(Credit: Photo: Jonathan Tichler/Metropolitan Opera)

The Metropolitan Opera has signed an agreement with the Saudi Music Commission and the Royal Diriyah Opera House that will see the Met become the resident winter company of Saudi Arabia’s new Royal Diriyah Opera House upon its completion.

The company said that the initiative is part of the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Saudi Music Commission and the Metropolitan Opera, under which the Met company will travel to Riyadh each winter for five years, to perform fully staged operas and concerts over three-week periods. The New York Times is reporting that the company will stage operas like Mozart’s “The Magic Flute” and Puccini’s “La Bohème” for three weeks each February.

Additionally, the Met will also provide training to aspiring Saudi opera singers, composers, directors, designers, theater artisans, and technicians. Aspects of the collaboration will also include the commissioning of a new opera.

Paul Pacifico, the CEO of the Saudi Music Commission said, “Music is a universal language that transcends borders, uniting people through creativity. At the Saudi Music Commission, we are committed to empowering talents, providing them with the skills, platforms, and global exposure they need to flourish. This collaboration is more than a cultural exchange; it is an opportunity to forge new connections, share our stories through music, and contribute to a vibrant global arts community.”

Peter Gelb, General Manager of the Metropolitan Opera, added, “Cultural exchange between countries is essential on a human level, and this plan to collaborate will also provide new avenues of significant support for the Met.”

Jerry Inzerillo, Group CEO of Diriyah Company, commented, “The opening of the Royal Opera House in Diriyah will be a landmark moment in the Kingdom’s cultural journey, and a testament to our commitment to making Diriyah a global destination for arts and culture. This collaboration between the Saudi Music Commission and the Metropolitan Opera reflects our vision of building bridges of cultural exchange and offers Saudi talent a world stage to shine and create.”

Additionally, the American Guild of Musical Artists approved the deal and Ned Hanlon, said in a statement that the agreement “represents an important step toward the kind of financial stability for the Metropolitan Opera that will enable artists and the art form to thrive for the next generation.”

According to the New York Times the deal will bring the Met more than $100 million over those five years and Gelb told the Times that it will cover a “substantial portion” of the Met’s financial needs through at least 2032. Additionally, it will allow the company to no longer dip into its endowment for emergency funds.

The news comes as the Met was facing a second credit downgrade as financial woes deepen and was recently tricked by a fake millionaire, forcing the company to dip into the endowment.

Saudi Arabia has a record of human rights violations. The country has subjected human rights defenders and others exercising their rights to freedom of expression and association to arbitrary arrest and detention. The country has also subjected workers to forced labour and other forms of labour abuse and exploitation. The LGBT community is illegal and subject to harsh punishment and even the death penalty, while women face discrimination in law and practice.

Activists have raised concerns about the participation of European and Australian artists over the years and in 2019 the Teatro all Scala faced push back when the company started negotiations with the Saudi Arabia culture minister, Badr bin Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Farhan Al Saud to become a member of the board. The company eventually was forced to refund the Saudis 3 million euros. At the time former General Manager of La Scala Alexander Pereira said it was a great opportunity for La Scala which would get 15 Euros from the canceled deal.

When asked about these violations, Gelb justified overlooking all of these concerns for what ultimately amounts to less than 10 percent of the company’s reported $334 million annual budget over five years by stating that, “All the democratic governments that I know of are engaged in business with Saudi Arabia.” He added, “I have to put the survival of the institution of the Met first… I don’t operate the Met according to my personal feelings on every issue.”

The deal comes on the heals of Gelb’s vocal support of Ukraine in its political freedom and human rights. Gelb has been on a media blitz regarding the country’s freedom and has been vocal about cutting ties with Putin supported artists and company’s like the Bolshoi Theatre. Per Reuters, Saudia Arabia was among the biggest buyers of Russian fuel oil this past July. The two countries lead the OPEC+ Group.

The new deal comes two years after the Met hosted the American debut of the Saudi National Orchestra and Choir.

In 2024, the Saudi Arabian government agreed to invest €50 million toward the renovations of the Centre Pompidou in Paris, nearly 20 percent of the overall cost of €262 million. Saudi Arabia has also made investments in the UK and France at large.