The Metropolitan Opera eight years ago began streaming live performances into movie houses and theaters across the nation, sparking a sea change in the way audiences experience opera. In Sarasota, Regal Cinemas and Hollywood 20 have taken full advantage, selling out showings on a regular basis and reaping the monetary benefits. This summer, Sarasota Opera decided to get in on the game, introducing its new summer series, HD at the Opera House, to smashing results.

“I was hoping in the first season to average about 200 people per showing,” said Richard Russell, executive director for the Sarasota Opera. “We did better than that, generated a lot more income and it was great—much better than I anticipated for a new venture.”

HD at the Opera House debuted in April, with nine productions following, including the latest, The Girl of the Golden West, premiering today. Not wanting to merely replicate the Met’s programming, the Sarasota Opera partnered with a couple international distributors, which in turn brought in performances from the Royal Opera in London, the Paris Opera, the San Francisco Opera and Verona Arena, all available for screening in Sarasota.

Russell stepped in as executive director in 2012 and made this new venture one of his “first priorities,” seeing it as not only a lucrative economic opportunity, but also a viable effort to recapture a flagging audience and modern in-road to reaching new audiences. With help from the Selby Foundation and Gulf Coast Community Foundation, the Opera purchased the necessary projection equipment, installed state-of-the-art speakers and started programming.

“I really felt like, in our venue, we could do better than the Met does with Hollywood 20,” said Russell, pointing out that the opera house was formerly a movie theater and can house 1,100 people—far more than a theater at Hollywood 20, meaning more general availability and, in response, opportunity for spontaneity from the audience. “I hope it feels a little more casual than a typical opera performance. I hope people are encouraged to make last-minute decisions to come.”

And that’s the key behind the Sarasota Opera’s enthusiasm for the series—yes, it’s an economic boon, but more importantly it’s a seemingly effective way to bring opera to more Sarasotans, Bradentonians and Venetians. No longer does the opera experience entail months of planning, big pockets and a top hat and tails combo; with HD at the Opera House a ticket to the show typically costs about $20 (with the exception of a very few choice seats, all seats are open for General Admission price, giving patrons the opportunity to try different vantage points and find their favorite.) and jeans work just fine.

“This is one of the ways we want to help increase our audience and our activity,” said Russell. Then, motioning toward the theater across the street, “there’s not a lot going on in the summer, especially not in our theater, so why not use it?”

The final production for the debut season of HD at the Opera House screens tonight at 7pm and then Sunday at 1:30pm. Entitled The Girl of the Golden West and adapted by Giacomo Puccini from a play by David Belasco, the show is an Italian take on the Wild West. Originally set in a California mining town mid-Gold Rush, this production is updated, swapping out the Gold Rush for the Fame Rush of Old Hollywood. It comes to the Sarasota Opera courtesy of the Paris Opera. Tickets are still available.