Opera at the Cineplex

The Metropolitan Opera is screening abridged versions of its operas at select movie theaters for $18. Although tickets to live operas at the Met are pretty much impossible to get, and typically cost hundreds, the fan base for the art form is actually dying, making this a smart move. The kickoff feature is Julie Taymor's The Magic Flute, and if you've seen anything she's ever done on stage, you know it will rock.

$18 may seem like a lot for a movie, but it should keep most cellphone louts out, and you don't have to wear a tux.