Just when you thought most giant Japanese video monitors were putting their artistic ambitions on hold to pursue more practical careers, some idealistic 103-feet-wide Mitsubishi Electric Diamond Vision scoreboard decides it wants to realize its true dream of simulcasting dramatic opera. At Opera in the Ballpark, the citys most beloved sports venue is opening its diamond to the hoi polloi, offering free admission to three hours of beautiful screaming in Italian. The evenings entertainment is Tosca, a popular opera written by fin de siècle sex symbol and mustache model Giacomo Puccini. In it, an artist, a singer, and a police chief horse around, make bedroom eyes at each other, and commit suicide in three acts, only to find that the audience has been enjoying the rare opportunity to eat hot dogs, peanuts, and popcorn while patronizing the arts. Advance online registration is encouraged.
Fri., June 5, 8 p.m., 2009