Moby Dick Endures

Janos Gereben on November 5, 2013
Morgan Smith (Starbuck) and the crew of the Pequod Photo by Cory Weaver

Having telecast the San Francisco Opera's production of Jake Heggie's Moby-Dick on Great Performances last week, PBS is keeping the entire 2 1/2-hour performance on the web for the time being. The "cost" to the viewer: a few 30-second commercials, placed judiciously.

This brilliant video of an extraordinary contemporary opera is not to be missed. Patrick Summers conducts a cast including Jay Hunter Morris (Captain Ahab), Stephen Costello (Greenhorn), Jonathan Lemalu (Queequeg), Morgan Smith (Starbuck), Talise Trevigne (Pip), Matthew O’Neill (Flask), and Robert Orth (Stubb).

With the San Francisco Opera Orchestra and Chorus (Ian Robertson, Chorus Director), in a stage production directed by Leonard Foglia, choreographed by Keturah Stickann, and designed by Robert Brill (sets), Jane Greenwood (costumes), Donald Holder (lighting), and Elaine J. McCarthy (projections).

I wish I knew how long the video will be available, but there is no indication on the website. If you check previous programs on the PBS site, you'll see that many of them are no longer there, but some, such as Dancing at Jacob’s Pillow: Never Stand Still still stream. Best thing to do is to watch Moby-Dick while you can.