Those attending the Met HD Broadcast of Salome in the hopes of seeing Finnish soprano Karita Mattila nude in what she calls a "slutty, two-second scene" have been sorely disappointed.
During the Dance of the Seven Veils while audiences in the theatre have seen the much talked about full-frontal nudity, those watching the movies have seen the camera go elsewhere.
The decision not to show the nudity came from Met general manager Peter Gelb, who, the spokesman said, "decided early on that the 'Salome' broadcast would not feature nudity."
When asked about Mattila's input into the decision, the spokesman declined to comment for the record, but he did point out that video clips of the soprano performing nude have circulated on YouTube, though these scenes are from productions in Europe, not the Met's. (a scene from a Paris production of "Salome" in which Mattila flashes her buttocks.)
Those who absolutely have to see Mattila in the buff can check out former Met general manager Joseph Volpe's memoir "The Toughest Show on Earth," which features a photograph of the soprano in character as Salome, minus her seven veils.
For this production Karita Mattila accepted to change the color of her pubic hair to blonde, because of the visual focus of the scene.