http://www.opera-europa.org/
They show operas both live and on demand, for free, and you don't even have to sign up. I watched Król Roger (King Roger) by Symanowski live tonight since my parents went to the Royal Opera House to see it.
Note-form review:
Liked:
* dramatic, intense
* unusual-sounding music (albeit an acquired taste, probably)
* very good set design
* never before heard an opera sung in Polish
* the word Król
* good acting
* Antonio Pappano did a great and helpful job of explaining and evangelising some of the music during the interval, sitting at his piano (pre-recorded, obviously, as he was conducting)
Disliked:
* music was fairly impenetrable (for my level of understanding/appreciation)
* plot was also impenetrable to me
* religious theme felt too dated
* inevitable "talking up" by the presenters made me feel a bit disappointed: if they weren't always so positive about everything I might enjoy some more difficult operas more
* I didn't really connect emotionally with the opera
* It was hardly a balm for my frazzled mental state; Mozart, Verdi or Puccini would have been
* I gather the opera was to some extent about the composer's personal struggles; however, I am relatively uninterested in Symanowski the man having never heard of him before tonight
I had no problems with the stream cutting out except for a couple of times which were probably my fault for overtaxing my computer with other tasks. I'll certainly be watching more operas on this site.