Philip Glass’ Walt Disney opera to be broadcast live online

[This post has been upated.]

Can’t get to Madrid for the world premiere of Philip Glass’ Walt Disney Opera? “The Perfect American,” a fictionalized account of Disney’s final days, will be broadcast live online on Wednesday, with the video available for free up to three months after.

“The Perfect American” will be streamed on medici.tv starting at 11 a.m. Pacific time on Wednesday. Viewing the live webcast is free; registration is required for viewing the archived video, according to a spokeswoman. The webcast will take place from the Teatro Real in Madrid, where the opera had its world premiere on Jan. 22.

Glass’ opera will next be seen at the English National Opera starting June 1. No other venues have been announced.

PHOTOS: The Perfect American

“The Perfect American” is based on the novel of the same name by Peter Jungk. The story recounts the final days of Disney’s life and includes appearances by members of Disney’s family and close associates. In real life, Disney died in Burbank in 1966 at the age of 65.

The production of “The Perfect American” is directed by Phelim McDermott and conducted by Dennis Russell Davies. The role of Disney is played by baritone Christopher Purves.

Times music critic Mark Swed wrote in his review that the new opera is Glass’ “most personally intimate. It does what opera does best by making the larger-than-life creator of Mickey Mouse an imperfect life-size, ultimately earning our wonderment.”

[Updated: A previous version of this post said that the live webcast requires registration. However, a spokeswoman for medici.tv said that registration is only required for archived viewings.]

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