Sleep and study - a typical Saturday's activities at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Tomorrow, though, dare to be adventurous. Dare to be, well, active.
Dare to attend Giacomo Puccini's "Manon Lescaut," broadcast live via satellite at the Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center, 13th and R streets.
The event is scheduled for 12 p.m. An encore showing will screen at 1 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 17.
Innovations in technology allow the opera, performed by the Metropolitan Opera live in New York City, to be shown in real-time in Lincoln. The Sunday showing will be a taped replay.
"We installed a satellite dish on our roof to broadcast the performances," said Dan Ladely, director of the Ross.
A high-definition projector and sound system add to the distinctive cinema-going experience.
"We were the first university in the world to install a digital cinema-quality projector," Ladely said. "The Ross has always been ahead of the crew (in advances)."
As a result, audience members can view clear images and hear crisp sounds.
"The broadcast will not only look beautiful, but sound beautiful, as well," Ladely said, "which is probably more important anyway, since it is an opera."
First performed in Turin, Italy, in 1893, "Manon Lescaut" is Puccini's rendering of a classic French novel. The plot details a young woman torn between love and luxury.
Puccini's creative contribution developed out of his native language, Italian. He transformed the original French version into his own Italian masterpiece, and it continues to be one of his most famous compositions.
"Puccini infused the story with a new level of frank emotion and a flood of melody," reads the opera's press release.
Puccini's composition, "Manon Lescaut," is one of several Metropolitan Opera performances scheduled to be broadcast live to theaters nationwide, including the Ross, this year.
"I really wanted to take advantage of this opportunity because I knew it was something the community would appreciate," Ladely said.
This is the second year the Ross will screen Metropolitan Opera performances.
"It was very popular last year, but the operas were not shown live," Ladely said. "This year, you can watch at the Ross as they perform."
Ladely predicted the live opera screenings will lead to similar presentations in the future.
"Because of digital cinema technology, the movie business is on the cusp of visual changes," said Ladely. "All throughout football season, we screened Husker home games. I can see us broadcasting a concert or other sporting event live soon."
mollyyoung@dailynebraskan.com
