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 {…}
The Metropolitan Opera has announced the 2025 Summer Encores, which will be presented between July 23 and August 13. Here are the encore screenings. Verdi’s “La Traviata” from Dec.15, 2018, will be showcased. The performance showcases Michael Mayer’s production starring soprano Diana Damrau and tenor Juan Diego Flórez. Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts. Encore Date: July 23, 2025 Nadine Sierra {…}
Violetta Urmana had not sung at the Metropolitan Opera since 2017. For 16 years, she was a leading soprano for the company, performing both mezzo and soprano roles in many of the most dramatic roles in the repertoire. Her “Aida” was one of the most memorable interpretations and was even recorded on HD, while her “La Gioconda” was iconic. She {…}