(Credit: Jonathan Tichler / Met Opera) Will the Metropolitan Opera have to return donations from Matthew Christopher Pietras? The question was asked in a New York Times article, which recently published another in-depth article about Pietras. In the article, the Times noted that the arts institutions such as the Met and the Frick Collection, which Pietras famously donated money to, {…}
The Metropolitan Opera is set to open its 2025-26 season with the company premiere of “The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay.” The Met-commissioned opera is composed by Grammy Award–winning composer Mason Bates and written by librettist Gene Scheer. The work will premiere on Sept. 21 and run through Oct 11, 2025. In a statement, Bates said, “This story resonates {…}
The Metropolitan Opera has announced a trio of new initiatives designed to make opera more accessible and inclusive for audiences. The company said that it would be launching Opening Act, Tuesday Talks, and an expanded Met Under 40 program. Opening Act will bring opera to the youngest audience members with a new series of interactive family workshops. The program will {…}
The Metropolitan Opera has found its next Wotan in the Ring Cycle. The Associated Press is reporting that Met General Manager Peter Gelb said that Ryan Speedo Green will sing the role when the Met launches its new Ring Cycle in the 2027-28 season. The news comes as Green is singing the role of Wotan at the Santa Fe Opera {…}
It seems the Metropolitan Opera was tricked regarding a donation of $15 million. In an exposé by the New York Magazine, it was revealed that Matthew Christopher Pietras had fraudulently attempted to donate money to the Metropolitan Opera. According to the report, on March 31, Met Opera General Manager Peter Gelb announced a major gift of $15 million by Pietras. However, {…}
(Credit: Vladimir Shirokov) Anna Netrebko’s national origin discrimination claim has been reinstated in her lawsuit against Peter Gelb and the Metropolitan Opera. On Wednesday, July 30, 2025, U.S. District Judge Analisa Nadine Torres in Manhattan stated that the soprano and her team could proceed with the claim alongside her claim of gender discrimination. With the claim reinstated, the case will {…}
(Credit: Brigitte Lacombe) Peter Gelb is criticizing the United States government for abandoning Ukraine. During a concert at the Kyiv Camerata, the Metropolitan Opera’s General Manager took the stage to reinforce the company’s commitment to Ukraine and noted, “I stand before you as an American cultural leader who believes in a free Ukraine.” During his speech, he did, however, criticize {…}
(Photo credit: Zenith Richards / Met Opera) In an interview in the summer issue of Montana Quarterly, written by Patrick Sauer, tenor Brandon Jovanovich revealed that he had stage four prostate cancer and was undergoing chemotherapy during his run of “Moby Dick” at the Metropolitan Opera. Sauer, who also interviewed this writer for the story, revealed that he had spoken {…}
Peter Gelb is warning that the arts are under threat from the rise of authoritarian regimes. In an interview with Backstage Classical, the Metropolitan Opera General Manager told Axel Brüggemann that President Donald Trump’s administration has impacted the arts and the Met’s audiences. Gelb stated that the new policies that have been implemented by the administration have seen a decline {…}
(Credit: Jonathan Tichler / Met Opera) The Metropolitan Opera has announced that the Eric and Dominique Laffont Competition is expanding to South America. The company will expand to Santiago, Chile, beginning in the 2025–26 season. The South America Region and the Districts will include Argentina, Chile, and Colombia Districts and will be supported by the partnering organization Fundación Ibañez Atkinson. {…}
The Metropolitan Opera’s 2024-25 season attendance dropped in the spring portion, falling below projections. According to the AP News, the company’s season sold 72 percent of capacity, matching the 2023-24 season. That was three percent down from its 75 percent projection from the winter. In February, the Met reported that the first half of the season had seen 70 percent {…}
