Since 2006, the Metropolitan Opera, based in New York City, has been transmitting selected performances live in HD to movie theaters worldwide, and I recently attended several of these performances at a theater near my home. I have also attended live opera many times across the country and even overseas. The obvious question – How does seeing an opera in a movie theater compare to seeing it on stage in an opera hall? It’s not as straightforward as you might think.

There is a lot to recommend the movie theater option. Accessibility is a huge consideration. I live near Seattle, and to attend an opera there, I must fight through horrendous traffic and pay quite a lot just to park. Getting to the movie theater was an easy drive, and parking was free. While nowhere near as grand as an opera house, the theater had comfy leather chairs that reclined almost all the way back. And there were cup holders. Those chairs were certainly more comfortable than the seats at any opera house I have ever been to.

Cost is another consideration. Tickets at the movie theater were a fraction of what I would have to pay to attend a live opera. And unlike the Seattle Opera, the movie theater is not going to call me every few months for the next year asking for donations. The cost of snacks was a wash. 6-7 bucks for a drink and a similar amount for snacks at either venue. It just depends on whether you prefer a glass of wine and a cup of trail mix or a bucket of diet soda and a tub of popcorn.

The movie theater experience offered some fun extras that you don’t get at the opera hall. Before the start of the show and during intermission, the camera went behind the scenes. There were close-ups of the orchestra and shots of the scenery backstage. There were interviews with the cast members, some interesting and some truly cringeworthy. Opera singers come from all over the world, and I got a kick out of the range of accents, some quite heavy, that you don’t hear when they sing.

Then there’s the obvious. The movie theater gives you the opportunity to see a Metropolitan Opera production without traveling to New York.

On the other hand, there’s a lot to be said for being physically present in a hall. There’s an intangible energy to a live performance that’s missing in a movie theater. The acoustics of the hall itself can add so much, and while you may not be conscious of it, you can feel the vibrations of the music. The room becomes almost a living thing. The experience in the theater depends quite a lot on the quality of the sound system, and even if that system is good, it’s not quite the same.

One very important consideration to keep in mind: this is a broadcast of a stage performance, not a movie. Stage performers often exaggerate their gestures and facial expressions so that people in a large room can see what’s going on. Seen in close-up on a movie screen, though, these gestures and expressions seem overdone, even ridiculous. There’s no way around it. Subtle gestures that look good on screen would be invisible to anyone sitting more than a few rows from the stage, and expressions that are perfect for the stage look silly on screen. It’s a trade-off that must be accepted.

If you like opera, particularly if there is no local company in your city, the movie theater is an excellent chance to see some lavish productions, even if they might occasionally misfire. If you’re not sure you would like opera, it’s a relatively low-cost, low-hassle way to give it a try.

So, which is better? I guess it largely depends on your budget, your location, and your tolerance for hassle. Overall, I enjoyed the movie theater experience, and I plan to attend more performances throughout the rest of the season. Will I attend the Seattle Opera this season? Probably not. It’s just too much of a pain.

The Metropolitan Opera plans to broadcast more performances as part of the 2016-2017 season.

And for all kinds of special events, not just opera, check out Fathom Events.