The Metropolitan Opera, New York
Created | Updated Feb 27, 2006
First Draft
Some Europeans are surprised to learn that the Metropolitan Opera in New York (or 'Met' as it is usually called) has one of the longest records of continuous performance around. The management of the Met have always had large amounts of money, and this has ensured that the Met has always starred some of the world's greatest singers. Since the 1940s the tradition of Saturday broadcast has meant that Met performances have reached the world's largest audiences.
The Old 'Met'
The original opera house was of the LINK H2G2=" "traditional design/LINK, opened in 1883 with a capacity of 3,045. It was built by a group of wealthy businessmen, who subscribed $800,000 between them. It had to be rebuilt after a fire in 1892, and was given an increased capacity of 3,850. In the early years, the Met favoured the German repertoire, and it caused an international sensation when it presented the first performance of Wagner's Parsifal outside Wagner's own opera house at LINK H2G2=" " Bayreuth /LINK. A less welcome sensation was the public uproar caused by the American premiere of Richard Strauss's Salomé.
Mrs Astor arrives at 9 o'clock
Snobbery; box subscribers (link) Mrs Astor
Great Conductors
Mahler, Toscanini. Puccini here?
Great Singers
Caruso, Flagstad the war years and problems with Wagner
Callas
Pavarotti and Domingo
The New Met - Lincoln Center
The old house had very poor backstage facilities, and in the ?1950s 1960s it was decided to build a new opera house. This new building, at Lincoln Center was built to a modern design and opened in 1966 with a capacity of 3,500. The 5 huge arches of the facade dominate Lincoln Center Plaza1. Nearly all the seats have excellent sight-lines, and even those patrons in the cheapest seats are well treated.
Money from subscribers and wealthy donors often through tax-breaks- notoriously conservative audience - expect the best singers in the world, but very critical of any more modern or adventurous staging. Traditional Saturday matinee broadcasts reach an enormous audience all over the world.
1The film Moonstruck shows the modern Met.
