‘Carmen’ Performance at the Metropolitan Opera Interrupted by Protests
By Francisco Salazar( Credit: Ken Howard)
On Friday, Nov. 21, the Metropolitan Opera experienced a protest during the first Act of “Carmen” that interrupted the performance.
According to the New York Times, three demonstrators were arrested by the New York City police, and removed from the hall.
The report did not make clear what they were protesting. Still, it noted that eyewitnesses said one of them had denounced David H. Koch, who has poured some of his fortune into right-wing causes and a campaign to discredit the idea of climate change.
Gale A. Brewer, a member of the New York City Council, took to X and said, “I am at the Met Opera experiencing ‘Carmen.’ A great production but there is some disturbance/protest, so the opera has been temporarily suspended.”
A spokeswoman for the Met told the New York Times that some protesters had been heard talking about Project 2025 and added, “We don’t have all the information about what the protesters were protesting yet. It’s still a little hazy.”
This is the latest protest at the Met following one in 2023 during the opening night of “Tannhauser,” where climate protesters interrupted the performance. In 2015, an anti-Putin protest was held during the curtain call of “Iolanta” and during the opening of the 2014 premiere of the opera “The Death of Klinghoffer,” Protesters interrupted the performance, arguing that the opera glorified terrorism and was anti-Semitic.
Here is a video of the protest:
The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera tonight, was interrupted by protestors…two ran on stage…one shouting from the audience.
Biggest takeaway…The Met Opera seems to have NO SECURITY.
Kudos to the cast for continuing
The Met should be embarrassed & refund every audience member. pic.twitter.com/AoekLx9sIa
— SeanJoseph19 (@SeanJoseph1978) November 22, 2025
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