The concept of showing a series of live or special events in HD at local cinemas began eight seasons ago with New York's Metropolitan Opera HD Live series of opera performance transmissions. Today, more than 2,000 theatres in 64 nations show Met HD Live performances. Over the past eight years, more than 14 million people have attended an HD Live performance in their local theatre. The ticket prices are far lower than at the Met's opera house, but higher than movie ticket prices. Most important, the ability to reach millions of people in one season was the main marketing reason for starting this project. And yes, the Met HD Live is profitable.
Now all kinds of cultural organizations are bringing their performances or exhibits to larger audiences on the big screen. National Theatre Live brings "the best of British theatre" to local cinemas worldwide. Royal Opera House Live brings opera to cinema audiences in 30 countries. Ballet in Cinema brings performances from the Bolshoi and other renowned ballet companies to theatre-goers. World-class museums are opening special exhibits to cinema goers in many countries. And some rock concerts are showing on the big screen, as well.
Watch for more big screen events, thanks to the success of these cultural pioneers in marketing.
