subscriptions to thedallasopera.TV are available for $4.99 a month with a free seven-day trial. Originals programs are individually priced and available to all — no subscription required.
thedallasopera.TV is made possible through the McCasland Strategic Opportunities Fund with additional support by The Dallas Opera donor family.