Munich, 8 May 2009. The opera is back! As a priceless legacy of world culture, as a jet-set destination, as a topic of interest for high-brow press and mass media, as the hope of the music market!
The new program series conceived by ZDFtheaterkanal, 3sat and Classica invites viewers to take a new look at the opera. It poses the simple yet provocative question: "Who is the fairest of them all?" The answer to this fundamental question will be found starting in May 2009 - with the help of the audience. Knowledge and entertainment in one!
Outstanding recordings of landmark productions of the 30 most popular operas - selected according to the attendance figures gathered every year by the Deutscher Bühnenverein - will be aired by ZDFtheaterkanal and Classica in May and June 2009. In the poll conducted via postcard or the Internet under www.die-schönsten-Opern-aller-Zeiten.de parallel to the broadcasts, the audience chooses its favorites from among them. Should one's personal favorite not make it to the top 30, it can still take part in the poll through simple mention, as long as it finds a majority of votes.
The ten selected operas then enter the next round, and will be aired from December 2009 in 3sat, ZDFtheaterkanal and on Classica. Moreover, the operas are extensively introduced with exciting documentaries. In a combination of episodes from opera history, archival finds and interviews with specialists, music lovers and performers, the ten opera documentaries unfold a panorama of this immortal genre, while always staying close to the pulse of the opera itself. The documentaries are both informative and exciting audiovisual opera guides.
The climax of the program series "The Most Beautiful Operas of All Time" is a glamorous gala in January 2010. International stars will represent their favorite opera and "cheer it on" through performances of its most beautiful arias. Ultimately, however, it is the public who decides which opera is "the fairest of them all"...
You can follow the competition on 3sat, digitally on ZDFtheaterkanal and on Classica / Premiere.