Metropolitan Opera Announces Drastic Season Reduction Amid Financial Pressures
The Metropolitan Opera has unveiled plans for its 2026-27 season, which will feature the fewest productions in at least six decades. This significant reduction comes despite the institution reporting modest improvements in ticket sales, underscoring the severe financial constraints facing one of the world's most prestigious opera houses.
Historic Low in Productions Despite Box Office Recovery
Announcing its programme on Thursday, the Met confirmed it will stage only 17 productions during the upcoming season. This marks the lowest total for a non-abbreviated season since the company relocated to Lincoln Center in 1966. The schedule includes just five new stagings, with revivals of three popular operas – Puccini's "Tosca" and "La Bohème," and Verdi's "Aida" – accounting for 71 of the 187 individual performances, representing 38 per cent of the total.
Met general manager Peter Gelb explained the strategic shift toward extended runs: "It makes more sense for us, and this is an experiment — to present these works in extended runs. And by double-casting them, it also is more economic in terms of how many different shows are playing in one week."
Ticket Sales Improve But Revenue Challenges Persist
Ticket sales for the current season have reached 72 per cent, showing an increase from 70 per cent in the first half of 2024-25. However, this improvement has not translated into proportional revenue growth. "Basically, it's back to pre-pandemic levels," Mr Gelb noted. "We're not grossing as much money because the average price per ticket is slightly less than it was, because we have a younger audience and more discounted tickets."
Among the season's notable successes, Mason Bates' "The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay," which premiered this season, sold 84 per cent of its tickets, prompting the Met to schedule an additional four performances. Other strong performers included an English-language "The Magic Flute" (83 per cent), Bellini's "I Puritani" (82 per cent), and Puccini's "Turandot" (77 per cent). Less successful were Mozart's "Don Giovanni" and Strauss' "Arabella" (64 per cent each), and Giordano's "Andrea Chenier" (57 per cent).
Upcoming Season Highlights and Strategic Decisions
The 2026-27 season will open on 22 September with a new production of Verdi's "Macbeth," starring soprano Lise Davidsen and directed by Louisa Proske. A world premiere of composer Missy Mazzoli's "Lincoln in the Bardo," based on George Saunders' novel, is scheduled for 19 October, featuring Christine Goerke, Stephanie Blythe, Anthony Roth Costanzo, and Peter Mattei in a staging by Lileana Blain-Cruz.
Three productions new to the Met will also be featured:
- Janáček's "Jenůfa," a Claus Guth staging from London's Royal Opera
- Puccini's "La Fanciulla del West," a Richard Jones staging that premiered at the English National Opera
- The company premiere of Kevin Puts' "Silent Night," a James Robinson staging first seen at the Houston Grand Opera
A gala event with over two dozen stars is planned for 25 May 2027, to commemorate the company's 60th season at Lincoln Center.
Financial Measures and Leadership Reflections
Budget tightening measures have included the postponement of Simon McBurney's staging of Mussorgsky's "Khovanshchina," 22 layoffs, and temporary salary cuts ranging from 4 to 15 per cent. "Unfortunately, I have to wear two hats," Mr Gelb commented. "I have to wear my artistic hat, and I have to wear my financial hat."
Mr Gelb reflected on the state of opera: "We're in a kind of golden age of opera singing. The only difference between today and 30 or 40 years ago is that 30 or 40 years ago opera was much more in the cultural mainstream." He also revealed that "Lincoln in the Bardo" would not be among the eight simulcasts to movie theaters, citing a post-pandemic drop in audience for unknown titles.
"A title that is unknown, even with whatever maximum efforts of marketing and publicity that are done, will underperform to a degree where it is not really financially viable for the movie theaters or for us," he explained.
Next season will mark Mr Gelb's 20th anniversary as general manager. He intends to retire when his current contract concludes in 2030, stating: "That certainly is our current plan."
