Curtain up on firstsite’s inaugural Picturehouse season

We’re very pleased to announce that tickets are now on sale for firstsite’s first film season.

Through our new partnership venture with Picturehouse – the UK’s leading independent cinema operator – we’ll be bringing the best of live-streamed and prerecorded performances of world-class opera and theatre directly to Colchester film lovers.

There’s a rare opportunity to see two performances of La Traviata – the first a live streaming from the New York Metropolitan Opera and the second screened from a recording made at the Sydney Opera House – plus two more Sydney Opera House productions, together with each of the two Cast versions of the National Theatre’s acclaimed stage play, Frankenstein.

All the screenings will take place in firstsite’s state-of-the-art auditorium with 190 generously-tiered seats, full HD projection and giant six-metre screen.

Pre-show express menu

firstsite’s contemporary café restaurant MUSA and the gallery bars will be open on film evenings as an integral part of the film-going experience. Our bar will stay open for one hour after the performance ends.

MUSA is offering a delicious pre-show two or three-course dinner on each of the film nights, with interval drinks and nibbles available for all performances.

There’s even a special champagne and canapé package for a minimum of two people, which includes a pre-show half-bottle of house champagne per person, a selection of chef’s canapés, prime location seat for the performance and an interval drink and nibbles.

Live from New York

The season is scheduled to launch on Saturday 14 April with the New York Metropolitan Opera's La Traviata, live from 6pm.

Natalie Dessay puts on the red dress in Willy Decker's stunning production, in her first Violetta at the Met. Matthew Polenzani sings Alfredo, Dmitri Hvorostovsky is Germont, and Principal Conductor Fabio Luisi is on the podium.

La Traviata’s running time is 187 minutes and tickets are now on sale at £25 and concessions £21.50.

Thursdays 14 and 28 June see Danny Boyle's thrilling production of Nick Dear's Frankenstein at the National Theatre, based on the novel by Mary Shelley. The performance running time is 2 hours (no interval) and tickets are £13.50 or £8 for firstsite Members.

Oscar-winner Danny Boyle directs this visionary production with Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller, who alternate the roles of Victor Frankenstein and the Creature in two electrifying broadcasts.

In July, filmgoers can enjoy three productions from the prestigious Sydney Opera House: Leo Délibes' Lakmé, Mozart's Don Giovanni and a second outing for Verdi's La Traviata.

More screenings will be added to the season later this spring – check back to the Film section of our What's on channel for details.