This season’s On-Screen lineup at Orcas Center includes a host of offerings from The Metropolitan Opera, Bolshoi Ballet, and National Theatre Live. Filmed live in HD, these on-screen events feature a diverse sampling of the world’s best performers at the height of their careers – giving you the best seat in the house from the comfort of your own island!

Saturday, December 11 at 1pm: No Man’s Land from NT Live, Rated R. One summer’s evening, two ageing writers, Hirst and Spooner, meet in a Hampstead pub and continue their drinking into the night at Hirst’s stately house nearby. As the pair become increasingly inebriated, and their stories increasingly unbelievable, the lively conversation soon turns into a revealing power game, further complicated by the return home of two sinister younger men. Starring Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart.

Saturday, December 18 at 1pm: Eurydice from The Met. Orpheus is almost the archetypical operatic tale, and composers throughout history have adapted it for the operatic stage. But in his evocative new opera, celebrated American composer Matthew Aucoin reimagines the story from Eurydice’s point of view and imbues these familiar characters with surprising new dimensions.

Wednesday, December 22 at 1pm: The Nutcracker from The Bolshoi Ballet. In this timeless story accompanied by Tchaikovsky’s beloved score, rising star Soloist Margarita Shrainer perfectly embodies Marie’s innocence and enchantment along with the supremely elegant Principal Dancer Semyon Chudin as The Nutcracker, captivating audiences of all ages and bringing them on an otherworldly journey.

Saturday, January 8 at 1pm: The Magic Flute from The Metropolitan Opera. A sublime fairy tale that moves freely between earthy comedy and noble mysticism, The Magic Flute (Die Zauberflöte in the original German) was written for a theater located just outside Vienna with the clear intention of appealing to audiences from all walks of life. The story is told in a singspiel (“song-play”) format characterized by separate musical numbers connected by dialogue and stage activity, an excellent structure for navigating the diverse moods, ranging from solemn to lighthearted, of the story and score.

Saturday, January 15 at 1pm: King Lear from National Theatre Live. Considered by many to be the greatest tragedy ever written, King Lear sees two ageing fathers – one a King, one his courtier – reject the children who truly love them. Their blindness unleashes a tornado of pitiless ambition and treachery, as family and state are plunged into a violent power struggle with bitter ends.

Saturday, January 22 at 1pm: Cinderella from The Metropolitan Opera. A storybook kingdom. Pandolfe, a country gentleman, has married Madame de la Haltière, an imperious countess. She and her daughters, Naomi and Dorothy, bully Pandolfe’s daughter from his first marriage—known as Cinderella.

Advanced ticket sales only – no door sales. Ticket prices range from $5-$47, with a “pay what you can” option to suit your personal budget. Covid precautions will be followed, call 360-376-2281 ext 1, or visit www.orcascenter.org for tickets and more information.